Criteria (band)

Criteria
Steve Pedersen (left) and Aaron Druery (right) of Criteria perform at Omaha's Sokol Underground in 2006.
Steve Pedersen (left) and Aaron Druery (right) of Criteria perform at Omaha's Sokol Underground in 2006.
Background information
OriginOmaha, Nebraska, United States
GenresIndie rock
Years active2003–present
LabelsSaddle Creek, 15 Passenger, Initial, Spartan
MembersSteve Pedersen
Aaron Druery
A.J. Mogis
Mike Sweeney
Websitehttps://15passenger.com/criteria

Criteria is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, formed in 2003 when former Cursive founding member Steve Pedersen returned to his hometown after graduating from the Duke University School of Law.[1]

History

Wanting to move on from the "angular, atonal" sound of his previous band the White Octave, Steve Pedersen began work on new, more melodic songs.[2] He spent six months in a friend's basement, where he wrote all ten songs for his new project's debut album. He recruited the help of some old friends, A.J. Mogis (of Presto! Recording Studios and Lullaby for the Working Class) on bass guitar, Aaron Druery on guitar, and Mike Sweeney of Beep Beep on drums. Their first album, En Garde, was released on his previous band's label, Initial Records.

At the time, Pedersen worked as a lawyer for Omaha firm Kutak Rock, which made it difficult to promote the album.[3] Initial Records went bankrupt about a year after, leaving Criteria without a label. Saddle Creek Records took their longtime friend in and put out three releases in 2005. The first was a re-release of the LP En Garde, their new single, "Prevent the World," and their second full-length, When We Break. After signing with Saddle Creek, Pedersen quit his day job to make music and tour full-time.[3]

Criteria has performed with bands such as Cursive, The Fall of Troy, Thunderbirds Are Now!, Statistics, Poison the Well, Rahim (band), and Minus the Bear.[4] Mogis, Druery, and Pedersen have since started families, and as a result Criteria has become a strictly part-time venture.[5][6]

The band performed at the Maha Musical Festival on August 17, 2013, in Omaha, Nebraska. Criteria's most recent performance took place on December 12, 2013, at the Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, during which Pedersen mentioned the band was working on a new album.[7]

In 2020, Criteria released their latest album to date, Years, on Cursive's 15 Passenger label.[8]

On February 26, 2026, the band announced their official signing to Spartan Records and their fourth studio album, SEIZE!, to be released on May 22 of the same year.

Band members

Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

Compilations

song: "Booketa"

Videography

See also

References

  1. ^ Moerder, Adam (August 16, 2005). "Criteria: When We Break Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  2. ^ McMahan, Tim (June 11, 2003). "Criteria : A Sort of a Homecoming". Lazy-i. Archived from the original on March 30, 2025. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  3. ^ a b McMahan, Tim (May 18, 2005). "Criteria: Legal Constraints". Lazy-i. Archived from the original on August 1, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  4. ^ "Charts, Musik News & DJ-Promotion". Retrieved May 9, 2007.[dead link]
  5. ^ McMahan, Tim (December 11, 2008). "Criteria: Dream Job". Lazy-i. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  6. ^ Crisler, Sam (October 6, 2018). "Q&A: Criteria". The Daily Nebraskan. Archived from the original on December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
  7. ^ "Lazy-i » Live Review: Cursive (Night 2), Criteria, Bazan; Pro-Magnum, Acid Test tonight; Omahype holiday rock shop Saturday…". Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  8. ^ Sacher, Andrew (December 4, 2019). "Criteria releasing first album in 15 years, touring with Cursive (stream a track)". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Sweeney_(musician)