Vancouver’s AUTOGRAMM Drop Synth-Soaked Power Pop Album with Video “Born Losers”
Autogramm, synth-driven power-poppers from Vancouver, have just released their latest LP Music That Humans Can Play. Their first album in over two years was released on vinyl and digital formats worldwide on November 17th on Stomp Records (and Beluga Records EU).
Accompanying this official release is the video for the track “Born Losers”. Keeping with Autogramm’s tongue-in-cheek brand of video making, “Born Losers” was shot and directed by Tyler McLeod on location at Sasquatch Mountain Resort in British Columbia. The video features a sasquatch, an epic backflip on skis, Kokanee beer, and a banana on a shrimp platter.
“Born Losers” is a song about being an outsider and finding your place in the world. The encouraging refrain of the song tells the listener, “We’re all born losers until someone lets us win, we’re all just outsiders until somebody lets us in.” The music video reinforces this narrative by portraying a story of acceptance among friends in a hilariously silly plot.
With their new album Music That Humans Can Play the band dedicated themselves to bringing in sounds from influences like The Fixx, David Bowie, Cheap Trick, The Boys, The Dickies, Jay Reatard, and Prince. The result is a decisively cohesive album that will fit in easily to the 80s section of your record collection, with songs so well-crafted they probably deserve to be on the soundtrack of Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Music That Humans Can Play explores a myriad of lyrical themes ranging from hilarious to tragic.
Most notable are songs like “Love is for Fools” examining the topic of love during the time of Covid, “Born Losers” embracing failure, feeling left out and being okay with it, “WannaBe” encouraging loving one another in whatever physical forms we take, and “Why do we Dance?” promoting Autogramm’s MO: Dance like nobody’s watching!
CC Voltage described the background to the third track on the album,
“The song Hey Allie materialized at the end of a long, depressing winter. I was digging through old demos trying to find something worth using for the new album, when my partner encouraged me to write something for our unborn daughter. This gave me the inspiration to make something new instead of rehashing old ideas. It was a tough year for our family in a number of ways, and writing this tune was me offering a ray of sunshine for when we find ourselves in those gloomy periods of our lives.”
The new album, Music That Humans Can Play, was written while Autogramm ultimately reconsidered their future as a band in the time of the global pandemic. Despite the many factors that led to being separated between their respective cities, sharing ideas remotely became the fodder that would ultimately become Music That Humans Can Play. In fact, drummer The Silo was finishing writing songs for the album on his flight from Chicago the day before hitting the studio. Part of the spark that reignited the band’s fire was asking their friend Lars Von Seattle to join the band. The legendary guitarist of Sub Pop’s late 90s and early 00s teenage heartthrobs,
The Catheters had this to say,
“Joining Autogramm was kind of a no-brainer since I was a big fan of the music, as well as genuinely enjoying their gracious company over the years– a rare combination, indeed. Planning the recording remotely was a new, and at times, challenging process but I think the record is more interesting and unconventional (dare I say eclectic?!) as a result. When we finally convened in Vancouver, long hours were spent diligently rehearsing and recording, but we also made plenty of time for extracurricular and memorable hot summer hangs– which I think can be heard on the record. It’s a total honor and a new pleasure to be inducted into such a dynamic, fun-loving, and multi-talented band of plastique punques.”
First off, care to introduce yourself to our readers?
I’m C.C. Voltage of Autogramm, The Spitfires, Dyspnea Boys, and sometimes Black Halo. But don’t hold that against me!
Tell us a bit about your most recent release.
Our new album “Music That Humans Can Play just came out on Stomp Records and Beluga Records in the EU. It’s a feel-good new wave, power pop album with songs that will transport you back to the days when Til Tuesday ruled the airwaves. You can find it on all the streaming services, and our new video for “Born Losers” is definitely worth a view. We go skiing and befriend a Kokanee-drinking sasquatch!
Do you have any upcoming shows you’d like to tell us about?
Yes, we have a few release shows in the Pacific Northwest, and a European tour in March.
December 14 VANCOUVER BC – RED GATE
December 15 SEATTLE – BELLTOWN YACHT CLUB
December 16 PORTLAND – HIGH WATER MARK
March SAT 16 NL – HAARLEM – SCHLACHTHUIS
March 17 BELGIUM / HOLLAND – TBA
March 18 BE – BRUXELLES – LE CHAFF
March 19 FR – PARIS – LÌNTERNATIONAL
March 20 DE – KOBLENZ – HAUS METTERNICH
March 21 – GERMANY TBA
March 22 DE – BOCHUM – WAGENI
March 23 DE – FRANKFURT – TBA
March 24 DE – BAYREUTH – SCHOKOFABRIK
March 25 DE – LEIPZIG – NBL
March 26 DE – DRESDEN – TBA
March 27 DE – BERLIN – SCHOKOLADEN
March 28 DE – HAMBURG – MS HEDI
March 29 HOLLAND – TBA
If given the chance, which Canadian artist would you love to work with in the future?
I would love to finish the project I got started with Adrian Popovich from Tricky Woo / American Lips. We have the blueprint for a whole kida album in the works. It’s just taking a little more time than we anticipated between our own projects and families. But it will be amazing, and I’ve always wanted to work with Adrian.
What’s your goal for 2024?
We’re just excited to finally have the album out and some touring plans after almost 3 years since our last live show. We’ll be touring from Chicago to Montreal in the summer, and beyond that, we don’t know. Our goals have always been simple; find the best margaritas, skate parks, and beaches through our travels as a band.