Those Transatlantics

by Stewart MasonWith their devotion to ultra-catchy pure pop hooks, alternating male and female vocals, and deceptively complex song structures, Those Transatlantics come across as America's answer to the New Pornographers. However, the Michigan quintet has a sweeter disposition than Carl Newman's often sardonic crew, with a fondness for sweet '60s sunshine pop and the gently jangly side of modern indie. Those Transatlantics formed in the central Michigan college town of Mt. Pleasant in 2003 around the axis of guitarist Michael Spence and lead singer Kathleen Bracken. Adding keyboardist and singer Chris Hatfield, bassist Joseph Clark, and drummer Trevor Waldron, Those Transatlantics released a self-titled EP in the spring of 2004. Following their full-length debut, 2005's You're Seated in the Back, Clark was replaced by Brian Siers, a multi-instrumentalist who had previously worked with the experimental pop group Anathallo. Signing to the Detroit indie Suburban Sprawl Records and resettling in the Motor City, Those Transatlantics released their second album, Knocked Out, in the spring of 2006.