Hopewell (band)

In 1995, seminal Detroit-based space rock label Burnt Hair Records released the band's first single, a split with Michigan-based drone-ambient group Windy & Carl. Hopewell's first full-length, Contact, came out on Burnt Hair in 1997.^[2] Their second release, 2001's The Curved Glass, led to European distribution, festival appearances and a John Peel session. What followed was a transition period of line-up and stylistic changes. Most notable was the loss of Dalia Garih as drummer. After regrouping, the band signed to Tee Pee Records and released Hopewell & The Birds Of Appetite, produced by Dave Fridmann of Flaming Lips fame at Tarbox Road Studios. Its follow-up, Beautiful Targets, produced by Fridmann protégé Bill Racine, was released in 2007 and its symphonic rock leanings were often compared to Mercury Rev and the Flaming Lips.^[3]

The band's 2009 release, Good Good Desperation, took them in a heavier direction, aligned by critics with Pink Floyd's Meddle and Can's Tago Mago.^[4]

A selective list of bands Hopewell has performed or toured with: My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Dandy Warhols, Nicole Atkins, The Sleepy Jackson, British Sea Power, The Comas, The Black Angels, Goldrush, Mark Gardener, Mike Watt, The Posies, The Lovetones, Garth Hudson, Adam Franklin, The Joy Formidable, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and others.

In 2009, Hopewell was tapped to perform at All Tomorrow's Parties, curated by psych-rock superstars, The Flaming Lips. Performers on the bill included The Flaming Lips, Sufjan Stevens, The Jesus Lizard, No Age with Bob Mould performing Hüsker Dü, Super Furry Animals, Animal Collective, Iron & Wine, Panda Bear, Dirty Three with Nick Cave, Suicide, The Feelies, The Drones, David Cross, Deerhunter, Melvins, Boss Hog, El-P, Dead Meadow, Akron/Family, Sleepy Sun, Black Dice, Antipop Consortium, Autolux, Atlas Sound, Bridezilla, Shellac, Grouper and Circulatory System, Boredoms, Caribou Vibration Ensemble, Deerhoof with Martha Colburn, Crystal Castles, Boris, The Low Lows, Oneida, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Menomena and Birds of Avalon.

Hopewell's music has appeared on the soundtracks for films including Tarnation and PsychoGuru (Tribeca Film Festival selection 2011),^[5] and television shows including One Tree Hill and Greek. Other notable appearances include skate videos by Viceland,^[6]Thrasher magazine^[7] and Converse, as well as the seminal Birdhouse Skateboards film The Beginning.

El 2 de noviembre de 2010, Hopewell lanzó el primer volumen de un álbum en vivo de dos partes, Hopewell Live , grabado entre el Truck Festival America (2010) y All Tomorrow's Parties, Nueva York en 2009. El primero de los dos volúmenes incluye varias canciones del quinto álbum de larga duración de Hopewell, Good Good Desperation (2009, Tee Pee Records ) y fue lanzado para coincidir con la gira de la banda por Estados Unidos como teloneros de The Dandy Warhols . ^{[ 8 ]} En 2012, Hopewell lanzó el EP Another Music, cuyo sencillo principal es una versión de Needle In The Camel's Eye de Brian Eno con Mark Gardener de la banda Ride como vocalista principal. ^{[ 9 ]}