Sprites

After the breakup of Washington, D.C.-based indie rock band Barcelona, singer/guitarist and soccer enthusiast Jason Korzen launched Sprites in 2002. His goal was to escape the interpersonal strains and artistic concessions that had frustrated him in group settings. To that end, he designed the project around a fluid lineup of friends who gathered simply to play and socialize, free from any fixed obligations or “backing band” hierarchy. Korzen and his wife Amy stayed constant while other participants, among them former Barcelona colleagues, rotated in and out. Following the dissolution of his earlier band, Korzen passed an extended winter alone in a basement, capturing four-track demos that supplied the material for Sprites’ first album, Starling, Spiders, Tiger and Sprites, issued in early 2003 on March Records. The record favored sparse arrangements, marking a clear shift from Barcelona’s synth-driven indie pop. In support of the release, the group played occasional concerts, among them a slot at New York City’s CMJ Festival and a short run of dates alongside the Ocean Blue. Summer 2003 brought further road work, this time supporting the Lucksmiths. The following year saw the arrival of the six-song EP Bionic Hands, released via Spain-based indie label Lejos Discos. Most of 2005 was devoted to composing the next album, with the songs developed collectively during live rehearsals. Korzen handled recording and production himself, performing nearly every part alongside Amy. The resulting effort, Modern Gameplay, displayed a stronger new-wave influence and appeared in early September 2006 on Darla Records.