The Selfish Gene plays a unique brand of pop rock, a sound they call thematic storytelling in a progressive rock format. Their three-part harmonies and poetic, cerebral lyrics give their music a versatile style that ranges from delicate, hummable and poppy to grandiose and intense. The band was voted Best Overall Artist at the 2006 Madison Area Music Awards and has shared the stage with such acts as The Flaming Lips, Kings of Leon, Califone, Cold War Kids, Cloud Cult, Chad VanGaalen, The Waco Brothers, Leon Russell, and Blue Oyster Cult.

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The Grand Masquerade was released on May 1st, 2007 to rave reviews, earning comparisons to Spoon, Electric Light Orchestra, Eno-era Genesis, Kinks, and the Flaming Lips. The Grand Masquerade is thematically focused around Orwellian concepts of deception, false identity and doublespeak.

The album earned national recognition in 2007 with coverage on VH1's Best Week Ever blog, 'Artist of the Day' on Spin.com, an interview on NPR.com, a review in Performing Songwriter magazine, and more.

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"If you like Spoon, you might dig this new band The Selfish Gene." - VH1's Best Week Ever, 2007

Spin.com - "Artist of the Day" - May 16th, 2007

"Songs that are both delicately introspective and explosively grand." - National Public Radio, 2007

The Grand Masquerade, was released on May 1st, 2007 to rave reviews, earning comparisons to Spoon, Electric Light Orchestra, Eno-era Genesis, Kinks, and the Flaming Lips. The Grand Masquerade is thematically focused around Orwellian concepts of deception, false identity and doublespeak which may come off as bleak and pretentious. But as Seattle, WA blog 'Everybody Knows, Everybody Cares' says, "for as many ways as a band incorporating those elements could go totally wrong, The Selfish Gene simply never does."

Performing Songwriter magazine said of the album, "[The Grand Masquerade] is immersed in ambition--a stunning blend of giddy, effusive melodies with a cerebral mindset ... Despite [The Selfish Gene's] precocious tendencies--sound effects, maddening shifts in tempo, synths, heady musings--their tunes remain anchored in relentless energy and easy accessibility." - Dec 2007

"A memorable album that has more smarts, soul and just plain fun than most of what's considered "pop" these days." - Wisconsin State Journal / Capital Times, 2007

"Not only one of the best releases to come out of Wisconsin, but also a pretty damn fine record compared to everything else that the industry has rolled out in 2007." - Muzzle of Bees, 2007

"An impressive piece of prog-inspired aural cotton candy that'll turn the darkest souls into shiny, happy people." - Isthmus, 2007