Originally formed in 2006 as Dodobird by multi-instrumentalist Meric Long, unpredictable San Francisco indie rock duo the Dodos acquired their new moniker with the arrival of Logan Kroeber, a fellow West Coast artist whose penchant for experimental drumming and progressive metal melded perfectly with Long's interest in West African Ewe drumming and country blues fingerpicking. The Dodos released their debut album, Beware of the Maniacs, that same year independently, followed by Visiter in 2008. Long and Kroeber added electric vibraphonist Keaton Snyder to the fold and collaborated with producer Phil Ek on 2009's Time to Die, which found the trio exploring a more fleshed-out sound. For 2011's No Color, the band recruited Neko Case as a supporting vocalist and returned to its Visiter-era approach. ~ James Christopher Monger