The Pleasure Routine

Oakland sextet The Pleasure Routine is a throwback to decades past, when bands meticulously crafted vintage tones and timbres, capturing their moody and dreamy sonic landscapes on analog tape. Creating a musical language that is both contemporary and timeless, The Pleasure Routine transports its listeners to an alternate realm, where jangly guitars and atmospheric rhythms support the raw and emotional vocals of Kevin Sofsrud and Lauren Kopp, who share their intimate tales of awkward youth, coming of age, and disaffection. More than just a combination of three guitars, a bass, keys, and drums, along with the occasional harmonica and tambourine, The Pleasure Routine captures a sound – much like The Velvet Underground, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds before them – that is conflicted between optimism, realism, doom and darkness, as evidenced on their upcoming 2016 debut LP Sugar Mountain. Formed in 2012 by high school classmates Sofsrud, guitarist Eric McDonald, and bassist Kirk Jacobs, The Pleasure Routine was designed as an outlet to shift away from a previous incarnation as a punk quartet. The aim was to create a more sophisticated sound using a postmodern mix of hollow body guitars, and at the helm was chief songwriter and bandleader Sofsrud, who conceptualized the group inside his beat up BMW. Rotating through a seemingly endless cast of drummers, the band was eventually introduced to Caleb Bonifay, whose brother previously manned the skins. Kopp’s airy and soulful alto entered the fold to compliment and contrast with Sofsrud’s deep, narrative baritone. And with lead guitarist Nate Tang completing the lineup, The Pleasure Routine was born. Feverishly gigging around the Bay Area, The Pleasure Routine gained the attention of Ricky Maymi (The Brian Jonestown Massacre), who produced the sessions for Sugar Mountain, along with engineer Greg Ashley (Gris Gris). The collaboration proved integral to the development of the group, as Maymi helped The Pleasure Routine refine its sound. It also opened the doors to support more established acts like Palma Violets, Public Access T.V., and China’s Carsick Cars. With Sugar Mountain nearing its completion, The Pleasure Routine is currently writing new material for an international tour in 2016.