Masters of hook-laden melodies powered by extra-large guitars, Chris Richards & the Subtractions has been one of the major projects for Midwest power pop hero Chris Richards since 2009. Richards is a Michigan-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has been active on the Detroit music scene since the early 1980s. His group Hippodrome was named "Band Most Deserving Wider Recognition" by the Detroit Metro Times in 1989 following the release of their album Dogbunny, and in the '90s, he led the acts Phenomenal Cats (who put out an EP in 1996, Seagirl and Five Other Dogs) and the Pantookas (whose sole LP, Salad, came out in 1997). In 2001, Richards stepped out as a headliner, releasing Pathetic History, a collection that brought together highlights from his first decade as a recording artist. 2004 saw the release of Mystery Spot, Richards' first album of original material released under his own name. In 2009, he formed a new band, Chris Richards & the Subtractions, with Richards on guitar and vocals, joined by two former colleagues, bassist Todd Holmes (ex-Hippodrome) and drummer Larry Grodsky (formerly of the Pantookas). The band made their debut with the 2009 release Sad Sounds of the Summer, and their second album, Get Yer La La's Out, appeared in 2012. Richards teamed with former Phenomenal Cats member Keith Klingensmith and Andy Reed of An American Underdog to form a new group, the Legal Matters, who released their self-titled debut album in 2014 and a second LP, Conrad, in 2016. Reed, who runs a recording studio in Bay City, Michigan, joined the Subtractions for their third full-length release, 2018's Peaks and Valleys, which he also co-produced with Richards. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi