The Sprites

Jason Korzen, a singer, guitarist, and dedicated soccer fan, launched Sprites in 2002 once the Washington, D.C.-based indie rock band Barcelona had dissolved. He sought an escape from the interpersonal strains and artistic concessions that had soured his prior group experience. To that end, Korzen assembled Sprites as an ever-changing circle of friends who gathered solely for enjoyment and live performance, free from any fixed hierarchy or binding obligations. He and his spouse Amy served as the steady core while an assortment of contributors rotated through, among them several ex-members of Barcelona. After Barcelona ended, Korzen passed an extended winter alone in his basement, capturing four-track demos that later supplied the material for Sprites’ first album, Starling, Spiders, Tiger and Sprites, issued in early 2003 by March Records. The record favored minimal instrumentation, marking a clear shift from the synth-driven indie pop of his previous project. In the months surrounding its 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 a tour with the Lucksmiths, after which the six-song EP Bionic Hands surfaced in 2004 on the Spain-based indie label Lejos Discos. The next twelve months were devoted to crafting the follow-up, with most tracks developed collectively during live rehearsals. Korzen handled recording and production duties himself, performing nearly every part alongside Amy; the resulting effort, Modern Gameplay, carried a stronger new-wave influence and arrived in early September 2006 via Darla Records.