Life Without Buildings

Named after a <a href="spotify:artist:7vPXrGlSGukcwpaPxUfKKR">Japan</a> B-side, Life Without Buildings actually drew a little more from several post-punk bands and another that their name seemed to acknowledge: <a href="spotify:artist:2x9SpqnPi8rlE9pjHBwmSC">Talking Heads</a>. Formed during the summer of 1999 at the Glasgow School of Art, <a href="spotify:artist:3O3YxmRcu66P4nUvaCNpQa">Will Bradley</a> (drums), Chris Evans (bass), Robert Johnston (guitar), and Sue Tompkins (vocals) decided to fuse their talents out of their admiration for other proto- and post-punk bands like <a href="spotify:artist:0S7Zur2g8YhqlzqtlYStli">Television</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4EF5vIcCYKMM61oYOG2Tqa">ESG</a>, and early <a href="spotify:artist:70MMkLXtue3Edj3RJhJkYp">PiL</a>. They also reminded many of the late-'70s Rough Trade sound, which was well-known for a deep roster that largely featured jerky/martial rhythms, sparse instrumentation, and sung/spoken vocals. So it made perfect sense that the Rough Trade-affiliated Tugboat label would ask the band to record a single after their first London gig. Released in March of 2000, "The Leanover" b/w "New Town" secured the band a deal with the label. Numerous radio sessions ensued, including one for Steve Lamacq's Evening Sessions on the BBC. A second single was released in June, and a third followed shortly thereafter. The band's debut full-length, Any Other City, was released in late February of 2001 in the U.K.; DC/Baltimore 2012 issued it months later in the States. Numerous positive comparisons were drawn, almost to the point of becoming an albatross for the group; despite this, Life Without Buildings were every bit a modern pop band, not at all retro in the manner of a garage band. Well apart from other Scottish acts of the time like <a href="spotify:artist:30SpGunnNpbbUL4IfkvC5q">Travis</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6g8Jqb5JMfv92eB2r0awTN">Arab Strap</a> -- only <a href="spotify:artist:0SjQ3WWmKE3K9uUG2Xiq1C">Johnston</a> was Scottish, anyhow -- Life Without Buildings clearly offered something that music was lacking in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, the group broke up in 2002. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi