Life in 24 Frames is a Sacramento indie rock band founded in 2008 by frontman Kris Adams, known for its experimental, atmospheric songcraft and a consistently rotating lineup anchored to Adams' songwriting.[1][2] Submerge repeatedly identifies the group as "Sacramento's own," and the band describes itself as staying "true to its Sacramento roots."[2][3] The band was active and releasing music before 2010 — a December 2009 review in the UC Davis campus paper The California Aggie covered the band's self-released debut EP — and remained active through at least 2023, when it released its fourth full-length album.[4][5]
At a glance
- Founded in 2008 by frontman Kris Adams.[1]
- From Sacramento; called "Sacramento's" and "Sacramento's own" across multiple articles.[3][1][2]
- Name references film being shot at 24 frames per second — "life is like a movie."[1]
- Discography (per sources): Blessed are the Forgetful EP (2009), Time Trails (2011), Bitter End (2014), CTRL-Z (released Feb 24, 2017), Redivider (March 24, 2023).[1][2][4][6][5]
- Signed to Gold Standard Records, with the label deal beginning in 2017 alongside Doombird.[2]
- Producer Robert Cheek produced all of the band's records.[2][7]
- c. 2023 lineup: Kris Adams (vocals, guitar), Jason Brown (bass and keys), Joey Strouth (drums), Tony Caldron (guitar).[5]
Origin and local status
The band is consistently presented as a Sacramento act. The 2010 Submerge feature opens by calling it "Sacramento's Life in 24 Frames," and the 2014 and 2016 features likewise frame it as a hometown band staying "true to its Sacramento roots" and "Sacramento's own."[3][1][2] Frontman Kris Adams founded the group in Sacramento in 2008.[1] On this evidence the local status is clear: the band originated in the Greater Sacramento region.
The band's earliest formation was rooted in technology: members met on Craigslist, and the project was "based around technological savvy" from its inception.[3] Drummer Mango was described as the last member to join the early lineup, having heard the band's first EP and wanting to play drums for it.[3]
The band was releasing music at least as early as late 2009. A review published December 3, 2009 in The California Aggie — the UC Davis campus newspaper — covered the self-released EP Blessed are the Forgetful and drew comparisons to Band of Horses and Explosions in the Sky, confirming the Sacramento band had an audience in the university press before recording its debut album.[4]
Members and lineup changes
Life in 24 Frames is described as "a group in constant flux," with Kris Adams as the constant creative engine and songwriter.[1] Adams has a filmmaking background, having studied at the New York Film Academy, and approaches songwriting like a screenwriter.[1]
- Early lineup (c. 2010): lead singer/guitarist Kris ("Kris"), lead guitarist Tony C., bassist Wes, and drummer Mango.[3]
- After recording the debut Time Trails (2011), a series of changes shrank the band from a three-piece to a sparse vocalist/drummer lineup before it rebuilt.[1]
- c. 2014 (six-piece): Kris Adams, bassist Jason Brown (a childhood friend of Adams, with whom he had previously played in a pop-punk band), guitarist Richie Smith, Joe Strouth (an Iowa native who entered the Sacramento scene via South Dakota in 2008), keyboardist Andrew Barnhart, and vocalist Lindsey Pavao, the band's then-newest addition.[1]
- c. 2016 (four-piece core): Kris Adams, Jason Brown, Joe Strouth and Tony Caldron, with De'von Blue as featured recording guitarist. By this point Richie Smith and Lindsey Pavao had left to form the dream-pop duo Trophii.[2][8]
- The 2016 Trophii feature adds that Mallory (Richie Smith's ex-wife) had been in Life in 24 Frames and left her role following their divorce, with Pavao recruited to fill that vacancy.[8]
- c. 2023 lineup: Kris Adams (vocals, guitar), Jason Brown (bass and keys), Joey Strouth (drums), and Tony Caldron (guitar).[5]
Vocalist Lindsey Pavao joined around 2014, roughly two years after appearing as a semifinalist on Season 2 of NBC's The Voice; the band emphasized it was not trying to "piggyback" on her television exposure.[1] Several members met working together on a local Radiohead tribute show.[1][8]
Sound and approach
The band plays experimental, atmospheric indie rock that "builds toward ethereal crescendos," with early songs frequently running over five minutes.[3] Members cited a shared appreciation for 1990s indie rock such as Built to Spill and Sunny Day Real Estate, while critics often compared the band to Radiohead and Pink Floyd.[3] Guitarist Richie Smith was noted for "Johnny Greenwood-esque atmospherics."[1] A 2009 campus review compared the band to Band of Horses and Explosions in the Sky, situating them in the atmospheric indie-rock tradition from the outset.[4]
The band's name reflects Adams' filmmaking interest — film shot at 24 frames per second, with the idea of "life imitating art, art imitating life."[1] Adams long discussed wanting to incorporate video into recording sessions and shoot a music video, but found it difficult to film and play simultaneously.[3][1]
A recurring theme is release strategy. In 2010 the band promoted music via download cards (business cards carrying download codes) rather than physical CDs, with limited-time offers on its website — an experiment that met confused responses from fans who still wanted to buy CDs.[3] The band also set itself a discipline of releasing three new songs every two months.[3] By 2014 Adams noted the original concept had been a series of three- or four-song EPs to be later compiled, an idea the band returned to after instead putting out two full-length records.[1]
Releases
- Blessed are the Forgetful EP (2009): the band's debut release, self-released, comprising three songs. According to The California Aggie, the EP drew comparisons to Band of Horses and Explosions in the Sky; at the time of the December 2009 review, a full-length was still in development.[4]
- Time Trails (2011): the band's debut album.[1][2]
- Bitter End (2014): a nine-track, six-piece-era record with layered vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar and a horn section; later described as a "stylistic departure" and part of an "alternate Life in 24 Frames timeline." Track "Battleship Island" was inspired by Hashima Island off Japan.[1][2]
- CTRL-Z (released Feb 24, 2017): a concept album whose songs are named after the twelve months of the year, reflecting on the events of 2013 (the year Adams' son was born).[6] The title refers to the computer "undo" key as a "geek apology." Pressed to blood-red vinyl; conceived as a continuous, "Pink Floydian" listen with stand-alone anchor tracks, an approach Adams compared to Pet Sounds. The month concept was shaped by Joe Strouth, who referenced Thrice's The Alchemy Index.[2] The Submerge preview article ran November 2016 ahead of the album's February 2017 release.[2][6]
- Redivider (March 24, 2023): the band's fourth full-length album, confirming the group remained active well past 2016.[5] Built around a palindrome concept: every song title reads the same forwards and backwards, and the album is divided into two sides (A and B) sharing identical song titles but presenting different arrangements — one side pessimistic and one optimistic — exploring opposing self-perspectives and the process of healing.[5]
Scene relationships
Life in 24 Frames is tightly interconnected with the Sacramento/Pacific Northwest indie circle:
- Robert Cheek produced all of the band's records and is described as a Sacramento "legend" / "genius" who also worked with Doombird, By Sunlight (as producer and member), Roman Funerals, Band of Horses and Chelsea Wolfe.[2][7][8]
- Doombird: future labelmate on Gold Standard Records; some Doombird members played on Life in 24 Frames' recent records, and the bands recorded at the same studio.[2]
- By Sunlight (formerly Bridges): Sacramento expatriates in Seattle whose producer/member Robert Cheek was simultaneously working on Life in 24 Frames albums.[7]
- Trophii: dream-pop duo formed by former L24F members Richie Smith and Lindsey Pavao; Smith was also a member of Wife and Son and Sunmonks.[2][8]
Notable shows and milestones
- Early opening slot for Band of Horses at UC Davis, described as an "auspicious start."[1]
- Performances with Cage the Elephant and at LAUNCH Fest (c. 2013).[1]
- Opening slots for Minus the Bear, Dredg, Royal Blood, and Winter Sleep, among other national touring acts.[9]
- A live performance at IGN entertainment headquarters; the band built a following among video-game fans through IGN podcasts.[1]
- Concerts in the Park (June 6, 2014, with Dance Gavin Dance) and the Assembly (June 13, 2014, with Geographer).[1]
- CTRL-Z preview show Nov. 26, 2016 at Goldfield Trading Post with Epsilona and Skylis.[2]
Adams credited promoter Eric Rushing with "bringing the music scene back" in Sacramento, citing his role with venues including Ace of Spades and Assembly; bandmates noted Ace of Spades' national ranking among top U.S. clubs as a point of local pride.[1]