Major and the Monbacks

Emerging from Virginia, the ensemble known as Major and the Monbacks—later operating as Super Doppler—evokes the horn-accented rock of the 1960s and 1970s through a melodic, roots-driven approach shaped in large part by the post-Beatles sensibilities of the Band, ELO, and Blood, Sweat & Tears. The group first assembled in Norfolk around 2008 while its members were still attending high school; its roster comprises singer and guitarist Neal Friedman, bassist Cole Friedman, singer and keyboardist Michael Adkins, drummer Bryan Adkins, singer and guitarist Harry Slater, and percussionist Tyler West, all augmented by an R&B-styled horn section. Once school ended, the musicians began touring the Eastern United States, issued an EP, and cultivated a devoted grassroots following whose support enabled them to crowdfund their self-titled 2015 debut album, cut in Nashville. That release earned favorable notice across online outlets and alternative publications, elevating the band’s visibility. By June 2017 the artists were preparing to issue their Matthew E. White-produced sophomore effort, Moonlight Anthems, when they disclosed both an official rebranding to Super Doppler and an amicable split from Yep Roc. The name change stemmed from the realization that “Monback,” the Southern shorthand for “c’mon back,” carried racial-slur connotations for some listeners; accordingly, Moonlight Anthems appeared on an independent basis.