The Republic Tigers

The indie rock outfit Republic Tigers, based in Kansas City, Missouri, infuses its richly arranged sound with both natural and electronic components. Kenn Jankowski, one of the group’s founders, relocated to Kansas City in 1999 and joined the band initially called the People, which later became the Golden Republic. There he formed an immediate bond with local musician Adam McGill. After Golden Republic dissolved in 2006, the two multi-instrumentalists formed a new project rooted in pop. They took the name Republic Tigers from Jankowski’s high school mascot and expanded the lineup by adding guitarist and pianist Ryan Pinkston, bassist Marc Pepperman, and drummer Justin Tricomi. Electronic frameworks soon assumed a central role in their writing, leading the band to release a self-issued EP in late 2007 and then finish their album Keep Color, which appeared on Chop House Records in 2008.