Untied States

Art rock outfit Untied States originated at the dawn of the 2000s when Sarasota, FL natives and longtime friends Colin Arnstein and Skip Engelbrecht—who had both moved to Atlanta, GA in 1997—joined forces. The duo blended conventional rock structures with sonic experimentalism on their independently issued 2003 EP Bird of the Blood Feather, then issued the 2004 full-length Ineffable, by Design. Those two projects drew favorable notices along with college-radio airplay that broadened the band’s reach across the American Southeast. To enable live shows, the project brought in drummer Jim Early, after which bassist Andy Jones and guitarist Lindell Todd joined the fold. When Early and Todd later exited, Wade Page came aboard on drums, locking the ensemble into a four-piece configuration that delivered its sophomore album Retail Detail on May 2, 2006.