The recent decline in legal music sales has forced music marketers and artists to promote differently. As CD stores fade away, a new medium of music integration has arrived at our theaters and TV screens. In the past, after ‘Googling’, I have discovered bands through television advertisements. Anytime I hear the song “1901” by Phoenix, I always think Cadillac. Ford also featured the Band of Skulls song, “Light of the Morning”, in their 2011 Mustang commercial. A movie soundtrack is always available after a little probing, but never has a band so readily jumped out at me as The Boxer Rebellion; featured in the movie, Going The Distance. So ‘congrats’ to all you suits, your initiative worked. In the film (spoiler alert) Justin Long’s character winds up fictionally managing, this non-fictional band. An obvious display of the band’s webpage is shown, and two performances are featured in the movie as well.
Upon review of the The Boxer Rebellion’s music I am pleasantly surprised and actually thankful that I sat through this movie long enough to be interested. Following the death of his mother, singer Nathan Nicholson moved from Tennessee to England. Through an internet posting he was connected with guitarist Todd Howe and the remainder of the band, Adam Harrison and Piers Hewitt. While planning to tour with The Killers after the debut of their EP, TBR had to cancel after Nate’s appendix burst while on tour, requiring 5 hours of surgery, resulting in months of subsequent recovery. The band has been successful since then, through their movie promotion, touring, and iTunes album sales.
The Boxer Rebellion has released two full-length studio albums. The first, released in 2005, is entitled Exits. Their second studio album, Union, was released in 2009 exclusively through iTunes. A third studio album is promised for 2011; the title forecast for this album is The Cold Still. The Boxer Rebellion is actually a loaded phrase, and finding a catchy band name is becoming increasingly difficult as more musical acts emerge. Digging around Wikipedia, I uncovered that the band derived its name from an uprising in Northern China between the years of 1899 and 1901 against Western Imperialism and the spread of Christianity. The Boxers were known for their athleticism because they were under the impression that through the proper training, they could become impervious to gunfire and knife attacks. As stupid as this sounds, the revolt lead to a siege of foreign embassies in Beijing and costly damages to European spheres of influence in China.
I have listened thoroughly to the album, Union, which sounds like less depressing Radio Head and is hitting the proverbial ‘spot’ with me during my stay here in wintry NJ. Not only was Union named album of the year in 2009 by iTunes, but Spin Magazine named The Boxer Rebellion “Best Men in Black” at South by Southwest. My favorite track on the album has to be No. 9, entitled “Evacuate”.
These guys are worth a listen if you will take the time. The Indy scene can be disappointing and does require a great deal of sieving, but that’s what I’m here for. Enjoy.
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