André Costello
André Costello and the Cool Minors | |
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| Origin | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | costelloandthecoolminors |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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André Costello is a Pittsburgh based singer-songwriter, guitarist and band leader of André Costello and the Cool Minors. André was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania and grew up in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania.
A graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, “I got conned into going to the Art Institute [of Pittsburgh],” he admitted, “I look at ads for those [music/art institutions] now and they remind me of ones for Newport cigarettes—a cool looking, ethnically diverse band, and you can tell they don’t even play guitar because they’re holding it weird.”[1]
After his first application interview at the Art Institute, he wondered if their sole interest was his money, but with both parents as government employees (his father retired from the military and his mother was a postal worker) he received enough aid to pursue a degree there. André added that his parents’ support wasn’t only financial, but indirectly fueled his love for art. He recalled drug-free “trips” with his mother while driving through dense snowstorms, radio turned up, snowflakes glowing in their headlights. And in the mornings, the family alarm was his dad blaring classic rock on the radio.[2]
“It would be like, early Genesis, with Peter Gabriel. I’ve had trips—no drugs, though [laughs]—with both of my parents like that. It messed with my head and shaped it.”[3]
He first began gaining notoriety in Pittsburgh in 2014 when a long-form music video where he, along with members who would become "The Cool Minors," sacrificially burned a piano, titled Summer's Best. The stunt landed the then three-piece on the cover of the Pittsburgh City Paper.[4]
While attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, he joined The Slant (band) and performed with acts such as Blind Pilot and Megafaun. The release of the album Old North garnered attention from NPR's All Songs Considered in 2008.[5]
In 2018, he and his band debuted the album "Resident Frequencies" at the Buhl Planetarium in Pittsburgh, PA.[6]
He has supported bands such as Delicate Steve, Rusted Root, Weather Report, Sam Evian, Atlas Sound, R. Ring (Kelley Deal of The Breeders), Nat Baldwin of The Dirty Projectors, Paul Luc,
Scott Mervis from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, "Like My Morning Jacket, André Costello and the Cool Minors is a little earthy, a little space-rock..."[7]
Albums
Resident Frequencies
In 2018 the band released Resident Frequencies on Pittsburgh-based Misra Records. The lead-off track, “Broken Noses,” has a Muse-like quality, while songs like “How Long” call to mind My Morning Jacket. The nine-minute “To Find You” starts with ambient background voices talking, a la Pink Floyd. Collectively, it’s an album that’s alt-rock with a splash of art-rock, featuring bursts of boisterous guitar and some jam-band-worthy keys. As Costello’s vocals hit higher registers, some songs meander into a dream-pop state.[8]
The Rattling Arcade
In 2014 the band released their first full album on Wild Kindness. They managed to find a middle ground on the set of eight songs that display Mr. Costello's strength as a sensitive singer-songwriter who has a way around a heartbroken lyric. The songs got an extra lift from the Wild Kindness community, including the Harlans' James Hart on pedal steel, Morgan Erina on vocals and Grand Piano's Bob Kircher and Ryan Booth going off on horns (on "Took Our Cause").[9]
André Costello and the Cool Minors certainly have embraced the power of dynamics. That’s not to say that there aren’t moments of clarity such as “Turned on Us” that arbiters of lyrical content and melody can’t appreciate. The crew certainly could strong-arm itself into the same stratosphere as an overwrought Matt Pond PA with a penchant for Cosmic American Music. Although I hear moments of that infernal alt-country vibe that a lot of acts on this side of the commonwealth can’t seem to shake, overall it’s a very ambitious and enjoyable recording. Especially “What Will Be,” which sounds like Fleet Foxes, Alan Vega and the ghost of Jeffrey Lee Pierce hijacking an arena rock concert. Epic sounds.[10]
Band Members
Current Members
- André Costello
- Matthew Fiorillo
- Nicholas Charters
- James Hart
Past Members
- Cynthia Thomas
- Michael Perrotta
- David Pokrivnak
Discography
- Way of The Future EP (2014)
- The Rattling Arcade (2014)
- Resident Frequencies (2018)
André Costello and the Cool Minors
This article "André Costello" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:André Costello. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
- ↑ "André Costello — On the Bill - Belt Magazine". beltmag.com. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ↑ "André Costello — On the Bill - Belt Magazine". beltmag.com. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ↑ "André Costello — On the Bill - Belt Magazine". beltmag.com. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ↑ Pfannenschmidt, Seth. "André Costello and the Cool Minors torch a piano in a new long-playing music video". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ↑ "The Slant: 'The Human Animal'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ↑ Tady, Scott. "Beaver County rocker throws CD release party/laser show". The Times. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ↑ "Andre Costello and the Cool Minors tune in, jam out on 'Resident Frequencies'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ↑ Tady, Scott. "Beaver County rocker throws CD release party/laser show". The Times. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
- ↑ "Preview: Andre Costello and the Cool Minors debut 'Arcade'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2018-08-24.
- ↑ "The Beat: The King Comes to Town". Retrieved 2018-08-24.
