AUTOGRAMM Drop Synth-Soaked Power Pop Album with Video for “Born Losers”

Autogramm, synth-driven power-poppers from Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver, have just released their latest LP Music That Humans Can Play. Their first album in over two years will be released on vinyl and digital formats world-wide 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 which lead 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.”

Autogramm has a long standing connection to the art, punk, and skateboarding communities world-wide. Since their inception, Autogramm has performed throughout Canada, Mexico, the US, the UK, and Europe in notable venues such as London’s Lexington, Berlin’s Wild At Heart, and San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill. Autogramm has graced the pages of international press like Austin Town Hall, Under the Radar, Goldmine, Louder Than War and Exclaim! Their last album No Rules climbed to #3 on CBC Radio 3, and charted for five months at college radio in both the US and Canada. The single “Mantra” also saw rotation on SXM’s The Verge, Rodney on the Rock, and Little Steven’s Underground Garage. The band members are: Jiffy Marx of Brooklyn’s Hard Drugs, Vancouver’s Night Court, and Blood Meridian; CC Voltage of Berlin’s Dysnea Boys, London’s Loyalties, and Vancouver’s Black Halos and Spitfires; Lars Von Seattle of Bread & Butter and The Catheters; The Silo of Vancouver’s Black Mountain, Lightning Dust, Destroyer and more recently, Chicago’s Spun Out. Music That Humans Can Play was recorded in Vancouver BC during the heatwave of August 2022. Somehow, between visits to the beach, barbecues, and a newborn baby, the band laid down ten tracks at two sweaty studios on Vancouver’s Eastside. The result is a blissfully cool album with music that will appeal to all listeners, from record store snobs, garage rock slobs, and even synth-pop heartthrobs!