After weathering a frustrating period of development deals, demos, and one forgotten album (1996's Snacks, released by Plump Records) during the '90s, indie rock singer/songwriter
Sam Bisbee took things into his own hands. Gathering together talented players such as Charlie Drayton (
the B-52's,
Keith Richards), Peter Adams (
Tracy Bonham,
Juliana Hatfield), and guitarist/recording artist
John Wolfington,
Bisbee headed into
Philip Glass' Looking Glass studios to make his own album his own way. The result was
Bisbee's re-emergence with 2001's
Vehicle, a concoction of tuneful guitar pop, drum loops, samples, and
Bisbee's winsome, smart songcraft. The effort featured guest vocals by
Leona Naess on the driving opener, "Miracle Car." Following the release of a concert album, Live at Arlene Grocery, in 2002,
Bisbee launched a pattern in which new material appeared every two years:
High in 2004,
Oxygen in 2006, and
Son of a Math Teacher in 2008. ~ Erik Hage