Mannequin Depressives

Websites:  http://www.mannequindepressives.com
Origin: Calgary, Alberta
Biography:

Influenced by various "alternative" electronic genres from the '80s & '90s - including acts such as New Order, Cabaret Voltaire and The The - Mannequin Depressives manage to create a sound that all at once seems familiar, and yet, not quite like any other band you've ever heard before. MD's mixture of electronic sounds (actual synthesizers - no soft synths here) with more traditional instrumentation (voice, guitar, occasional acoustic percussion) create a sound that could be described as "electro-acoustic pop" or "post-new wave" - fusing the hi-fi with the lo-fi, and blending pop sensibilities with occasional experimental elements.

Seeing an imperative to continue where new wave and post-punk left off, founder Rod C. Dornian joined forces with Nebulous in '98, and laid out the framework for what would later become Mannequin Depressives.

By 1999, Russ Magee and Scott "Smoth" Johns joined the Mannequin line-up, simultaneously setting in motion the process of completing their debut album, as well as developing strategies for live performance.

2002's debut album "Trash-Eighty" set to the task of breathing new life into what was left of the new wave movement. Elements of post-punk, synthpop, and industrial combined together to create an album rooted in the 80s, within the context of the 90s and 2000s.

A series of live shows with groups such as The Birthday Massacre, Icon Of Coil, and Left Spine Down kept the cross-genre exposure pervasive, while the sole cover song of Kraftwerk's "The Model" paid homage to one of MD's most notable influences.

With each release, the sound of Mannequin Depressives has matured and evolved to incorporate a wider variety of musical influences, but they've never forgotten their roots. The spirit of those pioneering days gone by can still be heard in their music as they continue to remind us of just how cool synthesizers can be.

"...This group is just as inspired by the '80s as any synthpop act ever has been, but instead of latching on to one or two favorite bands, Mannequin Depressives manage to distill the entirety of the decade onto one 70-minute CD that's bound to please anyone who grew up listening to "alternative rock" before it was ever called such a thing."

(Girls Are Evil review by Matthew J. - Grave Concerns E-zine)

"...The band member's many musical influences combine to make a pleasingly varied album and prove themselves versatile and talented musicians time and time again. One thing's for sure, you could never accuse them of being predictable!"

(Trash-Eighty review by Carl Jenkinson - Electrogarden.com)