Biography
Brooklyn-based outfit the Wants fuse confrontational energy with melodic hooks, drawing from Anglophilic post-punk, the relentless pulse of industrial and techno, and the raw texture of Rust Belt life. Though several members also play in Bodega, the Wants share that group’s political fury yet direct it toward more experimental, introspective territory, as heard on their first full-length effort, the 2020 album Container.
The band’s story began in 2014 when singer/guitarist Madison Velding-Vandam and drummer Jason Gates started writing material sparked by their shared admiration for Gang of Four and Talking Heads. During that period Velding-Vandam also joined the dance-punk group Bodega, whose bassist Heather Elle contributed low-end lines to the Wants as well. Keyboardist and singer Lydia Gammill rounded out the quartet, allowing the musicians to expand their palette by weaving trip-hop, industrial, and electronic textures into a post-punk core.
What began as an EP project quickly grew in scope once recording commenced. After issuing a handful of singles through London’s Council Records, the Wants unveiled their debut album Container in March 2020. The record reflects the post-industrial vistas of Velding-Vandam’s native Michigan and features unorthodox sounds captured from a coffee machine and a sheet of aluminum.
The band’s story began in 2014 when singer/guitarist Madison Velding-Vandam and drummer Jason Gates started writing material sparked by their shared admiration for Gang of Four and Talking Heads. During that period Velding-Vandam also joined the dance-punk group Bodega, whose bassist Heather Elle contributed low-end lines to the Wants as well. Keyboardist and singer Lydia Gammill rounded out the quartet, allowing the musicians to expand their palette by weaving trip-hop, industrial, and electronic textures into a post-punk core.
What began as an EP project quickly grew in scope once recording commenced. After issuing a handful of singles through London’s Council Records, the Wants unveiled their debut album Container in March 2020. The record reflects the post-industrial vistas of Velding-Vandam’s native Michigan and features unorthodox sounds captured from a coffee machine and a sheet of aluminum.
Albums
Singles
