Surrogate is a two-man indie-pop band composed of multi-instrumentalist, singer, and engineer Chris Keene and drummer Jordan Mallory. In 2007, Keene and Mallory left their previous band, Number One Gun, partly because they were tired of the emo-derived "wall-of-sound" characterizing that group. While sonically dense at times, the Surrogate albums LOVE IS FOR THE RICH and especially 2009's POPULAR MECHANICS are notable for their singer-songwriter ambitions, similar in sound and concept to indie king Sufjan Stevens's COME ON FEELTHE ILLINOISE. As noted, Keene is also an engineer who has used his experience at the Heirloom studios in hometown Chico, California, in the many subtle production touches on his own albums.