The Beauvilles

Biography

The Beauvilles recording debut came with the Singapore EP, which was produced at the personal studio of John Wesley (guitarist), best known for his work with London based Grammy winning artist, Porcupine Tree.

The Singapore EP was considered a success for the group, garnering media attention, positive reviews and recognition by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences or NARAS,as a runner up in the independent GRAMMY awards held in Miami Florida. This recording opened doors for the group to perform at various music festivals such as SXSW in Austin, Texas where the Beauvilles were candidly photographed for Rolling Stone and interviewed by Erik Olsen, then of the New York Times.

Reviews of the groups live shows identify them as a memorable live act, due to impassioned performances, and the unpredictability of their vocalist, which has resulted in the on stage destruction of their instruments, bursts of improvisation, and other arguable forms of performance art. Vocalist-guitarist Shawn Kyle, who also wrote this article, has attributed this to his background as being raised in a Southern Pentecostal Church, a sect of Christianity where members open themselves up to become possessed by spirits, speak in tongues, and become enraptured. He has also stated that music is his current religion.

In November 2008 the band inked a deal with the record label 24 Hour Service Station, home to various underground and fringe artists, for distribution of their upcoming full-length record in the United States via IDN and AEC.

The Beauvilles' first full-length studio record entitled "Whispering Sin", was based on many non-fiction personal events that occurred during the group's previous three years of touring and principal songwriter Shawn Kyle's travels of "...countless cities of America and the countries of France and Japan." The Album art features an iconic 1940's photographic print of a woman floating in a lake taken by Toni Frissell. Kyle has said that this image has multiple relations to the record, given the tragic drowning suicide of a close friend, metaphors for baptismal religious ceremonies, the photographs' origination from a photo shoot in Florida, and the inspirations of film noir and soundtrack scores on the disposition of the recording.

In early 2009 the group was chosen as an "official" showcasing artist for the internationally renowned music and film festival SXSW which takes place each year in Austin, Texas. The band headlined during the climax of the festival Saturday March 21 at 1am (technically Sunday morning) at the 6th street Wave Rooftop Venue to such an over capacity crowd that the fire marshall was called to block the doors, even refusing industry badge holders admission. The group was subsequently invited back as an official showcasing artist for SXSW 2010, and was reported to have performed "7 shows in 3 days". The Beauvilles have been an official headliner at the CMJ music festival in New York City. And have been invited back again for 2010 as an official artist for CMJ.

In 2009 and 2010 the group performed the Harvest of Hope Festival put on by No Idea Records sharing bills with The National, Against Me!, Broken Social Scene, Billy Bragg, and Girl Talk among others. The group has also headlined at the annual NPR station WMNF 88.5 FM Heatwave Music Festival and has also been a regular invitee to the annual FMF music industry festival in Orlando, FL.

According to the band New Order's web page the Beauvilles are slated to release a single cover of the song "Paradise" by New Order, to be included on the upcoming 'CEREMONY' compilation; Proceeds from the record sales will go to the charitable Salford Foundation Trust’s Tony Wilson Award, in honor of the late founder of Factory Records. The release date according to the 24 Hour Service Station web page is stated to be February 20, 2010.

On September 4, 2010, the band recorded and filmed two live unreleased tracks, "Hooker" and "Turn Out The Lights," at North Avenue Studios in Orange City, Florida, for the studio's Off The Avenue sessions.

The band has stated that there will be a 2010 re-release of their first EP, Singapore as well as a record of new material, available on vinyl. In 2012 Kyle announced he was starting a new project and that the Beauvilles would be on permanent hiatus. Kyle now tours with Baltimore-based group AMFMS, and drummer Norton now tours with ATO records artist Benjamin Booker who has in turn cited the Beauvilles as a significant influence on his wanting to form a rock band.

Band name

While the band in its current scope was founded in 2002, vocalist and songwriter Shawn Kyle has used the name the Beauvilles for personal musical projects since 1996, and is often assumed to be the groups namesake due to occasionally using Beauville as a surname.

In various conflicting interviews over time he and other founding member Craig Holmes have claimed to have come up with the name from a variety of vague sources; cities in Europe, 1950's automobile models, Beauville being his last name because of adoption or losing a card game, a military base that he and other members of the band grew up on in Texas, a French gambling house, a group of southern spiritualists, or the desire to give listeners the idea they had discovered a recording of an obscure band from the 1960s like The Beau Brummels.

Albums

1. Where We Start 3:48
2. Singapore 3:56
3. Gasoline 3:30
4. Oriental Rug 3:36

1. Broad Sigh Dead 5:33
2. Coming Apart 3:51
3. Lips (Fourteens) 2:38
4. Tropic of Cancer 3:34
5. Prom Dress 5:17
6. The Revival 3:47
7. Last Hymn of the Gloriousy Beat 1:20
8. Sing for Us 3:54
9. Bougainvillea 3:51
10. Snow 3:12
11. Pretty In Pale 3:21
12. Whispering Sin 4:50

Compilations