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The Collegian

Fresno State's student-run newspaper

The Collegian

From+left+to+right%3A+Mike+%E2%80%98Nico%E2%80%99+Nicolette%2C+Brennan+Smiley+and+Sean+Silverman+of+The+Technicolors.+%28Photo+via+The+Technicolors+Facebook+page%29%0A
From left to right: Mike ‘Nico’ Nicolette, Brennan Smiley and Sean Silverman of The Technicolors. (Photo via The Technicolors’ Facebook page)

This desert band will make you feel nostalgic

If you’re looking to get nostalgic over summer memories, there’s a rock band ready to help you out.

Formed in 2010, The Technicolors consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Brennan Smiley, bassist Mike “Nico” Nicolette and vocalist and guitarist Sean Silverman.

In an interview with Local Wolves, Smiley said some of the inspiration for songs on the band’s latest album, “Metaphysical,” came from the band’s home ”’ Arizona.

“… I’ll say that a lot of this record is about living in a dry, barren place, and what some of our experiences on the road have looked like from that perspective, as well as where we would like to go,” he said.

Speaking from experience, if you live in a place that has summers with dry, 100-degree weather, you’ll understand what Smiley means. And you might feel a sense of nostalgia listening to “Metaphysical.”

According to the band’s Facebook, The Technicolors started when “Smiley was acoustically supporting other local music acts by performing his songs live. After a few shows, the project began to grow and soon turned into a more serious approach, taking on the form of The Technicolors.”

The band recorded and released two albums ”’ “Who Are You” (2010) and “Listener” (2012) ”’ before, in 2014, joining its current record label 8123, home to fellow Arizona band The Maine.

While on tour with The Maine in 2015, The Technicolors released their first EP (extended play) with 8123. “Ultraviolet Disguise” still kept the heavier rock sound found on The Technicolors’ previous releases, and it wasn’t until the band’s 2016 EP, “Sweat,” was released that listeners were introduced to new sound.

The title track from “Sweat” has nearly 150,000 plays on Spotify and can be best described as “summer-space-pop,” which makes sense considering there are other songs on the EP called things like “Hologram” and “Space Cadet.” Not to mention, the artwork for the EP is an astronaut standing on the moon next to a sign that reads “Summer Mixtape Vol. 1.”

“Sweat” was released during the summer of 2016, and a year later in July 2017, The Technicolors released their debut album with 8123, called “Metaphysical.”

“Metaphysical” opens with a song called “Neon Roses,” and it sets up the overall sound and vibe of the album.

Standout tracks include “Lilies for Lily,” which has over 123,000 plays on Spotify and “Little Charmer,” which has over 152,000 plays on Spotify.

“Little Charmer” is one of the best songs on the album for many reasons, including its colorful lyrics, guitar riffs and Smiley’s smooth vocals.    

In an interview with Clash, Smiley said: “‘Little Charmer’ is a number I wrote about feeling like the last one to the party, and the last to leave, and wondering why I was even there to begin with. We’ve all been there, in one way or another.”

He added: “It’s a picture of those who have moved on, painted for those who persist, and ultimately a celebration of all the different people [who] come and go, looking back and moving forward.”

The Technicolors currently have 60,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, and the number seems to only be growing.

You can follow the band on Twitter and Instagram at @thetechnicolors.

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