Treaty of Paris

When his new band wanted to play a show in their hometown of Chicago, guitarist Phil Kosch agreed, but said they’d have to perform under a pseudonym to prevent his old group (which included his brother among its members) from finding out. “I hadn’t told them I was quitting and the two bands knew each other from the local scene,” he explains. “I wanted to avoid any problems.” Kosch, a bit of a history buff, suggested Treaty Of Paris as a temporary moniker. “It had a nice ring to it,” he laughs. “Picking a band name is always tough, but that one seemed to go over really well.”

The band hit the ground running in January 2005, recording demos and playing to sold-out crowds at Schuba’s, Double Door, Metro, House of Blues, and other Chicago and Midwest venues with bands such as Jacks Mannequin, Motion City Soundtrack, The Spill Canvas, The New Amsterdams, The Academy Is..., Sum 41, Rise Against, All American Rejects, MxPx, Lucky Boys Confusion, Lovedrug among others.

When not onstage in front of awestruck audiences, the quintet spent time sharpening their songwriting skills, and by March had penned 20 complete songs, 6 of which were recorded for their Behind Our Calm Demeanors EP. The disc showcased Treaty Of Paris' love affair with anthemic, poppy songs and compact arrangements. They celebrated the EP’s release by headlining a sold-out show at The Metro, where they tore up the stage to the delight of over 1000 rabid fans.

With their touring base growing exponentially and online awareness reaching a fever pitch, record labels began taking notice. In early 2007 the Demeanors EP and a handful of newly recorded acoustic demos were delivered to Jack’s Mannequin/Something Corporate frontman Andrew McMahon. Having recently started the imprint ATR (Airport Tapes and Records), he’d finally found what he’d been looking for: a band with fantastic songs and the work ethic necessary to build a grassroots following in today’s cutthroat indie scene.

Considering this newly forged partnership between Treaty and ATR as well as ATR’s parent company YMA (Your Music America), the future is looking undoubtedly bright for the Chicago band. “We’re really excited to be a part of the Airport Tapes & Records and Your Music America family,” says Wade. “They believed in our band and music from the start. Plus we’re all big fans of Andrew’s music, so the chance to work with him is a dream come true. We’re confident that his business sensibility and keen ears combined with the great staff at YMA will be instrumental in guiding us along this brand new chapter in the band’s career.”

They’re off to a breakneck pace with full-length debut Sweet Dreams, Sucker, a turbine-powered album that introduces Treaty Of Paris as a band that pens smart, taut arrangements catchy enough to make even the most tone-deaf sing along. The record is everything you’d expect from a band that cites influences ranging from the Beach Boys and Weezer to Jimmy Eat World and Queen: raw-nerved, pop-savvy and filled with one sumptuous hook after another. Produced by Jim Wirt (Jack's Mannequin, The Rocket Summer, Incubus), Sweet Dreams, Sucker opens with “Here Goes Nothing,” a fun, exhilarating track that Wade describes as the perfect song with which to announce the band. “It’s a song that basically says, ‘here we are, this is our music and we hope you like it. It seemed like the perfect way to kick off the album.”

Among the disc’s many highlights is lead single “Waking Up The Dead,” a propulsive, guitar-driven pop track that crackles with vim and vigor; the bouncy harmonies and mile-high chorus of “Rollerskates,” and the chiming, relentlessly catchy melody of “Quits.” About the latter, Kosch says, “We asked Andrew to play on the song and he did an amazing job. He sat down at the piano and wrote his part in only three takes. We videotaped the whole thing and were just geeking out.”

“Now we’re looking forward to taking these songs on the road and playing them for as many people as possible,” says Kosch. “All we ask is that audiences give us the chance to prove ourselves. We’ll take over from there.”