Max Frost

For the fictional musician from the film "Wild in the Streets", see Max Frost and the Troopers.
Max Frost

Max Frost performing at the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany on September 24, 2016
Background information
Born (1992-07-11) July 11, 1992[1]
Origin Austin, Texas, U.S.
Genres Indie pop, indie rock, indie folk
Years active 2010–present
Labels Atlantic Records
Associated acts Bob Schneider, Kydd Jones, Nik Kershaw, Gary Clark, Jr., Fitz And The Tantrums
Website maxfrost.net

Matthew Alexander "Max" Frost is a singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Austin, Texas, who is signed to Atlantic Records. He has released two EPs: Low High Low in October 2013, and Intoxication in September 2015.

Early life

Max Frost was born and raised in Austin, Texas.[2] He began playing drums at eight,[3] and began learning to play guitar at Dave Seebree's Rock Camp USA when he was ten years old.[4][5] In high school, he attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School.[2]

Career

Frost developed his eclectic style of music by playing in various projects throughout his teen years.[6] He started playing shows at 12 with Austin artists like bluegrass and gypsy jazz fiddler Ruby Jane and Bob Schneider.[4][2][7][8] After hearing musicians like Erykah Badu and D'Angelo in his late teens, Frost began incorporating hip-hop elements into his blues-inspired stylings, interested in the idea of combining modern rhythms with classic vintage tones in his music.[9] He played with several bands, including Joy Ride (a rock group) and Blues Mafia.[2] However, in the winter of 2010, he was introduced to hip-hop MC Kydd.[7][2] The rapper enlisted Frost to make hooks for his songs, an invitation that Frost was hesitant to accept at first.[2] He explained, "I liked hip-hop but didn't think anybody wanted me to be a part of that,"[7][2] though he admitted that, ultimately, Kydd "was the catalyst of me moving into the worlds of R&B and hip-hop."[5]

In the fall of 2011, Frost started at the University of Texas-Austin—where he studied English—but didn't like it, calling the major "ridiculous."[10] Living on campus, he would spend a lot of time writing and recording music on his computer.[3] The following summer, he went to Los Angeles, where he stayed with a friend of his who made music videos.[3] In September 2012—and one day into his sophomore year[5]—Frost decided to leave school to pursue his solo career.[7][11][12]

In an interview with The Daily Texan magazine, he recounted that right before a performance at the 2013 South by Southwest festival,[13][14] someone stole his guitar and backpack (containing his laptop and a hard drive).[3] The hard drive contained all the music he'd worked on for two years.[12] The incident left him in a "slump,"[12] and made him have doubts about his decision to drop-out of college.[3] Three days later, the blog Pigeons & Planes starting streaming his song “White Lies,"[3][2][15][12] a tune he'd written during the summer of 2012 and posted to his SoundCloud account in March of 2013.[16] Frost was surprised to wake up one morning with over 1,000 download notifications from SoundCloud.[12] The song ultimately hit number one on The Hype Machine’s “Most Popular Tracks on Blogs Now," which resulted in Frost being sought out by Atlantic Records.[2] He signed a deal with the label in June 2013.[5] Re-working several older songs,[2] he released his debut EP, Low High Low that October.[11] Frost stated that “the songs all connect to polar emotional states in life—highs and lows—giving the EP its name.” He toured in 2013 and 2014 to promote the album, going on the road to open for acts such as Fitz and The Tantrums and Gary Clark Jr.[17] In December 2013, "White Lies" was featured in a commercial for Beats Electronics.[18] It has since peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart.[19]

Frost's second EP, Intoxication, was released on September 15, 2015.[6] He chose to release a second EP because he feels they work better in the Internet market, as albums work better for "big" artists.[10] Frost said the title comes from the fact that "the songs personify non-chemical things as a drug (love, money, death)."[20] It marked the first time he had made his music while working with other producers,[6] including Benny Blanco, Nick Ruth, and Franc Tétaz.[20]

Influences

What influences my music is the musical desegregation of all styles [in Austin]. It has a blank music identity that is like, 'We are the live music capital.' It isn’t [just] blues music or rap music — there’s no specific flag that it waves for a genre. I feel like that blend is pretty important for me [in regard to] not having as much respect for what a genre is — in a good way.

Max Frost, Emory Wheel[10]

Frost credits his influences as the Beatles ("because of the craze they started"[6]), Frank Sinatra, and hip-hop music in general.[6]

Reception

Rolling Stone called Frost's music "heart-felt soul crooning atop songs that lie somewhere between blues, R&B, hip-hop and electronic pop," and included him in its September 2014 list of "10 New Artists You Need to Know."[12] Westword remarked that "channeling influences from vintage soul, R&B and blues, Frost’s sound is unmistakably retro," and added, "his beats, claps and vocals jointly create an identity that is elegant and unique."[21]

Discography

EPs

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "MAX FROST 21ST BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!". DO512. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 HOFFBERGER, CHASE (September 27, 2013), "After the Frost". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Charpentier, Marisa (March 12, 2015), "Max Frost". The Daily Texan. Retrieved September 30, 2016
  4. 1 2 Deming, Mark (Undated), "Artist Biography". All Music. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 CURTIN, KEVIN (June 28, 2013), "Playback: Major Frost". Austin Chronicle. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Forbes, Taylor (October 1, 2015), "We Sat Down With Singer Max Frost And Basically Fell In Love". The La La. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Alexander, Jessica (October 8, 2013), "Interview: Max Frost". Verbicide Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2014
  8. ↑ Mr. Curiosity (February 12, 2012). "Covert Curiosity: Max Frost (feat. Kydd) - "Sunday Driving"". Covertcuriosity.blogspot.com. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Max Frost – White Lies". buahmulut.com. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 Berghash, Ilana et al. (April 21, 2016), "Max Frost Talks Growth, New EP". Emory Wheel. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
  11. 1 2 Atlantic Records (August 23, 2013). "Max Frost Signs With Atlantic Records; Soul-Pop Singer/Songwriter Celebrates With Debut EP; Highlights Include the Online Smash, "White Lies," Hailed by Paste as One of the "Best Songs of 2013 So Far"; Single Hits DSPs on September 17th; Austin-Based Tunesmith to Join Gary Clark Jr. on North American Tour, Beginning September 26th; "LOW HIGH LOW" EP Arrives Everywhere on October 8th". Finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Swiatecki, Chad (September 2, 2014), "10 New Artists You Need to Know: September 2014". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
  13. ↑ guinness_blaine (March 2013), "Local Austin musician Max Frost's stolen gear". Reddit. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  14. ↑ carolyn wonderland (April 1, 2013), Post. Facebook. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  15. ↑ JennsDrunk (April 1, 2013), "Max Frost - "White Lies". Pigeons & Planes. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  16. ↑ Wass, Mike (October 22, 2013), "Popping Up: Max Frost". Idolator. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  17. ↑ Kritikos, Angelo (December 21, 2014). "Interview: Max Frost Talks 'White Lies,' Hype Machine & Gary Clark Jr.". Variance Magazine. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  18. ↑ Beats by Dre Color Solo Commercial (Commercial). Beats by Dre. December 9, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  19. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2014-08-09/triple-a
  20. 1 2 Apaza, Kevin (October 12, 2015), "Atlantic Records Signee Max Frost Talks New “Intoxication” EP, Amazing Single “Withdrawal”, His Unique Sound & Love For Eminem: Directlyrics Interview!". Direct Lyrics. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  21. ↑ Westword staff (January 28, 2016), "'I Work Better as the Underdog': Why You Should Already Know Max Frost". Westword. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
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