Biography
New Wave revivalists who propelled both the Saddle Creek label and the broader Omaha, Nebraska music community into wider view, the Faint fuse indie rock, dance-punk, and electro-pop into an unruly whole. Serving as the sonic opposite of labelmates Bright Eyes—whose Conor Oberst had briefly played in the group during its Norman Bailer period—the Faint reached a creative peak in 1999 with Blank-Wave Arcade, a release that helped spark a fresh wave of electro-punk. Later albums such as Danse Macabre (2001), Doom Abuse (2014), and Egowerk (2019) sustained the band’s output of sweat-soaked, dance-floor anthems that simultaneously challenged authority and ignited parties.
Throughout numerous personnel and stylistic shifts, the Faint have consistently forged fresh identities and drawn increasing attention. First performing as Norman Bailer with Clark Baechle, Todd Baechle (later Todd Fink following his marriage to future Saddle Creek artist Orenda Fink of Azure Ray), and bassist Joel Petersen, the group’s earliest work blended lo-fi pop and tongue-in-cheek easy listening while incorporating punk attitudes rooted in their skateboarding youth. Alongside a pre-adolescent Bright Eyes and the newly formed Cursive, the band helped plant the seeds of the explosive Omaha scene and became a flagship act for Saddle Creek Records.
A handful of tracks on split 7"s and samplers plus one extremely limited cassette constituted their sole early releases, yet the underlying promise remained evident. After Matt Bowen joined, the Faint emerged in its recognized form around 1998. Their debut full-length, Media, still diverged from the sound that would later define them, mixing new wave-inspired pop with Lullaby for the Working Class-style acoustic dirges. Following Media’s release, the band sought to enrich its live performances; Bowen departed and Jacob Thiele entered, supplying essential keyboard textures.
Early in 1999 the group returned to the studio with a revised approach centered on danceable rhythms, prominent keyboards, and an ’80s aesthetic that both honored and reworked prior influences. Blank-Wave Arcade resulted—a driving album addressing sexuality, transportation, and mass consumption—which quickly drew legions of listeners captivated by the band’s transformed sound. Combined with a seizure-inducing D.I.Y. lighting setup and relentless stage presence, the new material generated substantial excitement, positioning the Faint as new wave’s apparent successors. Limited-edition remix LPs and supporting tours intensified the attention, so that by the time the band reentered the studio in early 2001 the anticipation had reached a fever pitch.
August 2001 brought the third album, Danse Macabre, a darker extension of the directions explored on Blank-Wave Arcade. Guitarist Dapose (born Mike Dappen), whose background lay in death metal, was added; his style meshed with the record’s brooding yet strangely buoyant mood. The release met strong approval and quickly ranked among Saddle Creek’s top sellers. Further touring followed, and in October 2001 the band issued the Mote/Dust 12" on GSL, containing additional remixes, a Sonic Youth cover, and a new track featuring Bright Eyes songwriter Conor Oberst.
Recording activity paused until March 2003, when Danse Macabre Remixes appeared, featuring reworkings by Paul Oakenfold, Photek, and Medicine. Their fourth studio album, Wet from Birth, arrived in fall 2004. The Faint supplied a remix of “Meet Your Master” from Nine Inch Nails’ Year Zero, while Petersen, under his Broken Spindles moniker, reworked Of Montreal’s “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games.” The group subsequently constructed its own studio, Enamel, and launched the Blank.Wav imprint, which issued Fasciinatiion—the first Faint full-length released independently of Saddle Creek—in summer 2008. Doom Abuse followed in 2014, succeeded by the retrospective Capsule: 1999-2016 in October 2016. Longtime keyboardist Jacob Thiele exited in 2016, with Reptar’s Graham Ulicny stepping in; Ulicny’s first studio contribution arrived on Egowerk, the 2019 album that returned the band to Saddle Creek.
Throughout numerous personnel and stylistic shifts, the Faint have consistently forged fresh identities and drawn increasing attention. First performing as Norman Bailer with Clark Baechle, Todd Baechle (later Todd Fink following his marriage to future Saddle Creek artist Orenda Fink of Azure Ray), and bassist Joel Petersen, the group’s earliest work blended lo-fi pop and tongue-in-cheek easy listening while incorporating punk attitudes rooted in their skateboarding youth. Alongside a pre-adolescent Bright Eyes and the newly formed Cursive, the band helped plant the seeds of the explosive Omaha scene and became a flagship act for Saddle Creek Records.
A handful of tracks on split 7"s and samplers plus one extremely limited cassette constituted their sole early releases, yet the underlying promise remained evident. After Matt Bowen joined, the Faint emerged in its recognized form around 1998. Their debut full-length, Media, still diverged from the sound that would later define them, mixing new wave-inspired pop with Lullaby for the Working Class-style acoustic dirges. Following Media’s release, the band sought to enrich its live performances; Bowen departed and Jacob Thiele entered, supplying essential keyboard textures.
Early in 1999 the group returned to the studio with a revised approach centered on danceable rhythms, prominent keyboards, and an ’80s aesthetic that both honored and reworked prior influences. Blank-Wave Arcade resulted—a driving album addressing sexuality, transportation, and mass consumption—which quickly drew legions of listeners captivated by the band’s transformed sound. Combined with a seizure-inducing D.I.Y. lighting setup and relentless stage presence, the new material generated substantial excitement, positioning the Faint as new wave’s apparent successors. Limited-edition remix LPs and supporting tours intensified the attention, so that by the time the band reentered the studio in early 2001 the anticipation had reached a fever pitch.
August 2001 brought the third album, Danse Macabre, a darker extension of the directions explored on Blank-Wave Arcade. Guitarist Dapose (born Mike Dappen), whose background lay in death metal, was added; his style meshed with the record’s brooding yet strangely buoyant mood. The release met strong approval and quickly ranked among Saddle Creek’s top sellers. Further touring followed, and in October 2001 the band issued the Mote/Dust 12" on GSL, containing additional remixes, a Sonic Youth cover, and a new track featuring Bright Eyes songwriter Conor Oberst.
Recording activity paused until March 2003, when Danse Macabre Remixes appeared, featuring reworkings by Paul Oakenfold, Photek, and Medicine. Their fourth studio album, Wet from Birth, arrived in fall 2004. The Faint supplied a remix of “Meet Your Master” from Nine Inch Nails’ Year Zero, while Petersen, under his Broken Spindles moniker, reworked Of Montreal’s “Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games.” The group subsequently constructed its own studio, Enamel, and launched the Blank.Wav imprint, which issued Fasciinatiion—the first Faint full-length released independently of Saddle Creek—in summer 2008. Doom Abuse followed in 2014, succeeded by the retrospective Capsule: 1999-2016 in October 2016. Longtime keyboardist Jacob Thiele exited in 2016, with Reptar’s Graham Ulicny stepping in; Ulicny’s first studio contribution arrived on Egowerk, the 2019 album that returned the band to Saddle Creek.
Albums
Egowerk
2019
CAPSULE:1999-2016
2016
Doom Abuse
2014
Danse Macabre
2012
Fasciinatiion
2008
Wet From Birth
2004
Danse Macabre Remixes (Remix)
2003
Blank-Wave Arcade
2000
Media
1998
Singles
