No Sleep Archives

Q&A: The Casket Lottery’s unsung reunion yields louder, denser indie-rock gem

The Casket Lottery: Real Fear (No Sleep, 11/6/12)

“In the Branches”

Following a four-year hiatus from 2006–2010, Kansas City’s The Casket Lottery was reanimated by front-man Nathan Ellis and expanded from its power-trio core to a quintet. The two new members gave the melodic post-hardcore band an even greater musical arsenal, as shown on Real Fear — its first studio LP in 10 years — which continues its legacy as one of the most underrated groups in “indie music.”

MP3 Premiere: Balance and Composure’s “You Can’t Fix Me” and “Say”

Braid / Balance and Composure split EP (No Sleep, 2/26/13)

“You Can’t Fix Me”

Balance and Composure: “You Can’t Fix Me”

“Say”

Balance and Composure: “Say”

Next week No Sleep Records is releasing a split EP that pairs the old and new guards of indie rock. Each with a couple of brand-new tracks, the recently reactivated Braid and the up-and-coming Balance and Composure both are following an extended player with another quick dose of pretty and emotional rock tunes.

ALARM’s 50 (+5) Favorite Songs of 2012

Last month ALARM presented its 50 favorite albums of 2012, an eclectic, rock-heavy selection of discs that were in steady rotation in our downtown-Chicago premises. Now, to give some love to tunes that were left out, we have our 50 (+5) favorite songs of last year — singles, B-sides, EP standouts, soundtrack cuts, and more.

ALARM’s 50 Favorite Albums of 2012

Another year, another torrential downpour of albums across our desks. As always, we encountered way too much amazing music, from Meshuggah to The Mars Volta, Converge, Killer Mike, P.O.S, and many more.

Review: The Casket Lottery’s Real Fear

The Casket Lottery: Real Fear (No Sleep, 11/6/12)

“In the Branches”

The Casket Lottery: “In the Branches”

After a five-year run as a full-time band from 1998 to 2003, Kansas City indie-rock trio The Casket Lottery was able to look back on three standout full-lengths and a handful of EPs. Come 2006, the perpetually underrated band had adopted the same attitude as fellow Kansas City notable Coalesce — which shares The Casket Lottery’s Nathan Ellis and Nathan Richardson — by lying low and working on other projects, but never officially breaking up. Flash forward to 2012 and The Casket Lottery has magically reappeared with two more members — Brent Windler on second guitar and Nick Siegel on keys — and a new full-length album, Real Fear.

MP3 Premiere: The Casket Lottery’s “In the Branches”

Remember when “indie rock” bands used to play…*ahem*…rock music? If you’re under the age of 20, you might not — but either way, get acquainted with the recently reactivated Casket Lottery.

Review: The Casket Lottery’s The Door EP / Nathan Ellis’s self-titled EP

The Casket Lottery / Nathan Ellis: The Door / Nathan Ellis (No Sleep, 8/7/12)

“The Door” (The Casket Lottery) & “Balance Beam” (Nathan Ellis)

The Casket Lottery: “The Door”

Nathan Ellis: “Balance Beam”

As a name, Nathan Ellis is unassuming, also held by the random college professor, fire chief, and publicist. As a musician, Nathan Ellis might still be unassuming, unwilling to play up his accomplishments, but his list is no joke: The Casket Lottery, Coalesce, Able Baker Fox, Jackie Carol, and now solo singer-songwriter material.

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