After five years building a studio and recording trip-pop under the name Loquat, Kylee Swenson and Earl Otsuka needed to get out of the studio before they developed an allergy to the sun. With some luck, the duo (who both play guitar live) connected with drummer Christopher Lautz , bassist Anthony Gordon and keyboardist Ben Kasman.

Armed with their organic-meets-electronic guitar pop, the band played theri first full band show at San Francisco's Bruno's on September 23rd, 2001 and has played close to 50 shows in the Bay Area and beyond.

Loquat's first EP, The Penny Drop, was released in May 2002 and was available through various Bay Area and online stores.

The band's second EP release on 10- inch vinyl, entitled Fall, is available from Dreams By Degrees records . Various Loquat tracks have also found their way to compilations, including Listen.com's Listen Picks Vol. II and Amoeba's Amoeba Music Compilation Vol. IV.

Silke Tudor of the SF Weekly wrote about the band: "It's the combination of the superb musicians and their significant restraint that make Loquat so habit forming." Of guitarist and lead vocalist Swenson, Tudor adds, "[Her] lyrical imagery, consisting of childhood playgrounds and paranoid delusions, matches and elfin voice replete with breathy melancholy and sultry languor."

In 2003, Loquat introduced new keyboardist Ryan Manley; Loquat took away the trophy for "Best Pop Group" at 2003's SF Weekly Music Awards; and Devil In The Woods records released Loquat's seven song EP, Before the Momentum, including a cover of The Smiths' "There is a Light That Never Goes Out."

In 2004, Loquat's song "Swingset Chain" was featured on the WB television program One Tree Hill; the band's music racked up over 50 spins on San Francisco's commercial radio station Live 105; Loquat was the editor's pick for the launch day of CNET's Music Download site; and, hot on the heels of their first tour to SXSW in Austin, Loquat was chosen as the only opening band for The Cardigans' first San Francisco show in five years. (May 22, 2004 at 330 Ritch.)

Loquat recently finished its debut full-length album, It's Yours to Keep, which was released on Spain's Dearstereofan label for distribution in Spain, Portugal, and Mexico and will be released on Jackpine Social Club records for the US and beyond in April 2005.

Visit the Loquat website for more information and pics!

Visit the Loquat Press Page for hell of links

'It's Yours To Keep'

tracks
» take it back
» rocks
» slow, fast, wait & see
» swingset chain
» need air
» change the station
» serial mess
» it's yours to keep
» to the floor
» internal crash