Ima Robot to release Another Man's Treasure
By editor: Jermy Leeuwis on September 18, 2010.
Circa 2004, IMA ROBOT were quick to acquire a fast following as hosts of fabled parties and captivating live shows in their hometown of Los Angeles,
and it just felt good. Founded via fast friends Alex Ebert (aka Edward Sharpe) and guitarist Tim Anderson, IMAR has of late been a consistent downtime
retreat for its busy core members. It is those retreats that have resulted in the bands third full-length album Another Man’s Treasure.
Details:
Artist: Ima Robot
Title: Another Man's Treasure
Release date: 10/19/10
Record label: Werewolf Heart Records
Single:
Official website: Ima Robot
“Here we are again- or, more accurately, here we aim to be. What we offer here is a collection of songs from the end of an era. Most were recorded
between 2 and 4 years ago, a time when none of us were sure what our band was, a time of transition. We feel they make an album- and, perhaps, the
proper eulogy and remembrance of a band that was- and the twinkling of a band to come.” –Ima Robot frontman Alex Ebert
In the time between, the album took shape. Between Alex Ebert’s continuing shamanistic adventure fronting freewheeling pop tribe, Edward Sharpe and
the Magnetic Zeros. Between Tim Anderson becoming a first time father and a busy writer/producer for artists as varied as Dead Man’s Bones and Solange
Knowles. And between bass player, Fillip Nicolic’s pursuits as half of dance duo Guns ‘n’ Bombs, a remixer under the moniker Turbotito, dub project
Djosos Krost and rising electronic duo SKEET & TITO.
IMA ROBOT has always been an exuberant entity refreshingly unafraid of change. Maintaining an open door/open mind spirit, other members have opted in
and out of the band at various stages. That same fearlessness has applied to the band’s sound and vision, whether it was a witty pop song about “Ex
Girlfriends in Black Jettas” or a sexy, ahead of its time 2006 video for “Lovers in Captivity,” IMAR always flourished in creative company. That said,
it makes sense to see them now entrenched in the collective vibe of recent upstart Werewolf Heart (Dead Man’s Bones, The Goat), with whom they will
self-release Another Man’s Treasure on October 19, 2010.
Having had, in retrospect, a baffling major label experience with Virgin Records (who released their first two albums), IMAR’s current liberation
resounds as they unveil their definitive work, unbound to any outside expectation or compromise.
“Keep the name, though I now nearly hate it- an old-times-sake victory strikes again. Intellectually I make attempts: ‘Ima’ means 'mother' and ‘Robot’
means 'work' (in languages you can have fun guessing at)... But I guess, in honesty, I must admit it means nothing in particular- the perfectly clean,
messy, comfortably confused slate for a band in the same state. I started this band over 12 years ago. We've been through every nook and asshole of
the 'Business' only to find ourselves back where we started- without the business.” –Alex Ebert
There is a humility and honesty to Another Man’s Treasure that reflects a bond that only time and experience can create. Be it the background chatter
making the cut or the handmade percussion that powers many of the songs, you will hear creative intimacy of the most comfortable sort. Yet, warmth
aside, this is no light fare! When the devastating "Rough Night" morphs from an electronic dirge into aggressive noise and then dead ends as a ticking
clock, it is as jolting as anything you will hear this year. Still, amidst the sometimes bleak surface, there are slivers of light; the swirling swish
of "Sail With Me”, the hopeful plea of "Shine Shine" and the album's final words: "love will lead us home."
IMAR took to the California desert to shoot the album art with photographer Hama Sanders in early May. They transported souvenirs from IMAR’s past
such as instruments and old merch, fusing them with personal items: family photos, letters and such. They arranged them on the desert floor as a
survey of their collected past, cloaked by a bright blue sky. Ironically, on that trip whilst scouting for photo locations, the band came across
various small towns virtually devastated by the financial crisis. Following a dirt road that seeming led to the middle of nowhere, they came upon what
appeared to be an entire family’s abandoned belongings. Report cards, a television and even a boat. It was poignant to realize these were likely
prized possessions, treasures even at some point, and with that realization the album titled itself: Another Man’s Treasure.
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haha