Digital Leather is the musical project led by multi-instrumentalist Shawn Foree. It is recognized for having characteristics of electropunk, new wave, pop, lo-fi, and psychedelic music.[1]

Digital Leather
OriginYuma, Arizona, U.S.
Genres
Years active2002–present
Labels
  • No Coast Records
  • King of the Monsters
  • Shattered
  • Tic Tac Totally
  • FDH
  • Goner Records
  • Fat Possum
  • Volar
  • Crash Cymbals
  • Southpaw
  • Kind Turkey Records
  • Plastic Idol
  • Disordered
  • P Trash
  • Red Lounge
  • Squooge
  • Neat Neat Neat
  • Ghost Highway
  • Castle Bravo
  • Avant!
  • In the Red
  • Sunburst
Members
Past members

History

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Originally from Yuma, Arizona, Foree began calling his project "Digital Leather" when he moved to Tucson, where he studied American literature at the University of Arizona.[2] He used student loan money to buy equipment.[3] He managed to release his first three albums after recording them in his bedroom on labels such as Tic Tac Totally, Jay Reatard's Shattered Records imprint, and FDH Records.[4] He supported this "bedroom project"[1] with several nationwide and European tours.[5] Sorcerer, released on Goner Records in 2008, is a half-live, half-studio record.[6]

In 2009, friend and fellow musician Jay Reatard took over managing duties for the band.[7] Around this time Foree began working on a collection of songs in a fully operational studio.[2] Released in September 2009 by Fat Possum Records, Warm Brother garnered positive reviews. Pitchfork, for example, referred to Foree as sui generis, calling the album a "charming curio."[8] Reportedly, the label did not initially support the album’s artwork, which features a shirtless man with the album name taped across his chest.[4]

In 2013, Todd Fink of The Faint joined Digital Leather as a full-time keyboardist and additional recording engineer. "All Faded" was recorded by Todd Fink and Clark Baechle of The Faint between 2013 and 2015.[9] All Faded was released by FDH Records in November 2015.[10]

In a 2020 article, American Songwriter described Foree as "a serious solo, DIY musician."[11]

Selected discography

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Albums

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Singles

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  • Simulator (2005) Plastic Idol
  • Split w/ Angry Angles (2006) Shattered
  • She Had A Cameltoe (2007) Goner
  • Closed My Eyes (2007) Disordered (Italy), P Trash (Germany), FDH (USA)
  • Suckface (2007) Red Lounge (Germany)
  • The Assault (2008) Red Lounge (Germany)
  • Hurts so Bad, demo version (2009) Squoodge (Austria/Germany)
  • Power Surge (2009) FDH
  • Lousy Manipulator (2009) Neat Neat Neat
  • Sponge (2011) Ghost Highway

Other projects

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  • Mere Mortals (2012) Self-released
  • Diode (2014) Crash Symbols
  • TIT (2014) FDH / Volar
  • Dome Valley (2014) Castle Bravo
  • Black Bug (2015) Avant!
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  • Lost Sounds – Future Touch (2004) In The Red
  • Tokyo Electron – S/T (2005) Shattered
  • Cutters – 7" (2005) Sunburst
  • Terror Visions – World of Shit (2007) FDH
  • Devon Disaster – Make Things Bleed (2008) Red Lounge
  • Destruction Unit / Black Sunday – Split LP (2008) FDH
  • Earthmen & Strangers – S/T (2009) FDH
  • Mere Mortals - Purple Fire (2012) Self Released
  • The Faint - Doom Abuse (2014)
  • The Hussy – Volar EP 7" (2015) Volar

References

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  1. ^ a b "Digital Leather, The Mistreaters, CoCoComa, The Hex Dispensers, and Drugs Dragons | Music | Events | The A.V. Club Milwaukee". Avclub.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  2. ^ a b Swedlund, Eric. "Rise of the Synth | Music Feature". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  3. ^ Deming, Mark. "Digital Leather". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  4. ^ a b "Welcome to the warped world of Digital Leather". MLive.com. 2009-11-12. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  5. ^ "new Digital Leather video & 2010 tour dates (SXSW)". Brooklynvegan.com. 2010-02-04. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  6. ^ "This Week's Recommended Shows: Jay Z, Grizzly Bear, Sunny Day Real Estate – Seattle – Slideshows". Seattleweekly.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-08. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  7. ^ "Night Life". The New Yorker. 2009-01-07. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  8. ^ "Digital Leather". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  9. ^ "Track Premiere Digital Leather". cmj.com. 2015-05-20. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  10. ^ "Stream Digital Leathers New Album All Faded". noisey.vice.com. 2015-06-16. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
  11. ^ "Digital Leather Shares What Could Be Its Last Album 'New Wave Gold'". americansongwriter.com. 2020-09-20.