Humpback Oak
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990–1991 |
| Headquarters | Singapore , Singapore |
| Products | Music albums |
Humpback Oak was a Singapore-based band formed between 1990 and 1991, achieving widespread recognition in 1994 with their first album, Pain-Stained Morning. This debut featured standout songs such as "Fear", "Finer Life", "Circling Square", and "Lower Girl", which contributed to the album's strong reception across Southeast Asia. The group earned accolades including Favourite Local Act and Critic's Choice at Singapore's Perfect 10 Music Awards in 1995.
Emerging amidst the late 1980s and early 1990s wave of Singaporean indie groups like The Oddfellows and The Padres, Humpback Oak was instrumental in rejuvenating the local English-language music landscape. Their sophomore album, Ghostfather (1997), presented a more reflective style, followed by their third release, SideASideB (1999), after which the band gradually withdrew from the music scene.
In 2010, Humpback Oak made a comeback with a limited-edition box set titled Oaksongs, compiling their three studio albums alongside previously unreleased tracks.
History
The band's members initially connected at St Joseph Institution around 1988–89 and solidified their lineup by 1990–91. They began writing original songs and circulated demo tapes through local record outlets.
During the 1990s, Humpback Oak actively produced music with the releases of Ghostfather in 1997 and SideASideB in 1999 before members pursued separate paths. They briefly reunited for a one-off show at the Rock for Wayne tribute concert in June 2007 and subsequently issued the Oaksongs compilation box set in February 2010.
Members
- Leslie Low (vocals and guitars) – previously lead singer of The Observatory
- Vincent Chin (guitars)
- Daniel Wee (bass)
- Stanley Teo (drums)
Discography
- Pain Stained Morning (1994)
- Ghostfather (1997)
- SideASideB (1999)
- Oaksongs Compilation Box Set (2010)