Once a decade or so — if we’re lucky — we stumble upon music that’s genuinely fresh. Music that echoes scarcely remembered classics in the mind’s ear, while striking a tone that we simply can’t remember having heard before. A band whose new releases we anticipate with breathless excitement, and whose inevitable passing we curse and mourn like the death of a loved one. We’re lucky; in 2009, we have Populuxe.

Born in Brooklyn toward the end of the 1990’s, POPULUXE is the brainchild of instrumentalist/vocalist Rob Shapiro — theater trained musical polymath, vintage-gear fanatic and (reportedly) gleefully ruthless perfectionist. The band completes and coalesces around the prodigious talents of drummer/ rhythmatist/vocalist Pete Straub — a jazz and show trained surfer with load-bearing limbs of flexible steel.

With a name borrowed from Thomas Hine’s seminal text on the space-age baroque style of the 50s and 60s, POPULUXE neatly defies any further categorization. Their sound suggests the Gershwin brothers writing for the New York Dolls; Count Basie reincarnated as Paul Westerberg; Big Star playing Steely Dan — yielding songs that are alternately sly and elegiac, hook strewn and haunting.

The 1998 debut "a foggy day in brooklyn" set an unusual template — dramatic, stylistically diverse, literary songs stretched on frames of odd times and painted with generous swipes of harmonies and lush instrumentation.

With the release of their second album, 'deep in an American evening...' the band achieved a new level of musical depth, wit and sheer pop lushness. 'American evening...' weaves a Robert Altman-like tapestry of love in decline; of desperation, defiance and rueful humor; of familiar lives, tethered together by a thin thread of hope.

2005's "Daphne' suite EP was another evolutionary step — an aural exploration of modern ennui, alienation and midnight sun, equal parts Brian Wilson, Portishead and Edward Gorey.

And Populuxe gives us — as the somewhat jaded music listeners of the 21st century — something to hope for, too; that a band as rare as this will grace us with a long and unpredictable future.

With influences ranging from Roxy Music to Tom Waits, LA-based trio Populuxe do not so much compose as engineer their songs from an assortment of raw materials. Their smoky, offbeat lyrics revel in the comedy and tragedy of human relationships with self-deprecating humor, culling tales of vagabond optimism from the most mundane details of existence. Drawing on weighty guitar riffs and shabby chic keyboard stylings (and often including a full brass section at live performances), Populuxe offer a heady combination of the strange and the familiar.
– Flavorpill LA – July 27, 2004


...The upstairs bar was a great venue for the club, which hosted two excellent bands.
Populuxe, a gnarly pop-rock outfit from here in LA was up first, working their way through a set of supremely inspired tunes that recalled bands like School of Fish and Ween ...
– iN Magazine
November 2003

It’s refreshing to hear a band that understands melody, harmonies, poppy hooks. And live, they will ROCK you. Delicious stuff ...
– Loris Lowe,
Music Director
KLBJ, Austin
December 2004

From the scratchy vinyl-era pops and ticks underlying the opening song, "Lights Out," to the wonderful lounge ambience of "Bust," Populuxe fashions a deliciously nostalgic mood on "Deep In An American Evening . . ." Yet the Los Angeles-based trio still sounds indisputably modern: mainstream rock and classic jazz elements meld with haunting lyrics and inviting melodies, yielding 10 tunes (plus a "hidden" bonus cut) that collectively exude an intoxicating and altogether blissful air. Simultaneously contemplative and cool, it's a truly timeless excursion.
– Illinois Entertainer – March 2005


The second album from this aptly-named LA-based trio is a polished and tasteful set of stylish rock tunes with a laid-back vibe and a lush cocktail bar sound. These guys are evidently influenced by Sinatra, yet don't hesitate to drop the rock, as in the heavy and fuzzed-out rocker 'Twins'. POPULUXE's accent on clean vocals and upbeat guitar rock are refreshing and quite unlike anyone else I've heard lately. 'Deep In An American Evening' is a uniquely engaging and even fun disc that certainly steers clear of comparisons and carves a niche that could inspire others to follow.
– Godsend Online – February 2005


The group's name almost perfectly describes them. This is lush, sinuous pop with intelligent lyrics about the complexities of relationships, largely conveyed in richly layered vocal harmonies...
– Eye Magazine – 1999

Populuxe mixes old with new, bringing diversity to music. I know this is a "Love For Hip-Hop" column, but every now and then the rules are broken when my love for music overpowers all. That's just what happened in this week's "On the Flip Side."

"From old school players, to new school fools." Those were the words of one of the most universally loved groups in the nation, OutKast. I guess the same words can be used to describe this group's style of song. When I first heard Populuxe's music, it brought back memories of old-school bands like The Beach Boys and The Monkees, with a touch of modern Rock 'n' Roll. Some songs like "lights out" and "sirens" may appeal to the taste of someone who enjoys listening to Nirvana or Red Hot Chili Peppers. While songs like "Complications," which is my favorite, may appeal to the senses of Blues Traveler or Beatles fans. All in all, "deep in an american evening ..." defiantly has something for everyone with a diverse ear for music. . . .
– Port Arthur News, October 21, 2004

Populuxe challenges the staid pop/rock format by experimenting with time changes, a new lyrical approach pitting odd musical pairing against each other. . . .
– COVER Magazine – 1999

If it weren't for the Thomas Hine book by the same title, you could imagine that a populuxe was some sort of jukebox that takes pop songs, churns them up, and spits them back out with different arrangements. That's because this SoCal band does a textbook job of sounding unique on nearly every one of these 10 tracks. It is rich, unpredictable pop at every turn--tight in all the right places and never overbearing...
– OutSmart Magazine – February 2005


“4 out of 5 stars”
– JIVE Magazine
February 2005

On a beautiful August night in 2005, after a year of heavy activity, populuxe released "Daphne," then shuttered. Too much going on.

Guitars were put away, gear stored, memories lengthened, and music making paused. An acoustic guitar was bought, and a computer for recording. No other plans were made.

Then, in '07, populuxe met amiestreet, and put some of the material on the site. Started getting correspondence, email from new fans (around the globe, no less), and it was pretty wonderful.

Fast forward to March of '08, looking at the album art of all the releases, it became obvious that there was more work to do — an unmade record finishing the unintended theme of "foggy day" into "american evening" and then the deep night of "daphne".

The next step was obvious — thematically, light on the horizon at the end of the continent. But a different vibe, a different sound. Cleaner, more spare, more conversational. Boil it out.

So, with one guitar, drums and two voices, we're working it out. And we'll see what happens.