At the beginning of my college years, I discovered Pinback through the campus radio station. They had just released Summer in Abaddon and I was lucky enough to find their other albums at a local record store. I consumed their music much like I now consume spaghetti — I wanted it all day, every day. Some of my coworkers began to associate my music taste with Pinback alone. 
After recently hearing “Hard to Find,” The American Analog Set has become my new Pinback. Coincidentally, the two bands toured together in recent years.
Originally, The American Analog Set, or AmAnSet, was formed in the mid-90s in Texas. When the band began, they had dreams of a Monkee lifestyle: they would all live, practice and record in one house. Needless to say, their neighbors weren’t as excited about this concept. Subsequently homeless and scattered across Texas, the band was offered an opportunity to tour with The Magnetic Fields which they happily accepted.
Over the past years, members have come and gone, rumors of disbanding have circulated, but AmAnSet has continued to produce a unique, mellow indie pop-rock sound. Rolling Stone believes they “can be credited with paving the way for Death Cab for Cutie, among others.”
the a.r.w. recommends: “Hard to Find” from Promise of Love and “Punk as Fuck” from Know By Heart.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I used to be a huge Death Cab fan. Used to be, because I prefer the older stuff to the newer stuff but now the older stuff is attached to people I don’t necessarily want to remember so now I don’t listen anymore. Whew. Now that that explanation is done, I will say that I’ve heard about AmAnSet but never really listened. Perhaps I will now
Also, thanks for the comment. I wasn’t sure about posting it but I feel better now that I got it out.
I have a strange and pretty eclectic taste for music, so I’ll at least preview them on ITunes to see what I think, ha.
I’m not so much a Death Cab fan - maybe a song or two, but generally, they bore me. Thus, I make no promises!
love them. we should collaborate on some of these recommends
i feel like we have similar taste!
I love Pinback and AmAnSet. Wasn’t too keen on the newer Pinback album, though (Autumn of the Seraphs). But “Know By Heart” is one of my favorite albums of all time! Yay, I thought I was the only one who liked what some would consider “background music”
I LOVE AM.AN.SET! And I had no idea this album came out! I guess this is because I lost track of them around ‘02.
Though I must be honest, I am kind of cursing you for making me now spend money to get this.