Artist description The Vanishing Spies bring Big Rock into the new millennium with this urgent, infectious and melodic release. Recalling the pop-rock smarts of Guided By Voices and the guitar crunch of The Pixies, each of the 14 tracks on Mystifying Alibis is testimony to the enduring relevance of the three-minute rock song. If you do not believe us, try listening to "Teen Zeniths" without pumping your fist, "Costumes Most Courageous" without singing harmonies during the bridge, and "Welcome to Delight" without weeping like a small, frightened girl. This album also features the singles "Renderings of Us," "Decoder Ring," and "Sister Soon." We have seen the future of Rock, and it is The Vanishing Spies.

Music Style Melodic, guitar-driven Indie Rock with a brain, a heart, and a beer.

Musical Influences Guided By Voices, Pixies, Sloan, Bob Pollard, Beatles, David Bowie

Similar Artists Guided By Voices, Pixies, Sloan, Bob Pollard, Sugar, Buffalo Tom, Spoon, Teenage Fanclub

Artist History There is a theoretical conundrum that has baffled the world's top scientists since the early 1900s. It is a problem so profound that it prompted Carl Sagan to go on a week-long hashish bender that came to a sad and sordid end when he was found naked and curled up in a fetal position in the baggage area of a Wheaton, Illinois, Greyhound bus depot muttering in broken English about "The Robots." With the recent release of "Mystifying Alibis," the debut disc from Minneapolis' The Vanishing Spies, this theoretical riddle has once again reared its ugly maw: is it possible to have a rock-and-roll Supergroup when no one has heard of the other bands that the individuals in the Supergroup once played in? The four members of The Vanishing Spies--Sean McNamee (The Halcyon Brothers), Eric Zuccola (The Minimal Pairs), John Christensen (Last Year's Model), and Matthew Mark Luke Johnson (Antheap)--have between them punched the clock in no fewer than 14 bands over the past decade. While each of those bands reached certain levels of success, it was not until this quartet joined to record "Mystifying Alibis" that they were able to achieve the Big Rock Sound that each individual member had been searching for. Combining the pop-rock smarts of Guided By Voices with the guitar crunch of The Pixies, The Vanishing Spies have recorded one of the first great rock albums of the 21st century. The 14 tracks on "Mystifying Alibis" take a decidedly unique look at contemporary relationships and the engagingly damaged folks who enter into them. The unique nature of the band's approach comes from its ability to create melodic rock anthems that are at once thundering and thoughtful. Responsible for the thundering part of the equation are McNamee's clean and rolling guitar riffs, Christensen's powerful drumming, and Johnson's bouncing bass lines. Producing the thoughtful slant of the songs are the vocals of McNamee and the harmonies and lyrics of guitarist Zuccola, whose approach to songwriting combines the best attributes of David Bowie, Elvis Costello, and Bob Pollard. The results of this union are undeniably infectious. Just try to successfully steer your car while pumping your fist to the 90 seconds of bliss that is this album's first single, "Teen Zeniths." Just try to deny that smarty-pants lyrics can be a good thing when coupled with a good melody, as is the case with "Decoder Ring," which was recently featured on MAGNET Magazine's New Music Sampler Volume 24. Just try to stop yourself from singing along with the harmonies that make the bridge of "Costumes Most Courageous" one of the most memorable moments on the album. Just try to resist your urge to prop a Summit Pale Ale high in the air while swaying along to "Welcome to Delight," the album's striking closing track. These are but four of the 14 good reasons why this album will move into your CD player, build a two-story home with an attached deck for cookouts, and start a family. Perhaps, then, it is fitting to refer to The Vanishing Spies as a rock-and-roll Supergroup. While no one may know or remember the many bands McNamee, Zuccola, Christensen, and Johnson have worked with, they certainly cannot deny the appeal of "Mystifying Alibis." This album reaffirms the enduring relevance of the three-minute rock song and brings a musical genre that was on its deathbed screaming back to life. Too bad the same cannot be said about Carl Sagan.

Group Members Sean McNamee - Vocals, guitar Eric Zuccola - Guitar, vocals John Christensen - Drums Matthew Mark Luke Johnson - Bass

Albums Mystifying Alibis (2001)

Press Reviews "This is smart, literate power pop from a Minnesota trio of indie scene veterans. Clearly, these folks know their city's musical history well enough to bring the so-called Minneapolis sound to the next level. The band's Mould/Hart/Westerberg-inspired penchant for melodic hooks, driving rock beats, and strong song structures allows them to lay claim to heir to its legacy with ease." --The Big Takeover "Damn if the songs aren't super catchy! Plus, the 14-song disc clocks in at just over 35 minutes, so it's full of short catchy pop songs, and that's the best kind!" --Indie Pages

Location Minneapolis, MN - USA

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