Like
Bright Eyes or
Five for Fighting,
the Spill Canvas began as the pseudonym for a solo singer and songwriter, but has since transformed into a traditional band. Sioux Falls, SD, native
Nick Thomas played in a variety of local punk bands in his early teens before transforming himself into a solo acoustic emo act along the lines of
Dashboard Confessional. At the age of 19,
Thomas signed with the indie label One Eleven Records and recorded
Sunsets and Car Crashes almost entirely on his own, save for a few guest musicians. Following the album's April 2004 release,
Thomas put together a full-time touring lineup of
the Spill Canvas, with himself on vocals, guitar, and keyboards,
Dan Ludeman on guitar,
Scott McGuire on bass, and
Joe Beck on drums. The first full-band lineup album by
the Spill Canvas,
One Fell Swoop, was released in August 2005. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide