Portland, OR-based experimental rock group
Menomena is a trio that consists of multi-instrumentalists
Justin Harris,
Brent Knopf, and
Danny Seim. They assembled much of their debut album,
I Am the Fun Blame Monster!, by using a computer program dubbed Deeler and developed by
Knopf. The album's unusual packaging was in the form of a flipbook depicting the bandmembers performing.
Menomena released it themselves on a very limited basis in 2003, then signed to the Portland independent label FILMguerrero for a national release in October 2004, accompanied by a national tour. Before signing to Barsuk, the band issued
Under an Hour, a three-movement instrumental record that had originally accompanied a 2004 modern dance performance in Portland. Things were a little more straightforward, however, on
Friend and Foe (cover art nonwithstanding, which was designed by Craig Thompson, author of the graphic novel Blankets), which came out in early 2007. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide