The Pulsars
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Dave Trumfio, Harry Trumfio |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
| Website | thepulsars |
The Pulsars were a new wave and indie rock ensemble originating from Chicago, Illinois, fronted by brothers Dave Trumfio and Harry Trumfio. They were signed to the Almo Sounds label, founded by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, and produced two albums during the mid-1990s, releasing only one while the other remains unreleased.
History
The group was composed of siblings Dave and Harry Trumfio,[1] with Harry handling drums and Dave taking on production duties, lead vocals, and all other instrumentation.[2] Having played together since their school days, they initially recorded music in a home studio.[3] Dave referred to his synthesizers as 'Theodore 9000,' which the band regarded as their "third member" and had originally considered as their band’s name.[4] Prior to The Pulsars, Dave was involved with Ashtray Boy and the Mekons.[5]
Their debut release was the Teenage Nites EP, issued by Sweet Pea Records in 1995,[6] featuring songs such as “Owed to a Devil” and “Silicon Teens (Full Chord Version).”[7]
They secured a three-album contract worth $2.5 million with Almo Sounds,[3][8] beginning with the five-track Submission to the Master EP, which included trumpet parts contributed by label co-founder Alpert.[5][9]
Their 1997 self-titled debut album reflected 1980s influences blended with contemporary elements.[2] Music critic Ritchie Unterberger described it as "pleasant, catchy retro-new wave," while SPIN magazine lauded its confident and memorable anthems.[10][11] Trouser Press regarded it as "one of the singular musical accomplishments of the '90s," highlighting its fusion of melodic hooks and modern emotional depth.[9]
The band’s lyrics often explored futuristic concepts such as robots and space travel.[9][12] Standout tracks included "Tunnel Song," inspired by American highway tunnels, and "My Pet Robot," a homage to Theodore 9000.[4] Their musical style merged synth-pop, new wave, and R&B influences,[12] earning comparisons to bands like Pixies, the Cars, and the Cure.[13][12] Live performances incorporated dub-style interludes.[14]
Acknowledged as "Chicago's pre-eminent new wave revival band"[10] and praised as "profoundly great"[9], The Pulsars dissolved prior to completing their follow-up album when Dave shifted his attention toward production work. They briefly reunited in 2009 for a performance in Brooklyn,[15] with intentions reportedly in place to finalize their second album under the moniker Our Future.[15]
On April 1, 2021, The Pulsars revealed Lost Transmissions, a compilation of 15 rare and previously unreleased tracks available for pre-order on Bandcamp, officially released on August 1.[16][17]
Members
- Dave Trumfio – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming
- Harry Trumfio – drums, keyboards, programming, backing vocals
Albums
| Year | Title | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Pulsars
|
|
| 2021 | Lost Transmissions
|
Singles/EPs
| Year | Title | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Teenage Nites EP
|
|
| 1996 | Submission to the Master EP
|
|
| 1997 | Tunnel Song
|
|
Suffocation
|
||
Inland Empire EP
|
||
| 1998 | Suffocation
|
External links
- [ The Pulsars profile on AllMusic]
- Official Myspace page of The Pulsars
- Analysis of the Pulsars' Submission to the Master
- Archived feature on The Pulsars from Machine Talk
- ↑ Template:AllMusic
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedBandcamp - ↑ Abebe, Nitsuh. "The Pulsars - Pulsars Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ↑ Lenzi, Michael; Hirt, Jane. "Pulsars "Teenage Nites" – SP009 – Sweet Pea Records". Sweet Pea Records. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ↑ Abebe, Nitsuh. "The Pulsars - Submission to the Masters Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ↑ Pfenninger, Leslie J. "Tunnel Song/Worker Robot Droid". On A&M Records. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ↑ Pfenninger, Leslie J. "Suffocation/Inland Empire". On A&M Records. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ↑ Pfenninger, Leslie J. "Inland Empire EP". On A&M Records. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ↑ "The Pulsars - Suffocation Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved January 4, 2023.