Thus far, the trajectory of Language Room's career has been determined by a strange brew of happenstance, fan support, and a certain resourceful thriftiness. In 2007, old friends Scott Graham and Todd Sapio ran into each other on the streets of SXSW after not seeing each other since they both lived in Los Angeles years prior. They began collaborating and soon decided to turn their ideas into an actual band, bringing in Scott's brother Matt on bass.
The newly formed Language Room immediately went into the studio to record their first E.P. with LA producer Derek Jones. From that session, they placed tracks on Livestrong.org and a feature film called "Haunting at The Beacon". Having only been together for less than a year, the band started turning heads all over the Texas region. One head in particular was producer Matt Noveskey (after randomly meeting him in a guitar store, no less). So in the winter of '08, he and the band began working on their debut album One by One.
Released independently in February '09, the album received excellent reviews. "Rarely do young bands release profound music with their debut," said The Hollywood Bureau; "(One by One) is a bold and resplendent ode to American rock and indie pop…an epic poem written for the musically obsessed." According to Austin Chronicle critic Austin Powell, "Language Room's alt-rock debut is slick and radio-friendly, but the local quartet performs with the earnest sincerity of Clarity-era Jimmy Eat World and has an ace up its sleeve in guitarist Scott Graham."
In 2009, the band launched a Kickstarter campaign to purchase an RV in preparation for tour. Not knowing what to expect from the relatively new crowd-funding website, they set the goal at $10,000 and nervously hoped for the best. Fans gave them quite a shock – not only did they meet the goal, but they went $300 over. Unbeknownst to the band at the time, this made them the first entity from Austin to successfully complete a Kickstarter campaign, as pointed out by the Austin Chronicle in their article "Kickstart My Heart."
In 2011, after finding a new drummer in Sean Hill, and an evolution in sound, they began making plans for a new EP but found themselves with the usual independent band's quandary – how to pay for it. They turned again to their old friend Kickstarter, this time coming through with over $5,000 to go into the studio with legendary producer Dwight Baker (Bob Schneider, Kelly Clarkson, Dixie Chicks). Since its release in January of 2012, the band's E.P., "Skin & Heart & Lungs" has gotten rave reviews from fans and critics alike.
In September, the band released a video for the song "Kerosene". This video also happens to be the band's most recent display of resourcefulness. Armed with a couch, some party supplies, and a cooler of food and beer, the band and twenty friends trooped out to a ranch in central Texas for a sweltering summer weekend. By juxtaposing day and night shots, they were able to achieve a video that was creatively simple, visually captivating, and virtually cost-free.
Suffice it to say, Language Room has proven to be both undeterred by limitations and blessed with an incredibly supportive fan base. With over a dozen brand new songs the band has begun pre-production for their next release which will prove to be the most poignant to date.
