Sobs (band)
{{Short description|Singaporean indie rock band}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Sobs
| origin = Singapore
| genre = {{hlist|Indie rock{{cite web |last1=Edelstein |first1=Mark |title=Sobs' 'Air Guitar' Singapore Pop-Rock With Fortitude |url=https://www.popmatters.com/sobs-air-guitar-album-review |publisher=PopMatters |access-date=2 January 2023}}|Indie pop{{cite web |last1=Bloom |first1=Madison |last2=Moreland |first2=Quinn |title=9 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Show Me the Body, Westside Gunn, and More |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/9-new-albums-you-should-listen-to-now-show-me-the-body-westside-gunn/ |publisher=Pitchfork |access-date=2 January 2023}}}}
| years_active = 2017–present
| label = {{hlist|Middle Class Cigars{{cite web |title=Listen: Sobs "Catflap" |url=http://altcitizen.com/listen-sobs-catflap/ |publisher=Alt Citizen |access-date=2 January 2023}} |Topshelf Records{{cite web |last1=Bloom |first1=Madison |last2=Moreland |first2=Quinn |title=9 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Show Me the Body, Westside Gunn, and More |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/9-new-albums-you-should-listen-to-now-show-me-the-body-westside-gunn/ |publisher=Pitchfork |access-date=2 January 2023}}}}
| current_members = {{hlist|Celine Autumn|Jared Lim|Raphael Ong}}
| website = {{URL|https://sobs.bandcamp.com}}
}}
Sobs is a Singaporean indie rock/pop band formed in 2017. The band comprises Celine Autumn on vocals, Jared Lim on lead guitar, and Raphael Ong on rhythm guitar.{{cite web |title=Listen: Sobs "Catflap" |url=http://altcitizen.com/listen-sobs-catflap/ |publisher=Alt Citizen |access-date=2 January 2023}}Sobs. [https://audiotree.tv/session/sobs Sobs on Audiotree Live]. Audiotree. Retrieved 2023-06-24. As a touring unit, Sobs consists of Autumn, Lim, Ong, and auxiliary members such as Zhang Bo on bass, Soffi Peters on synths, and Shaun Khiu on drums. The band shares members and collaborators with fellow Singaporean indie rock bands Subsonic Eye and Blush.{{Cite web |last=Basbas |first=Franchesca |date=12 May 2023 |title=The Purest Blue teams up with Sobs' and Subsonic Eye's Jared Lim for debut single 'Stationary Bike' |url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/the-purest-blue-releases-new-single-stationary-bike-debut-album-kolibri-rekords-may-2023 |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Bandwagon}}{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Surej |date=2021-11-26 |title=Singaporean indie rock band Blush release debut self-titled EP |url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/singaporean-indie-rock-band-blush-release-debut-self-titled-ep-3102332 |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=NME |language=en}} Sobs have been described as a sunny oasis in the melancholy landscape of the indie music scene in Singapore.
Biography
In 2017, Autumn posted on the Singapore-based online music forum, SOFT, to look for someone to produce her project. Lim responded to her post, and the two kindled a friendship that eventually became Sobs.{{Cite web |last=Saalabi |first=Shayan |date=Nov 22, 2019 |title=Meet Sobs, the band spearheading Singapore's rock scene |url=https://medium.com/@shayan.saalabi/meet-sobs-the-band-spearheading-singapores-rock-scene-bb46972b9ed1 |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Medium}} Autumn and Lim then wrote and recorded their first single, “Girl,” in the same year. In an interview in 2019, Lim recalled,
“Celine and I have been making music for some time, but it wasn’t until we wrote ‘Girl’ that things started getting serious. Everyone we sent it to really seemed to like it, especially Raphael, who asked to join the band within minutes of hearing the song.”In June 2017, Sobs released its first EP titled Catflap, which featured the Autumn/Lim penned track, "Girl." The band made its live debut on Sled Productions X Decline in Singapore the following month.{{Cite web |title=Sobs on Instagram: "💦🎉😵FIRST SHOW😵🎉💦 We're opening for @splashhband on 15 July alongside @cosmicchildband!!!! Tickets available at ticketbox.sg/splashh ✨ Also @lush995fm has a ticket giveaway contest on their Facebook right now so check that ouuuuuuuut" |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BV4IgVLBN06/ |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Instagram |language=en}} The band released its first album, Telltale Signs, in June 2018.{{cite web |last1=Ng |first1=Scott |title=Sobs announce new album 'Air Guitar', share title track and Gwen Stefani cover |url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/sobs-new-album-air-guitar-single-gwen-stefani-cover-3324489 |publisher=NME |access-date=2 January 2023}} In October 2018, Sobs opened for Snail Mail's show in Singapore.Sobs. [https://www.instagram.com/p/Bogo7Dgnqf7/ We love @snailmailband so much!!! she's one of our favourite artists ever & we are OPEINBG the show]. Instagram. Retrieved 2023-06-24. In January 2019, the band toured Japan.{{Cite web |last=Paramavisam |first=Indran |date=25 February 2019 |title='I'm proud to be in this community of Asian Bands': An interview with Sobs about its Japan tour. |url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/sobs-japan-tour-january-2019-interview |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Bandwagon}} The band embarked on its first Southeast Asian tour alongside Subsonic Eye, which started from February to March 2019.{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Sirej |date=25 January 2018 |title=Sobs and Subsonic to tour Southeast Asia |url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/middle-class-cigars-southeast-asia-jakarta-singapore-manila-bangkok |access-date=2023-06-24 |website=Bandwagon}}
After four years of no new studio-recorded material, the band finally released its second album, Air Guitar, in October 2022 via Topshelf Records.{{cite web |last1=Bloom |first1=Madison |last2=Moreland |first2=Quinn |title=9 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Show Me the Body, Westside Gunn, and More |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/9-new-albums-you-should-listen-to-now-show-me-the-body-westside-gunn/ |publisher=Pitchfork |access-date=2 January 2023}} Air Guitar received positive reviews.{{cite web |last1=Hong |first1=Michael |title=Sobs: Air Guitar |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/sobs-air-guitar/ |publisher=Pitchfork |access-date=2 January 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Gwee |first1=Karen |title=Sobs: Singapore's indie pop stars make a dazzling leap on new album 'Air Guitar' |url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/features/music-features/sobs-singapore-indie-pop-album-air-guitar-topshelf-records-3335883 |publisher=NME |access-date=2 January 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Edelstein |first1=Mark |title=Sobs' 'Air Guitar' Singapore Pop-Rock With Fortitude |url=https://www.popmatters.com/sobs-air-guitar-album-review |publisher=PopMatters |access-date=2 January 2023}} The band announced a 2023 US tour to promote the album, beginning in February.{{cite web |last1=Ng |first1=Scott |title=Sobs announce 2023 US tour including SXSW stop |url=https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/sobs-2023-us-tour-sxsw-tickets-dates-3361867 |publisher=NME |access-date=2 January 2023}} In early June 2023, the band toured Japan for the time since 2019.[https://fastcut.jp/feature/sobs-japan-tour-2023/ "Sobs Japan Tour 2023"]. Fastcut Records. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
Members
= Core =
- Celine Autumn – vocals
- Jared Lim – lead guitar
- Raphael Ong – rhythm guitar
= Live =
- Celine Autumn – vocals
- Jared Lim – lead guitar
- Raphael Ong – rhythm guitar
- Soffi Peters – synths
- Shaun Khiu – drums
Discography
= Singles =
- "Telltale Signs" (released on June 1, 2018)Sobs. [https://open.spotify.com/album/1EnXJDEiLKrWhj4ct1G5pS?si=zhGWO_0fRkmvTTuQIFMKmA "Telltale Signs"]. Spotify. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- "Air Guitar" b/w "Cool" (released on October 7, 2022)Sobs. [https://open.spotify.com/album/5iStmInsFcX5cDK0AVGTqU?si=wcdBCnmNRnGxav2H0S73wg "Air Guitar"]. Spotify. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
= EPs =
- Catflap (released on June 23, 2017)Sobs. [https://sobs.bandcamp.com/album/catflap Catflap]. Bandcamp. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
= Albums =
- Telltale Signs (released on June 22, 2018)Sobs. [https://sobs.bandcamp.com/album/telltale-signs Telltale Signs]. Bandcamp. Retrieved 2023-06-24.
- Air Guitar (released on October 26, 2022)Sobs. [https://sobs.bandcamp.com/album/air-guitar Air Guitar]. Bandcamp. Retrieved 2023-06-24.