Brooklyn's
Spirit Animal found their first blush of success in 2012 when their single "The Black Jack White" became widely streamed and was subsequently used on an episode of CSI:NY. With a rousing, genre-bending style of funk and blues-infused rock, the quartet slowly grew over the next few years before signing a deal with Atlantic to release 2018's Born Yesterday.
Formed in 2010, the group centers on vocalist/keyboardist Steve Cooper, along with guitarist Cal Stamp, bassist Paul Michel, and drummer Ronen Evron. Although they quickly released the ten-song independent recording The Cost of Living in 2010, it was their 2012 EP This Is a Test and the cuts "The Black Jack White" and "BST FRNDS" that helped break the group more widely. Several more well-received EPs followed, including 2016's
World War IV, featuring the single "Regular World." After a stint on the Universal-distributed Wind-Up Records,
Spirit Animal signed with Atlantic in early 2018 and released the full-length Born Yesterday, a hard-hitting mix of slick pop and punchy rock grooves. In 2019 the band issued Reborn Yesterday, a deluxe version of their debut that featured extra material. ~ Matt Collar