Editorial Reviews The band got its name from the title of a book of short stories by Zenna Henderson. In the title story, a tale is weaved about a little girl from a troubled home. This character sees the world as she wishes it could be when she cups her hands. Her obsession almost consumes her. Coming from the harsh city of Paterson, New Jersey, Claude S. felt that the music was his only escape from the ghetto, and it was the resulting melodies that created Anything Box into a group. By writing music, Claude escaped a world where drugs were dealt outside his kitchen window, where prostitutes roamed the streets, and garbage flew into your face as the winter forced you indoors. The isolation made him write songs to make people trancsend the cruelty of the everyday by offering up hope and love, like his heroes, The Beatles. Also, Kraftwerk made their way into the fold, as did The Kinks, The Who, Pink Floyd, New Order, Nirvana, and The Beastie Boys. California promised a blue sea and sunny skies. The move also created what many consider the most unknown famous band in the world. To this day, after eight albums and a slew of singles on one major and two independents, Anything Box remains deeply rooted in the underground. Although people from all walks of life agree that they could become one of the most important bands in the world, they stay aloof towards an industry they do not agree with. The music always comes first, as does their fans. They don’t shun the media, the media is shy of them. They don’t deplore MTV, they haven’t made many videos. They don’t fight Napster. They advocate the use of the internet. What Anything Box is capable of has yet to reach its peak. For a band to have played to a crowd of nearly 70,000 people in Brazil and still have a blue collar home ethic is indearing, and they relish in it. At the same time, one must ask the question "Why haven’t I heard of this band?" Maybe you have. And if you haven’t, it’s about time you did. Because no matter what, they exist. For more info visit anythingbox.com
Music Review:
Music Review
Vol. 1-Official Bootleg [Import]
Beethoven: The String Quartets, Op.18, No. 1 to 6
Collection U.K. [Box set] [Import]
About the Artist
This is a group with something to say. From the start Anything Box was destined to change the world around them through the art of the song, to perform tunes that make you feel, using words, noise, melody and images that simply stay with you forever. Just ask their fans. With a huge cult following across the globe, Anything Box gives alternative music a pop spirit with a punk ethic, seduced by melodic noise. The Universe Is Expanding is their latest body of work, which breaks all the rules of pop music genres. The album blends electronic noises, melodic guitars with distortion, hip hop with 60’s psychedelics, riddled with stories of sadness, pain, angst, indifference and brutality...all sung with a smile.
Album Description
Anything Box returns to us from a journey into the depths of angst, longing, noise, melodies, and stylistic ponderings in space as only they can. Call it elektrodelic, call it pop, call it space rock, call it beautiful.