Cotton Mather, What Made Milwaukee Famous

Fri. 07/06 | 9:00PM @ Antone's (map)

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In 1997, Austin, Texas band Cotton Mather released its "Kontiki" album in the US with little fanfare. In the UK, however, the album was a smash. It wasn't just the press either. Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher fell in love with "Kontiki" soon after discovering it.

When Noel was asked "What are you listening to these days?" in the pages of Mojo, he answered: "Cotton Mather, 'Kontiki.' 'I thought if that isn't the best record I've heard in ten years, then I don't know what is." Brother Liam left his praise for the record in the pages of GQ, admitting "I fucking wish it was ours! I play it all day at home."

Back in Austin, the bounce back of the album's influence from across the pond was finally felt, with Britt Daniel of a still-new Spoon proclaiming "'Kontiki' gave me something to shoot for."

Cotton Mather will re-issue "Kontiki" on Valentine’s Day, 2012 in a deluxe two-CD format that includes four-track demos, acoustic versions and songs that didn't make the final album.

What Made Milwaukee Famous is an indie pop-rock band based in Austin, Texas. The band met in 2002 through an ad placed in the alternative Austin paper The Austin Chronicle. Band members spent their entire first year getting to know one another before presenting themselves to the public. Their first album Trying to Never Catch Up was released in 2005 and was very well received.

Singer Michael Kingcaid attributes much of his singing style to Jeff Buckley, and the rest of the band members boast a wide array of musical influences. Drew Patrizi on keyboards, John Farmer on bass, and Josh Vernier on percussion completed the band’s original lineup, but in late 2005 Vernier was replaced by Jeremy Bruch. Bruch is also a member of Hurts to Purr, another Austin band.

In September of 2005, WMMF became the first unsigned band to be featured on the PBS series Austin City Limits in years, which they recorded with Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdinand. In early 2006, WMMF was finally signed to Barsuk records.

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