Gunnarsson had been recording electro-pop under the name Nixon since the early part of the decade, while also featuring in the C-86-style group Free Loan Investments. Two of his songs, “Anorak Christmas” and “He Keeps Me Alive,” were covered by Sally Shapiro on their 2007 debut album Disco Romance. The Garlands focused more on upbeat and noisy indie, and over the next few years, the duo (with Wolderth on vocals) released a self-titled four-song EP on Cloudberry Records and a split single (with the Sugarplums) in 2010 on Atomic Beat Records. The band also began playing live in 2010, expanding the line-up by adding Einar Ekstrom and Patrik Lindgren on guitar, Maria Grum on bass, and Robert Klaesson on drums. The full band recorded and released a 2011 single (“You Never Notice Me/”Continue”) for Big Pink Cake. Around this time Gunnarsson stepped away from playing live, and in the time-honored Brian Wilson-style, acted as songwriter and producer as the band readied their first album. The Garlands was issued in late 2012 by the influential Shelflife label. ~ Tim Sendra