ANCHR Artist of the Week: Seasaw

This week’s artist of the week goes to none-other than our pals: Seasaw. If you’re a long-time ANCHR reader, hopefully you’re already familiar with the dazzling duo of Meg Golz and Eve Wilczewski from Madison, Wisconsin—but if not, allow us to introduce you!

Golz and Wilczewski have been making music together as Seasaw for more than a decade now, releasing four albums and several singles. My favorite thing about Seasaw is the passion and intention they have behind every single piece of music they put out and every single performance they give. While it’s only the two of them onstage when they play their shows, Seasaw packs more of an artistic production element than most full bands do— from their coordinated outfits to their personalized gear and their mesmerizing harmonies, there’s so much to appreciate about a Seasaw show.

This past Valentine’s Day, the pair gave us some new music to appreciate (their first release since 2018’s Big Dogs), in the form of their single called “Pinky Promise.” The highly-anticipated track opens with some moody synths that are reminiscent of Angelo Badalamenti’s scores for David Lynch films before introducing a hypnotic percussive melody. The band describes the song as “a ballad about remembering to be kind to your mind and body. Written as a love letter to oneself, this track features lush synth soundscapes paired with gently sarcastic lyrics that ‘pinky promise’ everything is going to be alright.” “Pinky Promise” was recorded at home during pandemic isolation times, and it was mixed by Wisconsin native Beau Sorenson who has worked on albums by Death Cab For Cutie, Thao & The Get Down Stay Down, Superchunk, and more.

Keep an eye on Seasaw’s Instagram for all upcoming announcements, and tune into “Pinky Promise” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Ralph Pelleymounter

Photo by Flore Diamant

I first became acquainted with the songwriting of Ralph Pelleymounter through his band To Kill a King several years ago. The band’s music and Pelleymounter ’s voice instantly made an impression on me for a few reasons. First, Pelleymounter ‘s vocals have such a velvety richness and captivating depth to them—he’s one of those singers who listeners can immediately identify even if they don’t know the song because he has such a unique tone. To complement his voice, Pelleymounter has a songwriting knack for crafting lyrics that are both ruminative and descriptive, while remaining catchy and melodic.

While it’s been a few years since To Kill a King released music as a group, Pelleymounter has released a handful of singles and an album, 2019’s Dead Debutante’s Ball, as a solo artist. Following his debut record as a solo act, Pelleymounter filled his time during the pandemic performing online gigs, working on new material for himself, and even co-writing Bastille’s latest album Give Me The Future. Pelleymounter gave listeners their first taste of his new material just last week with the release of his single called “Steady Love.” The track begins with a harmonized embrace from Pelleymounter’s vocals blending with the backing vocals of Edith Violet from the band Fours, which is followed up by a guitar-driven melody that you can’t help but tap your foot along to. Pelleymounter describes the song as his reaction during the pandemic to “the 'will-they, won't-they' stories I was watching, and a thank you to those who showed me such kindness and love while everything was falling apart.”

To celebrate his new music, Pelleymounter has announced a show at The Social venue in London on April 6th. Tune into the new track below, and if you’re in London, snag tickets to the show here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Los Bitchos

Party rock is in the house tonight! No, I'm not referencing the 2011 hit from LMFAO— I'm talking about the dance-inducing music that Los Bitchos is serving us with. (Pause to allow all the Hispanic readers to giggle for a minute at their name). When I first heard their music, before looking to see who it was, I was like "Oh dang, did Mdou Moctar put out some new stuff?" Once I saw who they were, I was happily surprised to see four white girls on my Spotify considering the sound of their music and their name.

Photo by Tom Mitchell

Los Bitchos are Nic Crawshaw on drums from England, Josefine Jonsson on bass from Sweden, Serra Petale on guitar from Australia, and Agustina Ruiz on keytar from Uruguay. The band formed in 2017 and call London, England their home base, but with all four members coming from different sides of the globe, their cultural diversity provides different flavors throughout their album: Let the Festivities Begin! If this is your first time hearing about Los Bitchos, their album title is actually also a theme. From track one you will be moving and grooving. It's almost as if they are daring listeners to not move along with the music. I get South American vibes, Middle Eastern vibes, and Mexican cumbia vibes. A lovely and unique hallmark of Los Bitchos is their music is all instrumental, aside from some cheering and audible jubilance. When most music fans hear that a band is all instrumental, it's not uncommon to think that they will end up being "jammy", but unless their live shows prove otherwise, I don't really see that from them considering not one of their songs is over four minutes. I see them as more Khruangbin than I do Umphrey's McGee. If any of you guys liked that really fun song from The Donkeys, “Lower the Heavens,” then you will definitely like Let the Festivities Begin!

Los Bitchos are going on a quick UK tour before visiting The States for the first time when they perform in Austin at the SXSW music festival. A full European tour will follow with three US dates sprinkled in the middle. Personally, I am stoked that one of their stops will be here in Chicago at the Empty Bottle. If any ANCHR readers are traveling down to SXSW in a few weeks, be sure to catch one of their sets. Cheer Up Charlies is always a good time.

For the rest of us not heading down to the fest this year, put June 22 on your calendar and buy a ticket to see Los Bitchos. Not much sounds better to me right now than a beautiful summer night heading to The Bottle to throw back a couple Old Style's while listening to some very fun live music from a great band. Check out Los Bitchos if you enjoy Khruangbin or even Selena.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Connie Constance

Photo by SOPHIE JONES

Here at ANCHR, we’re open to any and all roads that lead to new music discovery. This week’s Artist of the Week comes by way of a Peloton class, where she kind of fell into my lap— I was doing a chair pose in a yoga class when the instructor played the track “English Rose” by Connie Constance.

Connie Constance is a British singer-songwriter, and just as her Spotify Bio says, she doesn’t remain cornered into any one genre. For example, the track “British Rose” opens with a warm piano melody and plays out like a ballad. On the contrary, her most-streamed single “Monty Python” features a grooving and steady bass line over a punchy drumbeat that makes you want to dance around your room. My personal favorite “Electric Girl” has that same swelling, upbeat mood that makes me instantly bob my head and tap my foot along to the distorted guitar riffs.

Connie Constance’s artistic streak initially began by studying ballet and musical theater before she eventually started crafting her own tunes. She released her first singles back in 2015 and has released a steady drip on singles ahead of her 2019 debut album entitled English Rose. Most recently, Constance released an EP entitled “Prim & Propa” in 2021, which contains my favorite track “Electric Girl” alongside a handful of others. Constance released this new EP on her own record label called Jump the Fence.

Connie Constance will be supporting the Nova Twins during their upcoming tour. Follow along on Instagram for other touring and music announcements from her.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Annie DiRusso

This week’s Artist of the Week goes to Annie DiRusso, a singer-songwriter based between NYC and Nashville. I had my first chance to hear DiRusso’s earnest and upbeat music live in action recently, when she and her band opened for the sold out SAMIA show at Thalia Hall. The devoted SAMIA fans were just as eager and enthusiastic to soak in all of DiRusso’s vulnerable musings—many of the audience members joined in to sing along to songs like “20” and “Judgment From The World’s Greatest Band.” DiRusso’s knack for enveloping intricate stories in catchy hooks speaks for itself, but her live stage presence was that much more powerful. She and her band radiated feel-good energy and showcased their positive intentions during their Thalia Hall set, allowing for us all to seek some escape from reality that evening.

DiRusso has released several singles to date, including a fun rendition of the classic “I Think We’re Alone Now” and her most recent “Coming Soon.” To make sure you’re in the know on all new music from her, follow DiRusso on Tik Tok, where she has a growing platform that begin when she posted a clip of her singing “20.” You can also catch her out on the road this Spring— check out the upcoming tour dates here. 

ANCHR Artist of the Week: Black Country, New Road

Editor’s note: Please note that the below was written prior to Black Country, New Road’s announcement on Monday, January 31st, 2022 that singer Isaac Wood will be stepping away from the group. In light of Isaac’s departure, the band will be canceling all upcoming tour dates, but they will continue to make music together. Keep an eye on the band’s Instagram for all updates, and send your well wishes to Isaac!

Photo by Ninja Tune

This week, ANCHR’s heading back across the pond for our Artist of the Week: Black Country, New Road. Formed in London in 2018, the experimental rock group consists of Isaac Wood, Tyler Hyde, Lewis Evans, Georgia Ellery, May Kershaw, Charlie Wayne, and Luke Mark— straying away from the traditional band line up. Black Country, New Road adds color and depth to their songs by having Evans on Saxophone and Ellery on violin.

The band’s debut record, aptly called For the first time, only consists of six tracks, but Black Country, New Road strays away from tradition again by having songs like “Athen’s France” that spans over six minutes and “Sunglasses” that lasts just shy of ten minutes. Throughout the record, listeners experience cinematic swells, frantic peaks and hypnotic valleys. In some cases, a singular track feels like it contains multiple chapters or different episodes of a TV season. With Black Country, New Road, you never know what they will pull out of their pocket next.

Keeping up with their spirt of experimentation and improvisation, Black Country, New Road has collaborated with another ANCHR favorite, Black Midi, to form the super group dubbed Black Midi, New Road.

If you like what you hear and can’t get enough of the group’s first album, Black Country, New Road recently released their new single “Snow Globes” off their upcoming sophomore record Ants From Up There— dropping this Friday, February 4th. Make sure you pre-order the record here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: The Wombats

Photo by Tom Oxley

The Wombats have been around for just shy of twenty years, so it’s more than likely you’ve heard one of their many ear worms along the way (especially with their recent resurgence on Tik Tok). The trio composed of Matthew “Murph” Murphy, Tord Øverland Knudsen, Dan Haggis formed in Liverpool, England back in 2003 and have crafted bops like “Let’s Dance to Joy Division,” “Greek Tragedy,” and “Turn” throughout their first four albums—just to name a few. On January 14th, The Wombats released their fifth studio album called Fix Yourself, Not The World, and it’s full of songs that are just as catchy and addictive as their previous releases.

With the pandemic, The Wombats had to figure out a way to adjust to the current times while recording the new record. The trio recorded the songs remotely over the past year, each from their homes across the globe— with Murph in LA, Tord in Oslo, and Dan in London. Talking about the process, the band says they discussed each day’s plan via Zoom, then recorded separately, sending individual files to producers Jacknife Lee, Gabe Simon, Paul Meaney, and Mark Crew. Murph describes the process as “pure madness” but as a long-time fan of the band, the end result has been incredible to listen to. It stays loyal to The Wombats’ true colors and core, but it also encompasses an impressive evolution.

To celebrate the new music, The Wombats are hitting the road, including a show here in Chicago on February 3rd. See all of their tour dates here, and grab tickets to the Chicago show here. 

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Geese

Photo by Daniel Topete

We've got some new and exciting rock coming out of NYC everyone! Lucky for us, they’re migrating west for the winter and playing three shows in Pittsburgh, Michigan, and Chicago before heading out on a European tour.

Geese is a 5-piece group composed of teenage friends Max Bassin, Dominic DiGesu, Gus Green, Foster Hudson, and Cameron Winter. A career in Rock & Roll was not originally the aspiration of the band. Being 18 and 19 years old, the group figured they’d have some fun making music in the downtime Covid-19 provided and then head off to college once they graduated high school. Plans for college, however, have since been put on pause once Geese's music began to take flight.

Right as the pandemic began to swoop across the country in Spring 2020, Geese uploaded some of their self produced songs on to Spotify, to which lead to them getting management and eventually a label. Fast forward to Halloween weekend 2021 and they now have given us a great album to enjoy. They haven't played many live shows or gone on tour yet, but they do have a music festival under their belt in the 2021 presentation of Atlanta's Shaky Knees Music Festival. They even made their late night debut when they performed on Colbert. In May, they will be on tour opening for indie rock heroes Spoon on the West Coast leg of their tour, but ANCHR readers don't need to wait that long to catch them. They will be performing at Chicago's Tomorrow Never Knows Festival headlining a show at Lincoln Hall that also sports two other ANCHR favorites: Native Sun and Gustaf. I personally am excited to check them out. Their song “Low Era” is a certified bop. Come through so you can say you saw Geese's first Chicago show— get tickets here!

ANCHR’s Artist of the Week: Pearl Charles

Photo by Dana Trippe

I had my first experience with Pearl Charles seeing her open up for Liz Cooper at Lincoln Hall last Fall. Throughout Pearl’s set, it felt like we’d all gone back in time to the 60’s and 70’s, as she and her band embody those decades in the modern era— from their music to their style.

Pearl Charles’ solo career as a singer-songwriter came to be after nearly a lifetime of playing music in one form or another, and that deep history and fondness for playing music certainly comes across in the multifaceted and nuanced tones in her music. Pearl first started playing music at age five, and spent time performing in groups like The Driftwood Singers and The Blank Tapes, each time wearing a different hat, playing everything from guitar to autoharp to drums.

As she evolved into a songwriter, Pearl Charles’ sound now infuses a melting pot of influences, including Oldies rock, twangy Western, and dreamy Disco vibes. Pearl’s second album Magic Mirror dropped just about a year to the date in January 2021, and it captures such a timeless, magnificent journey throughout its ten tracks. One of my favorites from the record is the single called “What I Need.” Talking about the track, Pearl has said, “Have you ever stuck with something long after it was time to let go? ’What I Need’ explores this choice in terms of a breakup, though it could really be applied to any situation that is no longer serving you. It’s the age-old story of wanting to stay in a comfortable relationship but knowing that you have to move on for personal growth, and the fear and uncertainty that being alone will bring, even though it’s for the best.” It’s a sentiment I personally know all too well, and I’m sure it rings true with many of ANCHR readers!

Tune into “What I Need” below and be sure to follow Pearl Charles on Instagram for all her latest updates.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Bachelor

Photo by Tonje Thilesen

Occasionally, the universe brings together two musical artists that are too compatible to not work together. David Bowie/Freddie Mercury, Robert Plant/Allison Krauss, and Nelly/Kelly Rowland are a few that immediately come to mind. I'm not saying this AOTW is Bowie and Mercury by any means, but in today's modern world, Bachelor is sharing a talent with all us indie lovers out there and bringing happiness through song. Bachelor was started by Melina Duterte and Ellen Kempner of Jay Som and Palehound.

Duterte and Kempner met while on tour with each other back in 2017, recorded a song in 2018, and put an album together in early 2020 right before shit hit the fan. Their friendship and chemistry made it inevitable that they would work together on a bitchin’ album. Once their single “Anything At All” was released earlier this year, I was hooked. Their album Doomin' Sun is an easy and quick 33 minute listen that covers a number of topics including self doubt, longing, and climate change amongst many other themes. Albeit quick, the dual vocals incite aural pleasure and the thoughtful lyrics provoke self-reflection. I enjoy the whole album but the other track that stands out to me is “Sick of Spiraling.” It gives me Big Thief vibes if any of you guys are into that.

I was excited and ready to go to Bachelor's show at Empty Bottle but they ended up canceling the whole tour. Seeing them at the Bottle seemed like the most perfect spot to catch them. I was sad to get the cancellation email but I'm sure there was good reason and I hope whatever caused them to pull out of the tour gets resolved. I look forward to being at their future show whether it be during festival season or their own headlining performance. Hopefully the Doomin' Sun doesn't get us first ;)

ANCHR’s Artist of the Week: Wet Leg

Photo by Hollie Fernando

I first heard of Wet Leg very recently when I got an excited text from a friend telling me to listen to their single “Chaise Longue” (thanks, Bonnie). The song begins with a steady drumbeat and pulsing bassline that drives into cheeky and playful lyrics, including a callback to the iconic line in Mean Girls “is your muffin buttered?” With a mix of head-bobbing melodies and slightly absurd lyrics, Wet Leg has a quirky magnetism that easily (and quickly) attracts positive attention.

The aforementioned song only debuted earlier this year in June of 2021, so Wet Leg’s journey is still in the beginning stages. The band came together quite simply when musicians and songwriters Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers rode a Ferris wheel together in their home place of Isle of Wight and decided to start a band. The pair say that they are inspired by artists like The Ronettes, Jane Birkin, Ty Segall and Björk— and in the handful of their released songs, you can certainly pick up nods to those influences.

While it’s been a whirlwind for Wet Leg so far, the best is still yet to come with the recent announcement of their debut, self-titled album and a slew of upcoming tour dates, including their live premiere in the United States. You can pre-order the album ahead of it’s April 8th release date here, and see where they’ll be playing next here. If you’re in Chicago, make sure to join us at their Thalia Hall gig on March 4, 2022.

ANCHR’s Artist of the Week: Mdou Moctar

Here at ANCHR, we don't really dive too deep into rock music from the Sahara, but when the music hits, you just gotta take your licks and do what you can to spread the musical gospel for all to enjoy. I, Michael Perez, feel that I am the man for the job and all you readers should feel very lucky to have me. That being said, I present to you: Mahamadou Souleymane, professionally known as Mdou Moctar. Mdou is a self taught virtuoso guitar master from Agadez, Niger who specializes in the Taureg style of music called assouf, aka Desert Blues. Coming from a religious household, his family was averse to rock music because of the flaunted lifestyle of partying, chicks, and booze that's exhibited, but Mdou realized his calling after attending a concert and proceeded to make his own guitar out of wood and strings he took from bicycle breaks. Thankfully for us, his makeshift guitar helped him become the musical artists he is today.

Photo credit: WH Moustapha

Mdou Moctar has recently found success in the states after releasing his triumphant album Afrique Victime. The album is sung in Tamasheq, which I do not speak, but from reading past reviews, song themes range from love to politics with women's rights and even religious radical terrorism being some of the topics. Whether you speak Tamasheq, or are just a general music lover, this album slaps. Afrique Victime is anthemic, melodic, dancey, and filled with beautiful guitar riffs. The song that sticks out most to the American ear is the title track “Afrique Victime.” Give it a listen and if that song doesn't cause you to either tap your foot, sway your shoulders, bop your head, or just plain dance, slide in my DMs and let me know. I'm interested in knowing who all of ANCHR’s readers are insane.

Mdou's band is rounded out by Ahmoudou Madassane on rhythm guitar, Souleymane Ibrahim on drums, and Michael "Mikey" Coltun on bass. Along with being the bands bassist, Coltun also produced and engineered Afrique Victime throughout the bands touring in 2019. Based in Brooklyn, Coltun travels 20 hours by air and 28 hours by bus to reach Agadez so the band can practice and record. Fairly safe to say Coltun does not have commitment issues. When I saw Mdou Moctar perform at Lincoln Hall in September, I arrived minutes before their set since I was coming straight from Riot Fest, and the house was packed. I slithered my way to the center back of the floor, right in front of the sound stage, and it was as good of a spot I could ask for to see and feel the Mdou Moctar performance. Being in my thirties, I would usually not be all that excited to have to continue standing at another show across town after walking and standing all day at a music festival, but my lack of enthusiasm was swiftly purged after the first song. They had the crowd swaying and dancing right off the bat and even had some of their friends accompany them on stage to dance for a number of songs.

Afrique Victime is very much worth a listen and an Mdou Moctar concert is definitely worth the ticket price. Your next chance to see Mdou Moctar is in March when they open for Parquet Courts at the Riv. If my spidey sense is as good as I think it is, I wouldn't be surprised if they make it back to Chi-city during festival season as well.

ANCHR’s Artist of the Week: KennyHoopla

The project of musician and songwriter Kenneth La'ron, KennyHoopla crafts nostalgia-tinged songs that blend pop punk, emo, and rock influences with modern and experimental touches.

KennyHoopla began releasing music as early as 2016 via SoundCloud, but his most popular release to date was his single “how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//”— which came to be the title track of his May 2020 EP that also included tracks like “sore loser//” and “the world is flat and this is the edge//.” From the genre-defying sounds and artistic exploration in his music to the specific stylization of his song names, the creative element of KennyHoopla continues to shine through in everything he releases.

Later on in 2020, KennyHoopla collaborated with the artist grandson on a version of the track “lost cause//” before releasing yet another version of the single with Jesse Rutherford. In 2021, he worked with Travis Barker on the song “hollywood sucks//,’ which ended up on the collaborative EP called SURVIVORS GUILT: THE MIXTAPE//.

I’m looking forward to see what other work KennyHoopla puts out in the future, and who he’ll partner with next. As far as his live show, I caught most of his set at Riot Fest this year and had a lot of fun watching his performance. He had a minimal stage set up but made up for that with his presence and the energy he projected.

He’ll be touring again this month, including two sold out shows at Schubas Tavern on November 27 and 28th, and you can see all of his upcoming tour dates here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Kacy Hill

Photo by Lauren Dunn

My first introduction to Kacy Hill dates back to 2016 when I saw her perform as a support act for Jack Garratt. In addition to touring together, Hill also worked with Garratt as a producer of her single “Foreign Fields” from the 2015 EP Bloo. That track, like much of Hill’s further music catalog, showcases her thrilling falsettos and crisp production style in a blend of indie and electronic pop music.

Following the Bloo EP, Hill released her debut full length album Like a Woman in 2017, which delivered empowering lyrics and introspective musings alongside her goosebump-inducing vocal performance. After a little bit of a break, fans of Kacy Hill got the gift of new music in the form of her sophomore album entitled Is It Selfish If We Talk About Me Again. We were also quickly topped up with even more new music in 2021, when Hill announced her third album Simple, Sweet, and Smiling. The third record features collaborations with John Carroll Kirby, Ariel Rechtshaid, Jim-E Stack and it continues to highlight Hill’s vulnerable nature behind her songwriting. At the beginning of recording the new record, Hill’s father suffered a heart attack, and Hill says this album is part of her confrontation of these feelings of powerlessness in the face of her own mind and mortality, while also being a vehicle to give thanks to the partners, friends and family who have helped her through.

In celebration of the new record, Hill has embarked on her first US headlining tour, which includes a stop at Schubas on November 18th. Snag your tickets to the show here, and watch the video for “Easy Going” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Vérité

The project of Brooklyn-based singer and musician Kelsey Byrne, Vérité delivers electro-pop anthems that are driven by Bryne’s dynamic and powerful vocal range. As an independent project, Vérité has seen amazing streaming and touring success, garnering millions of streams online.

Vérité’s extensive catalog dates back to 2014’s EP Echo and includes two independently released albums as well as several other EPs. The most recent single “he’s not you” starts off with a staccato drumbeat and falsetto vocals from Byrne before a funky bass line kicks in with layered harmonies. While Vérité songs always seem to push into new realms and explore different sounds, they’re all almost certain to get you dancing or singing along with the chorus.

On top of that, Vérité has always put on such a captivating performance every time I’ve seen her, and I’m excited to see her back on the road this Fall. Check out her upcoming tour dates here, which include a stop at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall on November 10th.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Wet

The first song I heard from Wet was 2014’s “Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl” from their self-titled debut EP. The song begins with a swirl of reverb-drenched synths and guitar melodies as lead singer Kelly Zutrau’s vocals fade in and begin to tell the story of recognizing the end of a relationship. Thanks to its hypnotizing production and the vulnerable nature of the lyrics, the track still remains one of their most popular songs and has racked up more than 71 Million streams on Spotify alone.

Composed of Kelly Zutrau, Joe Valle, and Marty Sulkow, Wet officially formed in 2013 in Brooklyn after the members had been introduced through mutual friends. Since then, the band released their 2016 debut record called Don’t You, which has some of my all-time favorite songs on it; “Island” and “Small and Silver.” There’s such a mesmerizing yet calming presence to Zutrau’s voice, which blends beautifully with the electronic production that Valle crafts. Wet followed up that debut with 2018’s Still Run and most recently released their third album called Letter Blue yesterday, October 22nd. The new album stays true to the beauty of Wet’s earlier material, but there’s a subtle refinement that showcases their growth as artists. Their second album was recorded while Sulkow was on hiatus from the group, so this third record also marks the reunion of the original trio.

In support of the new music, Wet will be hitting the road next month, including a stop at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall. See all of their tour dates here, and listen to the new album in full here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Renée Reed

Louisiana singer-songwriter Renée Reed has a timeless feel to her music— her sound combines wispy, ethereal vocals with vintage-washed acoustic melodies. There’s a comforting sense of familiarity to the folk backbone in Reed’s songs, but she also supplies listeners with invigorating injections of different sonic stylings throughout her 2021 self-titled debut record. Songs like “Où est la fée” and “Drunken Widow’s Waltz” showcase Reed singing in French, while the guitars on the track “I Saw a Ghost” give nods to Flamenco music.

Reed’s unique sound likely stems from her wide array of influences growing up. Her parents owned a one-stop Cajun shop that hosted many jam sessions, and Reed also absorbed the sound of Cajun and Creole music legends in her native region of Southwest Louisiana. From music festivals to her own front porch, Reed was continuously exposed to live music at a young age. She also cites The Beatles, Kate Bush, the films of Rankin/Bass, video games and 60s folk music as creative inspirations.

During high school, Reed played in a band called Shrugs, playing with the group at house shows around Louisiana. Eventually, she began to experiment with writing and playing solo material, interspersed with performances of Cajun songs with other musicians in her community. In 2020, Reed began recording her music for the first time using a Tascam cassette four-track that her partner had brought home. The majority of songs that she recorded ended up making it onto her debut record, and perhaps the most impressive fact about this impromptu recording session is that some of the tracks were written from scratch during the process.

I have yet to see Renée Reed perform live, but I have faith that her performance will be nothing short of mesmerizing thanks to her extensive variety of influences and history with music. If you live in Chicago, she’ll be playing a show at Sleeping Village on Monday, October 25th with Half Gringa. Get your tickets to that show here, and check out all of her upcoming tour dates.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Cannons

I first heard of Cannons’ hit “Fire for You” when I had XRT playing in the background during a work day, and the song’s grooving bass line and hypnotic chorus was so captivating that it made me immediately stop to find out who was playing this song.

Formed in Los Angeles in 2013, Cannons came together when guitarist Ryan Clapham and keyboardist/bassist Paul Davis put an ad in Craigslist for their singer. They met Michelle Joy and began playing and recording music together—releasing their debut EP in 2014. The trio has since perfected their own dreamy blend of indie and electropop and released two full length albums, including 2019’s Shadows, which features “Fire for You.” The song also garnered large-scale success after being featured in an episode of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever.

Most recently, Cannons released an EP full of cover songs in August, aptly called “Covers by Cannons.” The EP features Cannons’ take on songs from Kings of Leon, The Isley Brothers, Harry Styles and more, showing their chameleon-like musicality.

I had the chance to catch Cannons’ set at Lollapalooza this past summer, and their creativity and artistry carries over to their live show. Michelle Joy’s silky vocals and the band’s upbeat and fun attitude had the crowd dancing along the whole set. If you missed out on the Lolla appearance from Cannons, the group will be touring with lovelytheband and Sir Sly this Fall. You can catch them at the House of Blues in Chicago on November 23rd. Get tickets here, and check out the video for “Fire for You” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Bartees Strange

If you read ANCHR’s Pitchfork Festival recap, you’ll know that Bartees Strange is an artist I regretfully did not have on my radar until very recently.

Musician Bartees Leon Cox Jr. was born in England, grew up in Oklahoma, spent some time in Brooklyn as a member of the band Stay Inside, and now resides in Washington D.C. Performing under the name Bartees Strange, his solo project began in 2017 with a debut EP, and has garnered praise for the craft behind his soulful and unique combination of jazz, hip hop, and rock.

Bartees Strange’s 2020 debut album Live Forever showcases intricate and polished production, but the real magic happens with his live shows. At both his festival set and Pitchfork after show, Bartees Strange put on one of the most raw and powerful performances I’ve seen in recent years. As an audience member, it was impossible not to connect with Bartees’ passion for sharing his words and his creativity. His stage presence radiated with heartfelt energy that only happens when an artist truly believes in what they’re creating.

If you missed out on the last Bartees Strange shows in Chicago, you can catch him back here on October 11th at the Vic Theatre with Lucy Dacus. Grab your tickets here, and tune into Bartees’ Tiny Desk concert below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: The Backseat Lovers

Photo by Alex Justice

We’ve all had that experience when we hear a song for the first time and need to know who it’s by so we can immediately look up more songs by them. That was my experience listening to “Kilby Girl” by The Backseat Lovers for the first time while checking out a Lollapalooza playlist ahead of this year’s festival. With over 55 million streams on Spotify, it’s clear I’m not the only one hooked on this song.

Upon that first listen of the band, I thought that the band’s lead singer Joshua Harmon sings with a hint of British inflection, so I was surprised to learn they were actually from Utah. The Backseat Lovers were formed when Harmon asked their now drummer Juice Welch if he wanted to start a band together, and the two began forming full arrangements of songs that Harmon had written. Their lineup further came together when Hamon met the lead guitarist Jonas Swanson in line for an open mic night in Provo City, Utah. As Harmon and Swanson played their music for each other, Harmon finally decided to share his song “Out of Tune,” and that was the first piece the entire group worked on arranging together.

From there, The Backseat Lovers moved on to start recording together in 2018, releasing an EP entitled Elevator Days later that year. They soon followed up the first release with a debut album called When We Were Friends in early 2019, and they’ve said they’re continuing to work on even more new material at the moment.

If you enjoy the pep and warm Summer vibes that the likes of bands like Two Door Cinema Club, Wallows, and Cage The Elephant conjure, make sure you check The Backseat Lovers’ album. “Kilby Girl” has one of those choruses that makes for an easy crowd sing-a-long, and that was certainly the case for their packed afternoon set at Lollapalooza and their sold out after show.

See where you can catch the band performing next here, and watch the music video for their song “Heavy” below.