The Airborne Toxic Event, an American indie rock band hailing from Los Angeles, California, was formed in 2006 by novelist and musician Mikel Jollett during a tumultuous period in his life involving several personal tragedies. These events heavily influenced the band’s lyrical content, leading to emotive and narrative-driven compositions. Named after a phrase from Don DeLillo's novel "White Noise," the group quickly caught the public's attention with their blend of rock music and orchestral arrangements. The central lineup has included Mikel Jollett (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Chen (guitar, keyboards), Adrian Rodriguez (bass, backing vocals), Daren Taylor (drums), and Anna Bulbrook (viola, keyboards, tambourine, backing vocals) until her departure in 2017.

Developing a reputation for stirring live performances, The Airborne Toxic Event has released a series of albums that exhibit their evolution in sound and storytelling. Their self-titled first album received significant acclaim with the hit single "Sometime Around Midnight" propelling them into the limelight. Successive releases such as "All At Once" and "Such Hot Blood" continued to display the band's penchant for anthemic rock with introspective lyrics. Their most recent projects include "Hollywood Park," an album coinciding with Jollett’s memoir of the same name, and "Live at the Greek," showcasing their dynamic performances. Works like "Songs of God and Whiskey" and "Dope Machines" reflect their range from acoustic intimacy to synth-infused experimentation, marking them as a band unafraid to traverse the musical landscape while maintaining their poignant storytelling heart.

Genres

La Indie

Metropopolis

Related Artists

The Killers

The National

Arcade Fire

Foster The People

Death Cab for Cutie

Kings of Leon

Interpol

Manchester Orchestra

Cold War Kids

Spoon

The Decemberists

Silversun Pickups

Latest Release

Glory

The Airborne Toxic Event

Album - 9 Tracks - Released September 6, 2024