Odds are you’ve never heard of The Unicorns. The truth is nor did I until a friend of mine introduced me to them over this past summer. The Unicorns formed in 2000 when band founders Nicholas Thorburn and Alden Penner took their musical talents to the next level. The pair met in high school in Canada and started writing music together for fun. The pair never wanted to publish their music,  but after peer support, they formed The Unicorns. In 2003, they added Jaime Thompson to the band as they set to release their debut album.

2003 was the beginning and the peak of The Unicorns’ popularity. In 2003, The Unicorns released their debut album Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone which was rather successful. In its subsequent months after release, the album soared in popularity as the music world recognized the band as “the next big thing”. Pitchfork Media praised their debut album giving them an 8.9. Unlike other alternate bands, the Unicorns experienced success right out of the gate. When most alternate bands release their experimental debut albums, people tend not to like their new sounds. The Unicorns smashed this barrier with their success in releasing Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone.

You might be wondering why you’ve never heard of The Unicorns. This would be because the band broke apart after one album. The public loved The Unicorns as there was high anticipation for their future projects. Unfortunately, Nicholas and Alden didn’t share this same appreciation for their music. After a few tours, they quickly grew out of the rockstar lifestyle. The members hated being on the road as they constantly fought with one another over trivial matters. Subsequently, the band split unofficially in 2004 and publically in 2005. Nicholas went on to join another band briefly in 2007, but most members had all outgrown the music lifestyle and went on to live regular lives.

The band decided to rerelease their debut album again in 2014 with a few extras. They supported Arcade Fire at a few of their shows in 2014 and performed some of their classics. The Unicorns then proceeded to fall off the map again after the tour and rerelease of their album. Over the course of their broken-up career, they managed to release two albums and a handful of singles. For what little amount of music they have out, their ratings are unheard of.

Personally, I really enjoy their music. It’s definitely rough and edgy, but it is great for night drives or homework. The mellow weird synths and guitars put my mind at peace. I suggest giving The Unicorns a listen but don’t expect to fall in love with the first listen. Their music is hard to appreciate but well-composed. If you ever end up liking The Unicorns, you’ll be despaired to know they only released two albums.