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Jonathan Bree
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Key Information
Jonathan Owen Bree (born 1979) is a New Zealand singer-songwriter and producer, best known for his work as a solo artist, as well as co-founding the indie pop group The Brunettes, in 1998 and Lil' Chief Records, in 2002. He frequently collaborates with label-mates as a musician, engineer, and record producer.
Early life
[edit]Jonathan Bree was born in New Zealand.[2] Mark Lyons, frontman of indie pop band The Nudie Suits, was both Bree's cousin and a mentor in Bree's formative years.[3] When Bree was ten, Lyons introduced him to Modern Lovers, with Bree becoming a long-term fan.[4] At 12 years old, Bree first played live (and recorded) as the drummer in Lyons' band, The Plaster Saints.[5]
Music career
[edit]The Brunettes were formed in Auckland in 1998 by Bree and Heather Mansfield. According to Bree, "My cousin had recorded her band Yoko and I thought she had a great natural voice, no silly effected delivery. I was looking for a girl to sing on some duets I had written so I tracked down her number."[4] The band independently released its first recording Mars Loves Venus EP in 1998.[6]
In 2002, Bree founded Lil' Chief Records[6] with fellow indie pop musician Scott Mannion of The Tokey Tones. The two men had met that year in Marbecks Record Store in Auckland, where Bree was working at the time.[7] The Brunettes' album Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks released in 2002[8] was the debut release for the label.[7] The album received a glowing review from AllMusic,[8] as did the label's second release, The Brunettes' 2003 The Boyracer EP. Bree produced both albums.[9] The next two albums on the label were released simultaneously in 2003 by The Tokey Tones, and Bree guested on some of the tracks.[10]
Bree went on to release several more albums on Lil' Chief with The Brunettes. Their second album Mars Loves Venus was released in June 2004[11] followed by 2005's EP When Ice Met Cream. In 2004, Ryan McPhun started playing in band, who opened for The Shins 2005 tour of North America. They have also opened for Rilo Kiley, The Postal Service, Broken Social Scene, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah,[12] and Beirut and played at the 2006 Big Day Out festivals in New Zealand and Australia.
The Brunettes' album Structure & Cosmetics was released in July 2007 in New Zealand and August in the US, on Sub Pop. Their UK profile was lifted after their track "BABY" was featured in a UK campaign in December 2007, and the release of their music video.[13] In 2008, The Brunettes covered The Cure's "Lovesong" for American Laundromat Records tribute compilation Just Like Heaven – a tribute to The Cure.[14]
In 2009, The Brunettes released the Red Rollerskates EP on Lil' Chief, shortly followed by Paper Dolls. In 2010, their song "Red Rollerskates" was included in soundtrack of the 2K Sports video game NBA 2K11. "Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth" was featured on an extended advertisement for Hollyoaks in the UK.
His first work post-Brunettes was as a co-producer on the Princess Chelsea album, Lil' Golden Book. He also supplied vocals for the song, "The Cigarette Duet" and directed the accompanying music video, which subsequently went viral – reaching nearly 40 million views in the years that followed.
Bree's first work as a solo artist came in 2013 with the release of The Primrose Path. His next album, A Little Night Music, followed in 2015. Yet his big breakthrough came in the lead-up to his third album, when the song "You're So Cool" became a sensation on YouTube, drawing viewers with its odd depiction of a 1960s-style band whose faces were covered in spandex masks.[15] It soon surpassed 1 million views and is currently at 35M views as of October 2024.[16]
Discography
[edit]Brunettes albums
[edit]- 1998: Mars Loves Venus EP
- 2002: Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks
- 2003: The Boyracer e.p.
- 2004: Mars Loves Venus
- 2005: When Ice Met Cream E.P.
- 2007: Structure & Cosmetics
- 2009: Paper Dolls
- 2009: The Red Rollerskates E.P.
- 2011: Mars Loves Venus (vinyl)
Compilations
[edit]- 2009: "Lovesong" by The Cure on Just Like Heaven – a tribute to The Cure
- 2016: "Last Night's Love" by The Reduction Agents on Waiting For Your Love – a tribute to The Reduction Agents
Solo releases
[edit]- 2013: The Primrose Path
- 2015: A Little Night Music
- 2018: Sleepwalking
- 2020: After the Curtains Close[17]
- 2023: Pre-Code Hollywood
Collaborations
[edit]- 2011: co-producer on Lil Golden Book by Princess Chelsea
- 2015: co-producer on Great Cybernetic Depression by Princess Chelsea
- 2024: co-singer on You And Me with Princess Chelsea for Plankton: The Movie soundtrack
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Artists". Lil' Chief Records. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
- ^ "Why 'master of misery' Jonathan Bree is smiling behind the mask". Amp.smh.com.au. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ "About". Lil' Chief Records. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ a b "Interview: Jonathan Bree of the Brunettes". Neotonic Records. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Audioculture article on The Brunettes". Audioculture. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
- ^ a b Town, Lisa (12 September 2005). "Various Artists: Now We Are Three!!!, 11 Gems from New Zealand's Lil Chief Records". Left off the Dial. Archived from the original on 1 February 2006. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ a b "Lil' Chief Records". Amplifier NZ. Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ a b Maso, Stewart. "Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ Sendra, Tim (2003). "Boyracer EP". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ Baillie, Russell (30 August 2003). "The Tokey Tones: Caterpillar and Butterfly". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ Jenkin, Lydia (August 2007). "Feature: The Brunettes – Coming Clean About Cosmetics". NZ Musician. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- ^ "Jonathan Bree on the Brunettes". Lumiere. 8 August 2007. Archived from the original on 22 January 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- ^ "UK Sunday Mega Paper praise NZ Music Label Lil Chief". Muzic.net. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ "American Laundromat Records". Discogs. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
- ^ "Jonathan Bree: 'You're So Cool'". Parachute Music | Shift Pop Culture. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
- ^ Jonathan Bree – You're So Cool. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Jonathan Bree. "After the Curtains Close". Bandcamp.
External links
[edit]- Lil' Chief Records
- A conversation with Jonathan Bree by Adam McKibbin (February 2010)
- Feature: The Brunettes – Coming Clean About Cosmetics by NZ Musician (August 2007)
Jonathan Bree
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Childhood and family
Jonathan Owen Bree was born on 1 September 1979 in Auckland, New Zealand.[1][4] Bree grew up in a musically inclined family environment in Auckland, where indie and alternative sounds were part of the local cultural fabric during the late 1970s and 1980s.[4] His older cousin, Mark Lyons—frontman of the indie pop band The Nudie Suits and four years his senior—served as a key mentor, introducing Bree to music at the age of nine by teaching him to play the drums so they could jam together.[4][5] This early familial guidance fostered Bree's foundational interest in music, leading to his first drumming performances by age 12.[6]Initial musical experiences
At the age of 12, Jonathan Bree made his debut as a drummer in his cousin Mark Lyons' band, The Plaster Saints, a goth outfit that performed and recorded locally in Auckland.[3] This early involvement marked his first live performances, including shows at notable venues like The Gluepot, where he played alongside older musicians in the early 1990s New Zealand music scene.[4] Bree's cousin Lyons served as a key mentor during his formative years, introducing him to various artists and their histories, which sparked his enthusiasm for music through shared weekend jam sessions featuring covers, with Lyons on guitar and Bree on drums.[7] As a teenager, particularly after moving to Australia at age 13 to live with his father, an aspiring cult leader, Bree explored indie and pop genres more deeply, drawing inspiration from bands like The Smiths and The Cure, whose works he studied via self-taught methods using guitar tab books.[7][2] His drumming skills developed through these initial band experiences and continued practice into his teens, while songwriting emerged around age nine with his first original composition, "Rebecca," inspired by a school crush, and progressed via self-directed learning on guitar by age 14.[2][3] These efforts were shaped by the informal, gig-oriented environment of the 1990s New Zealand indie scene, even as Bree's activities shifted abroad, fostering a foundation in practical performance and creative experimentation before his later formal endeavors.[4]Music career
The Brunettes
Jonathan Bree co-founded the indie pop duo The Brunettes in 1998 with Heather Mansfield in Auckland, New Zealand, after the pair met while performing in separate bands. Inspired by 1960s girl groups and 1970s punk, Bree took on multifaceted roles as co-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist (including guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards), vocalist, and producer, while Mansfield contributed vocals, keyboards, clarinet, and percussion. The band's early sound drew from twee pop influences, emphasizing playful male-female harmonies and lo-fi charm.[8][9] The Brunettes released their debut EP, Mars Loves Venus, in 1998, followed by their first full-length album, Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks, in 2002 on Lil' Chief Records, which Bree had established to support local acts. This era featured sugary, Spector-esque indie pop reminiscent of the Beach Boys, with cutesy themes and Grease-inspired interplay. The 2003 Boyracer EP and 2004's expanded Mars Loves Venus album built on this foundation, coinciding with international tours across Australia and the United Kingdom. In 2005, the When Ice Met Cream EP arrived alongside a pivotal label deal with Sub Pop Records, secured after a standout London performance opening for The Postal Service; that year, they also supported The Shins on U.S. and New Zealand tours, expanding their global reach.[8][10][9] By 2007, The Brunettes' style evolved toward more orchestral baroque pop on their Sub Pop debut Structure & Cosmetics, incorporating elaborate studio arrangements with marimba, glockenspiel, horns, and vintage synths for a polished, mature sound influenced by Lee Hazlewood, Ennio Morricone, and Jonathan Richman. Bree's production emphasized dynamic textures and knotty lyrics, downplaying earlier sweetness in favor of cowboy-psych elements and deeper emotional directness. The band maintained extensive international touring through 2009, with rotating live ensembles adding trumpet, saxophone, and drums to their core duo setup. Their final release, the album Paper Dolls in 2009 on Lil' Chief Records, reflected this sophisticated phase amid growing label and management challenges. The Brunettes disbanded shortly after, concluding a decade of collaborative output that solidified Bree's early professional foundation.[8][9][11]Lil' Chief Records
Lil' Chief Records was founded in 2002 by Jonathan Bree and Scott Mannion in Auckland, New Zealand, as an independent label dedicated to indie pop and experimental music. The two musicians, who met while working at the Marbecks record store, established the label out of frustration with limited opportunities in the local scene and a desire to release material from their own bands, including Bree's The Brunettes and Mannion's The Tokey Tones. Operating initially from a rundown flat in the Kingsland suburb, the label embodied a DIY ethos, focusing on smart, ironic Kiwi indie-pop influenced by 1960s production styles.[12][6][13] Throughout the 2000s, Lil' Chief evolved from a small operation handling physical CD releases to a more structured entity, signing additional artists and expanding its roster to include acts like The Ruby Suns and Princess Chelsea. By the 2010s, the label had relocated to the Mt. Eden suburb and shifted toward international markets, pressing vinyl in Europe starting around 2011 and achieving viral success through YouTube, which propelled artists to global audiences without traditional radio play. Distribution deals played a key role in this growth, including an early licensing agreement with EMI for New Zealand releases, partnerships with Sub Pop and Memphis Industries for international exposure in the mid-2000s, and a 2023 digital distribution pact with Secretly Canadian in the US to streamline sales and streaming. These developments solidified Lil' Chief's base in Auckland while fostering a network of innovative local talent, contributing significantly to the vibrancy of New Zealand's indie music scene.[12][6][14] Bree's entrepreneurial involvement extended beyond founding the label; after Mannion relocated overseas in 2008, Bree assumed a leading role in operations, handling A&R duties and providing production support for various artists. His production work for Lil' Chief acts outside his own projects includes co-producing Princess Chelsea's debut album Lil' Golden Book (2011), where he also contributed vocals and directed the viral video for "Cigarette Duet," as well as engineering and producing Pikachunes' Cool Rainbows (2012). This hands-on approach not only amplified the label's output but also enhanced its reputation for high-quality, cinematic indie pop, helping to launch careers and establish Lil' Chief as one of New Zealand's most enduring independent labels with over 50 releases by the late 2010s.[12][6][1]Solo career
Jonathan Bree launched his solo career in 2013 with the album The Primrose Path, marking his transition from band work to independent production under Lil' Chief Records. The record established his signature cinematic and retro aesthetic, characterized by opulent pop arrangements and thematic visuals that evoke vintage film noir influences.[2][15] In 2015, Bree released A Little Night Music, his second solo album, which deepened the orchestral elements and introduced his masked persona in music videos, further emphasizing a theatrical, retro-inspired style.[16][2] The project featured string quartets and soprano vocals, blending classical motifs with pop hooks to create a moody, narrative-driven sound.[17] Bree's third album, Sleepwalking (2018), achieved breakthrough success with the single "You're So Cool," which has garnered over 39 million YouTube views as of 2025 and was named Time Out New York's Video of the Year.[2][18] The album incorporated heavy orchestration, including real strings, horns, and celeste, drawing from film composers and 1960s pop production for a lush, retro cinematic feel.[19] A vinyl reissue of Sleepwalking followed in 2023, making the opaque frosted blue edition widely available.[20] The 2020 release After the Curtains Close explored personal themes of relationship breakdown and mental trauma, featuring guest vocalists such as Britta Phillips and Princess Chelsea, while shifting toward experimental and kitschy orchestral pop.[21][22] Bree's fifth album, Pre-Code Hollywood (2023), adopted a "dark disco" vibe with sad, melodic tracks co-produced with Nile Rodgers on select songs, evoking nostalgic John Hughes-era soundtracks through string slides and dulcitone chimes.[23][24] To support Pre-Code Hollywood, Bree embarked on a major 52-date tour beginning with the North American Fall Tour in October 2023, including stops in Mexico City and Guadalajara.[25] In 2024, he collaborated with Princess Chelsea on "You And Me," the end-credits song for the Netflix film Plankton: The Movie, released on the official soundtrack in March 2025.[26][27] By 2025, Bree released Live in Mexico City, a full concert film capturing a performance from the Pre-Code Hollywood tour, filmed using vintage cameras and audience phones for an intimate, retro aesthetic.[28] In 2024, the music video for "Steel and Glass" from Pre-Code Hollywood premiered, directed by Jagoda Elson and featuring choreographed dance elements that highlight themes of urban loneliness.[29][30]Artistic style and reception
Musical style
Jonathan Bree's musical style is defined by melodic indie pop enriched with lush orchestral arrangements and his signature crooning vocals delivered in a deep baritone, frequently delving into themes of modern love and bittersweet reflections on life.[2][31] His compositions blend catchy hooks with sophisticated layering, evoking a cinematic quality that positions his work as evocative soundtracks to personal introspection.[32] This approach draws inspiration from mid-20th-century icons like Lee Hazlewood and Serge Gainsbourg, infusing contemporary indie sensibilities with a timeless, narrative-driven elegance.[2] Complementing his sonic palette is a distinctive visual aesthetic centered on a spy-noir persona, where Bree and his collaborators appear in masks during videos and live performances, fostering an air of mystery and detachment.[33][34] This masked identity, which emerged prominently in his 2013 solo debut, echoes the enigmatic allure of 1960s cinema, enhancing the thematic depth of his music through stylized, performative anonymity.[35] Throughout his career, Bree's style has evolved from the lighter, twee pop elements of his early work with The Brunettes—characterized by sunny, witty indie arrangements—to a more refined, cinematic production in his solo phase, marked by opulent orchestration and atmospheric depth.[32][36] His preference for instrumentation includes sliding strings, vintage synths for dreamy textures, and chamber elements like celeste, harp, and timpani, which contribute to the immersive, filmic quality of his recordings.[2][37]Critical reception and legacy
Jonathan Bree's album Sleepwalking (2018) received widespread critical acclaim for its sophisticated production and evocative chamber pop elements, drawing comparisons to 1960s and 1970s orchestral influences while highlighting the viral success of its lead single "You're So Cool."[38] Reviewers praised the album's lush arrangements of strings, horns, and percussion, which created a moody, immersive atmosphere, earning it an 8.2/10 rating on AllMusic for its dreamlike quality and meticulous sound design.[39] Similarly, Pre-Code Hollywood (2023) was lauded for its thematic depth, exploring dystopian censorship and retro-futuristic narratives through brooding electro-pop, with critics noting its "artistic, classic" execution and emotional resonance.[40] The album garnered a 7.4/10 on AllMusic, commended for blending dark hooks with experimental turns that evoked a sense of nostalgic unease.[41] Bree's contributions to the New Zealand indie scene through co-founding Lil' Chief Records in 2002 have left a lasting cultural legacy, fostering a wave of ironic, smart indie-pop inspired by 1960s production pioneers like Phil Spector and Brian Wilson.[12] The label, started in a modest Auckland flat, launched acts like The Brunettes and became a key platform for Kiwi artists, evolving from DIY releases to viral successes and sustaining the local scene's global reach over two decades.[6] His work has influenced subsequent pop and experimental musicians by blending orchestral pop with avant-garde elements, as seen in his collaborations and the label's roster, which prioritize melodic introspection and cinematic flair.[2] Metrics underscore Bree's enduring popularity, particularly with "You're So Cool," which amassed over 24 million Spotify streams by 2024, establishing it as a standout in indie streaming circles without mainstream chart dominance.[42] Despite no major awards, Bree has cultivated a strong cult following worldwide, drawn to his masked, theatrical live performances featuring custom projections and pioneering aesthetics.[43] In 2025, the release of Live in Mexico City—a full concert film from his Pre-Code Hollywood tour, captured on vintage cameras and audience phones—highlighted his tour success and reinforced his reputation for immersive, boundary-pushing shows, now streaming freely on YouTube.[28]Discography
The Brunettes releases
The Brunettes' discography, released primarily through Lil' Chief Records with some distribution via Sub Pop, spans indie pop albums and EPs characterized by whimsical, harmony-driven songs drawing from 1960s girl groups and garage rock influences. Their output reflects a progression from lo-fi twee pop to more polished arrangements, though the band achieved modest commercial success without major chart placements.[8]| Release Title | Type | Year | Label | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars Loves Venus | EP | 1998 | Self-released | Vinyl | Debut EP on lathe-cut vinyl.[44] |
| Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks | Album | 2002 | Lil' Chief Records | CD, Digital | Debut full-length featuring playful tracks like "Cupid" and "Summer Love," establishing their signature ukulele-infused sound.[45] |
| The Boyracer E.P. | EP | 2003 | Lil' Chief Records | CD | Five-track collection including "Boyracer" and "Vaudeville," highlighting early touring momentum.[46] |
| Mars Loves Venus | Album | 2004 | Lil' Chief Records | CD, Vinyl | Second album expanding on cosmic and romantic themes, influenced by Gram Parsons, with tracks like the title song from their 1998 EP.[8] |
| When Ice Met Cream | EP | 2005 | Lil' Chief Records / Sub Pop | CD | U.S. tour tie-in release with quirky narratives, such as "Hulk Is Hulk," supporting The Shins.[47] |
| Structure & Cosmetics | Album | 2007 | Sub Pop / Lil' Chief Records | CD, Vinyl, Digital | Third album, recorded across multiple cities, featuring extended tracks like "Obligatory Road Song" with deeper melodies inspired by Fleetwood Mac's Tusk.[48] |
| Paper Dolls | Album | 2009 | Lil' Chief Records | CD, Digital | Final studio album before disbandment, exploring mature pop themes in songs like "Red Rollerskates."[8] |
| The Red Rollerskates E.P. | EP | 2009 | Lil' Chief Records | CD, Digital | Final EP, featuring re-recordings and covers like "Lovesong."[49] |