Although formed in Wisconsin in early 2008, A B & the Sea relocated several months later to California, a far more appropriate setting for the band’s sunny power pop. Co-founders Koley O'Brien and Joe Spargur settled in San Francisco, where they pieced together a lineup comprised of drummer Troy Lawton, bass player Zak LaVigne, and keyboardist David Hunt. Taking cues from a number of retro pop groups, A B & the Sea focused their efforts on vocal harmonies and summery hooks, and the resulting sound won them a spot at the 2009 Noise Pop Festival. By year’s end, they'd also begun working on a debut album, Simple as Seagulls, with the Morning Benders' Chris Chu serving as producer. ~ Andrew Leahey