Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer were co-founders of
The Eames Era, an
indie rock band from
Baton Rouge, Louisiana whose song "Could Be Anything" was featured on the ''
Grey's Anatomy'' soundtrack. The band broke up when three members decided they no longer wanted to pursue careers as musicians. Generationals released their debut album,
Con Law, in July 2009 on the
Park the Van label. Joyner and Widmer wrote the music and recorded the album with studio manager Dan Black. Mark Deming of
AllMusic said the album's songs "are good enough to not suffer in comparison to the vintage acts they so clearly love, and that's why this debut is worthwhile, even if you're not nostalgic for the era of the sideways haircut." Andy Gensler of
T: The New York Times Style Magazine called the album a "delectable debut" which "shimmers with the music of the
British Invasion,
Stax soul,
Wall of Sound production, 1950s
doo-wop and California-dreaming jangle filtered through a contemporary indie-rock lens."
Spin's Jon Young said that although the duo's "cheery facade ultimately doesn't overcome the gnawing desperation,
Con Law is good, neurotic fun." In a review of the band's song "When They Fight, They Fight," Zach Kelly of
Pitchfork said of the band's style: "It comes as kind of a pleasant surprise to hear a band from N.O. sound this bright and enraptured in life's simple joys. But man, does this thing flirt with overdoing it." "When They Fight, They Fight" was featured in a 2009
Bloomingdales Christmas commercial. Another song, "Faces in the Dark," was featured on a season 3 episode of the series
Chuck. "Exterior Street Day" was featured in a television commercial for
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups at the end of 2010. Non-album track "Either Way" was featured as the opening credit song during the 2010 comedy film
Going the Distance. Generationals released an
extended play titled
Trust in November 2010. The title track was featured as a "Pick of the Week" by
Starbucks in January 2011. The track "When They Fight, They Fight" is in the
Farrelly brothers movie
Hall Pass in 2011 and also featured in a 2012 episode of
Suits. The song was used for an advert for the
Amazon Kindle in 2012 in the
UK and
Germany. The duo's second full-length album,
Actor-Caster, was released in March 2011.{{cite web ==Members==