The High Violets are an American dream pop band from Portland, Oregon, United States.
History The High Violets were formed in late 1998The High Violets Set Sights on the Stars. The Portland Tribune, April 19, 2002. Accessed November 9, 2007. after the breakup of Portland band The Bella Low[ The High Violets] at Allmusic.com by former members Clint Sargent, Luke Strahota and Violet Bianca Grace. This lineup was short-lived however as Grace left after a few gigs. Sargent and Strahota then joined forces with Allen Davis of Echoplex. Soon after Sargent recruited Kaitlyn Ni Donovan to complete the line up. After self-releasing an EP entitled Dream Away, they signed to Irish label Reverb Records and released 44 Down in 2002.Review of 44 Down. Pop Matters, August 15, 2002. Accessed November 9, 2007. Four years later, they followed up with the critically acclaimed To Where You Are, also on Reverb.Weekly Picks, San Francisco Bay Guardian, April 18–24, 2007. Accessed November 9, 2007.Review of To Where You Are. Spacelab. Accessed November 9, 2007.Review of To Where You Are. Urb Magazine. Accessed November 9, 2007. The group also performed at SXSW in 2006. In 2007, they performed at NXNE and released a remix album, Satellite Remixes, which featured Ulrich Schnauss and Carmen Rizzo among others.Forkcast. Pitchfork Media, September 25, 2007. Accessed November 9, 2007. Although the band is currently on hiatus from touring and live performances they have been active in the studio. Their fifth full-length album Heroes and Halos, released April 1, 2016, was listed on PopMatters 10 Best Shoegaze and Dream pop Albums 2016. In 2021 they released the B-Sides & Rarities album.
Discography Dream Away EP (Self Released 2000) 44 Down EP (Reverb Records, 2002) Invitation EP (Self Released 2005) To Where You Are (Reverb, 2006) Satellite Remixes (Reverb, 2007) Cinema (Comet Rock, 2010) Heroes and Halos (Saint Marie Records, 2016) B-Sides & Rarities (Comet Rock, 2021)
Compilations Northwestern Presents... Rock Stars Attack! (2000) NW Shoegazer Bliss (2002) In a Different Place (2003) Fuzzy Ball (2004) MusicfestNW '06 (2006) Missing Deadlines - Ulrich Schnauss Remixes (2010) Rock Back for Japan, volume 5 (2011) Static Waves Saint Marie Records (2012) Static Waves 2 Saint Marie Records (2013) Static Waves 3 Saint Marie Records (2014) Static Waves 4 Saint Marie Records (2015)
Song appearances in media The High Violets songs have been featured in various television shows, including: MTV Fraternity Life MTV Sorority Life CW Life Unexpected Direct TV You Me Her The High Violets song Chinese Letter Remix (Ulrich Schnauss remix) was featured in the film and film soundtrack Water Wings.
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