Parlour

Parlour is a Louisville, United States instrumental post-rock group active since 1999. It is a Kentucky art/post-rock band linked to the local scene that also produces Slint, Papa M, the Kilowatthours and My Morning Jacket. The group uses gentle guitar chords, warm synthesizers and down-tempo beats, with Krautrock influences, to build layered instrumental pieces.

Formation and early background

Parlour forms in Louisville in 1999 and is led by Tim Furnish, who has earlier helped build the Kentucky post-rock scene through his art rock sextet Cerebellum. That earlier group includes musicians who later go on to form Crain, Rodan, Matmos and Sunspring. Before Parlour, Furnish also appears as a guest musician with Ariel M and the for Carnation.

Parlour develops over a four-year period as Furnish brings in friends and collaborators, including his brother Simon Furnish and Crain members Jon Cook, Todd Cook, Tony Bailey and Will Hancock, before merging with the experimental pop group Paden to form the band.

Line-up

The group includes Connor Bell, Benny Clark, Jon Cook, Todd Cook, Tim Furnish, Steve Good, Craig McClurkin, Ben Vandermeer and Joey Yates.

Recording history

The band’s debut album, Octopus off-Broadway, is released on Temporary Residence in 2002. The record is described as densely structured and meditative.