Atlas Genius is living the dream, a Cinderella-story type of dream. One of those one-in-a-million experiences—except instead of Cinderella, a pumpkin and a fairy godmother; their story follows two Australian brothers, a hit single and a well-known blogger. With the recent release of their sophomore album, “Inanimate Objects,” this indie-pop band of brothers is entering the prime of their career, exploring their sound and discovering the elusive beast of staying power.
The Adelaide-based brothers, Keith Jeffrey on lead vocalist and guitar and Michael Jeffrey on drums, formed partially out of boredom and partially out of inspiration. Never considering their favorite pastime, music, as a viable and lucrative career option, the two brothers and their other brother Steven began writing music in their garage in between their college studies. Inspired by the power of emotion they discovered in crafting songs, they ended up turning the garage into an in-house studio. The band decided to release their first single “Trojans” under the moniker Atlas Genius, a name that came to Michael Jeffrey in a dream. The brothers expected nothing from the release. They were playing music to play and play it well.
“In this day and age, it’s really difficult to get your music out there. I’ve always said that the quality of the music will speak for itself,” said Keith Jeffrey.
And that’s exactly how it happened.
Soon after the release of “Trojans” a popular music blogger, Neon Gold’s Andrew Hwang, raved about the tight, infectious groove of their synth-powered pop. The response was immediate and overwhelming for the guys. The single peaked at No. 4 on Billboard ’s Alternative chart, No. 17 on Billboard’s Rock chart and No. 15 on its Heatseekers chart. The track also received airplay from XFM and Radio One in the UK, reaching No. 82 on the Alternative Airplay chart. From being virtually unknown one day to getting calls from record labels the next day after the release of one song, the guys took their time deciding their next move and ended up selling thousands of copies before eventually signing with the U.S. label Warner Bros to release their first EP and album.
“It’s one thing to be a musician playing a lot of clubs. It’s a whole different beast when you’re playing a different city every day, a different time zone every other day, and running on four hours of sleep,” said Keith Jeffrey. “With that first album, everything was a first. Now, the second time around. We knew how it was going to be.”
But that didn’t stop Atlas Genius from further developing their sound. Many artists fear the term “the sophomore slump” and how it can characterize their second album. The second album is when an artist has to prove whether or not they’ve got what it takes to captivate an audience or if the first album was just a fad. With the release of their second album, Atlas Genius has proven they got that highly-coveted staying power. For them, it was about further delving into their sound.
On their first album, there was pressure to produce after the overnight success of “Trojans.” Fans wanted the music, and they wanted it right away. Not wanting to lose momentum, the band recorded their highly-acclaimed and beloved album “When It Was Now.” While their first album had a very Phoenix-meets-Two-Door-Cinema-Club reminiscent sound with a driving pop beats and big airy hooks, the second led them in a darker direction.
The new album, “Inanimate Objects,” takes the aggressive sound of 90s pop and masterfully mixes it with the textured synths of the 80s. With songs like “Molecules” and “Refugees,” the sound is cleaner with crisp beats and lilting vocals, emphasizing less pop than punch. The sound really explores the raw emotions the band was originally so inspired by to make music. For this album, it was equally as important to Atlas Genius to write with the live show experience in mind as well.
“We always try to grow,” said Keith Jeffrey. “We’re always experimenting with ways to get the crowd energized. You get to transfer people from their every day existence. It’s rewarding. It’s the energy in a room. It’s incredible.”
Currently making their way through a U.S. tour full of festivals, auditoriums and late night shows, the band is getting to see the reaction to the songs firsthand, and they couldn’t be happier. They are living out their dreams and doing it successfully at that.
“Mike and I have been working at this a long time,” said Keith Jeffrey. “We’re extremely passionate about what we do. We’re by no means a product of a machine. We do everything ourselves. We’re an indie band on a major label.
Atlas Genius is exactly where the band never expected to be, following that pipe-dream that turned out to be so much more.
Story by: Haley Buske
Interview by: Nick Yacovazzi
