Shai Halperin, a reserved individual with a passion for capturing melodies on his four-track recorder, unveiled the lo-fi package Meet Yr Acres in summer 2001. The understated release functioned as a silent bomb, drawing praise from critics worldwide. Around that period, encouragement mounted for Halperin to expand his glorious sweet sound into something larger. He enlisted former Mastercaster associates Sir Kyle Lloyd on drums and Dave Wayne Daniels on bass to develop the material that would define the Capitol Years. Operating from their Philadelphia base, the trio fused a heavy noise rock sound with threads of '60s pop. Guitarist Jeff Van Newkirk joined in February 2002, supplying the Capitol Years with an extra rock edge. Performances alongside the Mooney Suzuki, Clem Snide, and the Sadies followed in short order. The Capitol Years tracked The Jewelry Store EP across just six days before its spring 2003 store arrival. Pussyfootin came next, a full-length set of outtakes that spotlighted the group’s folkier side. The band delivered the rowdy power pop gem Let Them Drink in 2005. Self-produced throughout, Dance Away the Terror surfaced in 2006 and stood as the band’s finest set of songs to date.
