On Friday night we launched our first record, our self-titled EP.  We also premiered our first ever music video for the song “The Rafters”.

It was directed by Brodie Rocca, produced by Bec Blomberg, and stars Chris Beavon and Katrina Lilwall.  Thanks guys for doing such a wonderful job and for working so hard.  We owe you immensely.

So here it is, our first video.

Montpelier’s debut self-titled EP is now available to purchase from iTunes or directly from the Montpelier Store.

The 6-track EP was recorded in Los Angeles last year and produced by Kevin Augunas (Cold War Kids, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes).

The CD version available from the store comes packaged in special edition cardboard casing and features a six page booklet with complete lyrics.  An immediate download version of the EP is available upon purchase of the CD.

Our first bit of interstate press was published recently.  And it’s from Newcastle, our first stop on the EP Tour.  Check out the feature in The Post below.  For some reason Dave’s head is cut off in the photo.  That didn’t happen in the actual paper.

Dave recently had a chat with Sophia Ham from thedwarf.com.au about the EP release, recording and everything like that.  You can read the feature online here: http://www.thedwarf.com.au/nd/interviews/bright_young_things_the_rise_and_rise_of_montpelier.  Thanks for the chat Sophia!

Dave Butler from Brisbane band Montpelier almost forgot to call me. He was too busy having a swim. Ah, to be a forgetful young thing in soggy swimmers…

Can’t say I blame him for wetting it out, poolside. By the sounds of it, 2009 was a huge year for this four-piece boy-band of indie rockers.

Relatively new and bright-eyed, Montpelier suddenly found themselves with an unbelievable dream opportunity – to work with renowned producer Kevin Augunas (Cold War Kids, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros).

“The whole America thing was totally unexpected. Our manager, (Andrew Stone) who also plays in the band, went over to the US for South by Southwest with no expectations – just to see music. Then he just happens to meet this girl while he was out at a bar, who was managing a dream list of producers.”

“Through meeting her, Andrew went to New York with a copy of our demo, met with a number of producers who were interested in us, and fortunately, Kevin liked our sound.”

Montpelier’s music has been likened to the sweeping soundscapes of Coldplay and the Panics coupled with the lyrical pop-ability of Ben Lee.

For such a young band, the opportunity to record with Augunas was too good to say no, so the boys headed over for a two-week studio session with Kevin to record songs for a hopeful EP release.

“Recording with Kevin was a really organic experience. We would capture songs in like one or two takes. For the new song ‘Girl’ – everything for that song was done in one take. I feel we really grew as a band during that time as we just all learnt so much. Kevin was just a really relaxed guy.”

Dave goes on to tell me that the songwriting process is something that is really important to the band.

“The songs are really the most important thing for us. And so we were lucky to work with someone who understood that. For us, we want to communicate the theme of the song. Often we’ll start with the barebones, with the idea of the lyrics and build it from there…”

Montpelier fans and general musical voyeurs can check out footage of the US recording sessions thanks to video posts via the bands MySpace page. The videos capture the bands pure glee at working with Augunas, and behind the scenes shenanigans.

With their song ‘The Rafters’ on Triple Js Unearthed rotation, the band are ready to launch the anticipated new self-titled EP with their biggest Aussie tour yet.

Their six-track EP will be launched in Brisbane, with following dates in Sydney and Melbourne. Highlights from the new release include the joyfully sad ‘The Rafters’ and the broken-hearted ‘Girl’.

“We’re absolutely excited about getting the EP out and getting the songs out there. We’re keen that we might also get some festival opportunities this year – fingers crossed!”

Online music publication Music Feeds had a chat with Greg recently about the upcoming record, touring and all that.  Read it online here: http://musicfeeds.com.au/features/montpelier/ and here’s a bite from it below.

Trying to get noticed as an indie band in Australia usually goes in hand in hand with more than a few compromises, some minor, some scarring for the rest of your life and not all of them artistic. Montpelier however are a band who defy this unfortunate trend, having not only garnered praise from press and industry alike, but hooked in big name American producer Kevin Augunas (Cold War Kids, Edward Sharpe & The Zeros) to record and produce their latest EP.

Listening to their music it all becomes clear. Sporting a diverse range of influences spanning from the uplifting pop rock of acts such as Elton John or Coldplay all the way through to the adventurous and introspective indie of bands like Death Cab For Cutie and Doves, Montpelier aren’t afraid of walking in the shoes of those who have come before them while always trying to tread new ground.

Eager to get to the bottom of this story and expecting to find a trail of lost innocence, integrity and anal virginity, I caught up with singer/bassist Greg Chiapello and instead uncovered a tale of chance encounters and unbridled enthusiasm. You can’t always get what you want I guess.

Time Off sat down recently and interviewed Dave about Montpelier’s launch on Friday.  Here’s the story.  Thanks Tyler.

In today’s issue of Scene Magazine Montpelier gets a full page feature.  See it below and read the article online here: http://scenemagazine.com.au/index.php/section-table/58-cover-stories/726-montpelier-interview

Today’s edition of Rave Magazine has a feature on Montpelier’s EP Launch on Friday 5 March. Here’s what they said:

DAVE BUTLER of local stadium-aspiring indie types MONTPELIER tells ERIK VELAND that they really love Australian producers after all.

On returning to Australia from recording, the boys from Montpelier (née The Quills) were met with some skepticism and jealousy from a few local pundits. Were they just trust fund kids with money to throw at big name producers at a whim? Worse: Were Australia and our producers just not good enough for them? Frontman Dave Butler explains:

“We didn’t get it a lot, but there were some who said ‘Aren’t Australians good enough for you?’, but that’s not what we had in mind at all. We were actually starting a record with a producer down in Sydney. There are some really talented people in Australia with some amazingly creative ideas. We just got presented with an opportunity to work with a great producer who has worked with some bands we really like and we took it – as you do. It was unexpected when it came up and I think we would have been stupid to say no.”

This all came about from sending Andrew, the band’s keyboardist and manager, over to SXSW, to get an idea of what was happening over in America. At a bar, he met an ex-Queenslander there working in music PR in New York. She connected him with producers who were interested in working with them.

“This was a massive shock from having no expectations at all. We decided to work with Kevin [Augunas; Cold War Kids, Magnetic Zeroes, Yves Klein Blue] and a few months later we packed our stuff together and flew to LA.”

The LA production was for their forthcoming EP. But what is coming out of the Sydney recordings?

“Not sure. We are doing pre-production on some tracks and demoing some other tracks. It might be an EP, it might turn into an LP. We are just going to get the songs ready, record them and then see what happens.”

If you have ever attended a Montpelier live show, you know they always sound like they are playing for 50,000 no matter how many are actually in attendance. Surely we’ll be seeing them playing a stadium in the near future?

“(laughs) I wouldn’t get ahead of ourselves too much. There is only a handful of bands in the world that have been able to pull that one off. I think when we play a show it doesn’t really matter where it is or who it is for, we really just try and have fun and play the best we can. Sometimes the coolest gig is when you are playing for 20 people who don’t know who you are, but by the end of the gig they are loving your songs. You can have a blast whether you are playing for 20 or a couple of hundred.”

MONTPELIER launch their self-titled debut EP on Friday Mar 5 at The Zoo, supported by Tin Can Radio and Timothy Caroll.

You can read the feature online here: http://www.ravemagazine.com.au/content/view/19437/30/ or check it out below (we’re sneakily on the front cover):

Leading up to our EP Launch this Friday, we’ve been popping up in a few places online.  Check out the links below for some recent coverage of our launch:

http://batsmagazine.blogspot.com/2010/02/montpelier-ep-launch-ticket-giveaway.html – BATS Magazine have a couple of double passes to give away!

http://subfusco.blogspot.com/2010/02/subfusco-dresses-montpelier-for-ep.html

http://www.accessallareas.net.au/fastfive/.php

Pre-sale ticketing for the upcoming launch tour has been extended to the Sydney show at The Gaelic Theatre on Friday March 12.  And in keeping with our spirit of celebration we’re continuing the offer from the Brisbane pre-sale.

When you buy a pre-sale ticket to the show, you’ll receive a copy of our limited edition debut single “The Rafters” at the door.

What’s better is you can buy the tickets directly from us.  That means no booking fees.  Click below to buy a ticket.

And remember you can purchase tickets to the Brisbane launch show at The Zoo from Oztix. You get a free copy of the single when you buy those ones as well. Click below to get tickets for the Brisbane show.

http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=14259&promoID=100