The Dodos

The Dodos' songwriter and guitarist Meric Long grew up in the San Francisco suburbs and was making a name for himself as a solo artist in the Bay Area before hooking up with drummer Logan Kroeber for his self-released Dodo Bird EP in 2005. Long's intricate finger-picking and knack for sentimental melodies fit well with Kroeber's propulsive approach to the kit (he'd studied both African drumming and played in metal bands) and they self-released an LP, Beware of the Maniacs, in 2006. Their growing audiences in San Francisco led to some label interest and the following year they signed to Frenchkiss Records for their critically acclaimed sophomore LP, Visiter. In 2009, the duo added another Dodo to their nest, vibraphonist Keaton Snyder, and recruited producer Phil Ek (The Shins, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes) for their third album, Time To Die.