Biography
Cartel first surfaced from Atlanta in 2004 with its earnest strain of emo-pop, as vocalist Will Pugh, bassist Ryan Roberts, drummer Kevin Sanders, and guitarists Joseph Pepper and Nic Hudson issued an early EP that drew the attention of the Militia Group, a California label. After signing the band, Militia reissued the Ransom EP under its own imprint later that same year. Chroma, the group’s debut full-length, arrived in September 2005 and entered the Billboard Top 200 while online writers rallied behind the act and the clip for “Honestly” received modest rotation on MTV. Major labels took notice, leading Cartel to sign with Epic in early 2006. The band kept touring through the remainder of the year, supporting New Found Glory and the Starting Line, though bassist Ryan Roberts exited during that period. Jeff Lett stepped in as his replacement and arrived in time to join the 2006 Warped Tour dates.
The group’s most prominent promotional opportunity arrived in May 2007 when MTV invited the musicians to participate in the four-part series Band in a Bubble. The program tracked Cartel while the members resided inside a large bubble-shaped enclosure on Pier 54 in Manhattan, where they spent 22 days composing and tracking their self-titled second album. Although the record had been slated for a July street date timed to the band’s departure from the structure, its release was delayed so the group could shoot a video for the single “Lose It,” and the album finally appeared on August 21, 2007. It entered the Billboard charts at number 20 after moving nearly 30,000 copies in its opening week, yet reviewers greeted it with skepticism and it quickly slipped from view. In the ensuing months Cartel parted ways with Epic, aligned instead with Wind-Up Records, and began work on a third album. Cycles was completed in 2009 and prepared for release before the year ended. The independently issued Collider followed in 2012 as the band’s fourth studio album.
The group’s most prominent promotional opportunity arrived in May 2007 when MTV invited the musicians to participate in the four-part series Band in a Bubble. The program tracked Cartel while the members resided inside a large bubble-shaped enclosure on Pier 54 in Manhattan, where they spent 22 days composing and tracking their self-titled second album. Although the record had been slated for a July street date timed to the band’s departure from the structure, its release was delayed so the group could shoot a video for the single “Lose It,” and the album finally appeared on August 21, 2007. It entered the Billboard charts at number 20 after moving nearly 30,000 copies in its opening week, yet reviewers greeted it with skepticism and it quickly slipped from view. In the ensuing months Cartel parted ways with Epic, aligned instead with Wind-Up Records, and began work on a third album. Cycles was completed in 2009 and prepared for release before the year ended. The independently issued Collider followed in 2012 as the band’s fourth studio album.
Albums
Singles
