ANCHR's Artist of the Week: James Bay

This week’s ANCHR Artist of the Week goes to James Bay, who has been a favorite around here since his 2014 debut record Chaos and the Calm. Bay’s debut holds some of his most iconic hits like “Hold Back The River” and “Let It Go,” but his most recent album Leap that came out in July is also full of incredible tunes.

Photo Courtesy of James Bay

To date, James Bay’s career has been packed to the brim with top-notch achievements and highlights that we’re sure most artists have on their bucket lists— from being nominated for a Grammy, winning two BRIT Awards, performing on Saturday Night Live, and joining legends like Alicia Keys, Mick Jagger and Sheryl Crow onstage, just to name a few. But prior to all this success, Bay started out teaching himself guitar as a child, using a guitar he found in a cupboard at home (it’s said he was inspired after hearing the classic “Layla” by Clapton). Eventually, Bay began performing at open mic nights in Brighton, UK and eventually a video of one of his performances caught the attention of Republic Records. The rest is history…

Despite the huge performances that he’s been apart of and all the sold-out shows that Bay has played, that didn’t stop him from returning to his roots before the release of Leap. On the “New Songs & New Stories” tour, Bay returned to perform solo acoustic gigs at many of the venues he first performed at in support of Independent Venue Week. Bay also recently gave some lucky fans a guitar lesson from himself, thanks to his friends at Fender. When asked about his advice for aspiring young songwriters and musicians, Bay said “If anyone wants to learn how to play guitar or get into music, do it for you. I feel lucky to get to a place where there’s fans and people who love what you put out, but you didn’t write your first music for them because they weren’t your fans yet, they didn’t know you existed. So there’s something to be respected for always trying to make stuff for yourself first because that’s what they loved about what you did the first time.”

Bay has achieved that same magic across the songs on Leap, and for third record, Bay enlisted the help of Foy Vance, Dave Cobb, Ian Fitchuk, Joel Little, and Finneas as collaborators and producers. All of the songs were recorded between sessions in Nashville and London, and there were some remote sessions thrown in amongst in-person sessions. Speaking about the album’s process, Bay has said, “It’s been a weird and winding road to get here over the past few years (as it has been for everyone), but all things considered it’s been a wonderful journey making this music. I got the opportunity to write more songs and was able to fully realize what this album was supposed to be.”

See where you can catch James Bay on the road soon here, and tune into the video for “Save Your Love” from the new record below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Quinn Christopherson

This week’s ANCHR Artist of the Week goes to singer-songwriter Quinn Christopherson, who I recently got the chance to see perform during The Wild Hearts tour with Julien Baker, Sharon Van Etten, and Angel Olsen.

Photo by Emma Sheffer

Christopherson hails from Anchorage, Alaska and is the youngest of four children from his Native Parents; his mother is Ahtna Athabascan and his father is Iñupiat. Christopherson’s impeccable lyricism likely stems from the storytelling he grew up surrounded by at family gatherings. He has shared that storytelling is a key facet of his culture, and a way for one generation to impart values and history to the next. Before putting his words to music Christopherson began writing poetry and continued in that pursuit until his dad gave him a guitar at the age of 20. Eventually, he brought those stories to life at local dive bars and open mic nights. Throughout the years, he has released several singles, including “Erase Me,” “Good Boy” and “Bubblegum.”

Most recently Christopherson released the single “Celine,” which sticks out to me as one of my favorites from his set on The Wild Hearts Tour. The track’s explosive chorus is prefaced by glittering synths and Christopherson’s detailed depiction of his mom’s special moment in the karaoke spotlight and getting compared to the legendary Celine Dion. “The smallest moments can be as important as you perceive them to be. When my mom came back from karaoke saying they told her she sounded just like Celine, it was everything to her - she believed it with her whole heart. Her truth was as important in that moment as anything else in the world,” he says about the inspiration behind the song. If that wasn’t sweet enough, the official music video for the song even features Christopherson’s superstar of a mom.

“Celine” comes from Christopherson’s upcoming debut album Write Your Name in Pink, which will be released September 16th. As a trans man and Native songwriter, Christopherson has said that the album addresses the question of “How do you own the parts of your identity that make you who you are while also acknowledging that they are all mutable and that you are ever-new, always in flux?”

Make sure you pre-order the new record, and see where you can catch Quinn Christopherson on tour here.

ANCHR’s Artist of the Week: Poise

Poise is the brainchild of the NYC based songwriter and musician Lucie Murphy. I recently caught Poise on tour opening up for Pinegrove, and it was one of those support sets where I immediately went to Spotify to save some of the band’s songs because they were that good.

Photo Courtesy of Poise

Murphy grew up in Manhattan, admiring the diverse music scene of the city thanks to her dad’s love for any and all types of music. “He was always keeping an ear to the ground musically,” Murphy says about her dad. Unfortunately, Murphy ended up losing her father in an unexpected and sudden manner, and that grief was the catalyst behind her debut album Vestiges, released in 2021. Murphy displays transparent and introspective outlooks on the record, which also explores her devastation around the start of the pandemic and the cancellation of Poise’s first tour.

Murphy persevered through the challenges and found comfort through this creative outlet, stating that “a lot of this record is about finding confidence and learning to put myself back together when bad things happen.” Murphy primarily wrote the songs on Vestiges in a Vermont cabin that she stayed in during the summer months of 2020, in a space that allowed her to focus more on her artistic process. Once the skeletons of each track were composed by Murphy, she invited fellow musicians Sam Skinner and Theo Munger to help flesh out the arrangements. The end result is a multi-faceted album that showcases both a refined delicacy and a controlled power in Murphy’s vocals, paired with sweeping and exploratory melodies.

If you get the chance to catch a live show from Poise, don’t miss the opportunity. The band will be on tour with Pinegrove throughout most of August, and you can see the full tour dates here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Renforshort

renforshort is the moniker of Toronto-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lauren Isenberg, who crafts emotive alt-pop/bedroom pop tracks.

Photo by Nathalie Benshmuel

Although she wrote her first song as a young teenager and began singing at open mic nights in addition to releasing covers of songs online, renforshort didn’t release her first official single until 2019’s "Waves.” Nearly immediately after its release, the song drew attention from Geffen Records, and she ended up signing with them. renforshort’s debut EP teenage angst was released via Geffen Records and the seven tracks on it really embrace the bedroom pop feel because there’s such an intimate and vulnerable feel to the storytelling and the songwriting.

Earlier in July, renforshort released her debut full-length LP after following up teenage angst with several additional singles. The debut record called dear amelia features my favorite song from the artist to date, called “moshpit.” The song so vividly illustrates the pain of a toxic relationship by metaphorically relating it to getting beat up in a moshpit. The accompanying songs on the album also see renforshort exploring other mental health struggles, such as depression, disassociation, anxiety, and self-erasure, but she delivers it in a way that listeners can relate and find comfort in the message. Each song is tied together by that common thread, but we also experience an expansive sonic range that takes her artistry to another level. The songs move from the dazzling electronic beat of “we’ll make this ok” (featuring Travis Barker) to the mellow acoustic melody of “let you down” (featuring Jake Bugg) to the stunning piano and vocoder-driven title track “amelia.”

renforshort will be on tour throughout the fall in support of dear amelia— see where you can catch her here, and tune into “moshpit” below.

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ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Allison Ponthier

Photo by Julian Buchan

This week’s ANCHR artist of the week goes to singer-songwriter Allison Ponthier, who is currently based in Brooklyn after migrating from the Bible-belt of Texas.

Sonically, Ponthier blends rock n’ roll textures together with the Western twang of alt-country influences and velvety-smooth, rich vocals of pop powerhouses. Visually, Ponthier’s imagery and presentation possess both a classic, vintage feel combined with a surreal, other-worldly sheen. It’s the perfect display of her ability to expand her physical horizons alongside her artistic boundaries, while also giving a nod to the place where she grew up. Ponthier has described her big move to NYC as a creative inspiration for her, but it was also scary and challenging as she moved there without any ties or friends. Once she got settled into New York, Ponthier finally felt comfortable enough to speak her full truth. “Having a very supportive environment to a LGBTQ person is really that important because I didn’t feel safe to come out until I moved to New York. I think that being somewhere where you feel safe in yourself is a priority, and safety is always a number one priority when someone comes out,” she says about her experience coming out after the move.

Nowadays, Ponthier continues to express her vulnerable truths through her songwriting, which listeners have gotten to experience via her 2021 EP entitled “Faking My Own Death” and this year’s “Shaking Hands With Elvis” EP. The latter sees her opening up even more, and Ponthier acknowledges that maturity, stating, “I want to always feel like I can grow, and this project reflects that.” The EP’s title track has Ponthier sharing so much of her emotions with listeners, as she wrote the song following the passing of one of her friends. "Whether or not there's an afterlife, I want to believe that he is not by himself," she says. The lyrics in the song paint a vivid picture of an idyllic afterlife with The King himself, giving nods to Graceland and Elvis’ over-the-top wardrobe.

Throughout the other five songs on the “Shaking Hands With Elvis” EP, Ponthier also broadened her dynamic sound by working with different producers like Mike Del Rio, Dan Wilson, Ethan Gruska, and Luke Fitton. “The exciting part of this job is that you get to do something new every day,” she says. “So I was excited to make harder rock songs, songs that sound like they came straight out of the '70s, songs that are sensitive but that have guitar feedback all over them."

Make sure you tune into the full EP here, and follow Allison Ponthier on Instagram | Twitter | TikTok.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: MUNA

Photo By Isaac Schneider

MUNA’s music will not only make you want to dance, it will make you feel safe to be yourself—what more could you ask for?! If you’re a long-time ANCHR reader, you’re likely already well familiar with MUNA, but the trio just released their third album so they deserve another shout out as this week’s artist of the week.

Composed of Katie Gavin (she/they), Naomi McPherson (they/them), and Josette Maskin (she/they), the three members of the band have been friends for about ten years, and they started making music during their time in college at USC. MUNA released their first album About U in 2017, which features bops like the inclusive anthem “I Know A Place” and “Loudspeaker.” The group’s self-titled third album follows up their 2019 album Saves The World and is their first release on Phoebe Bridgers’ record label Saddest Factory Records. Despite the record label name, most of MUNA conjures up feel-good vibes, especially the first track “Silk Chiffon,” which is the ultimate summer road-trip soundtrack and features Bridgers as a collaborator.

The members of MUNA have said this record brings them out of a period of uncertainty that they faced due to everything going on in the world and other factors surrounding their career, but as I listen to these songs, I mostly hear confidence and an elevated level of maturity in the songwriting and artistry. The third album is essentially the result of MUNA acting as a phoenix rising from its ashes—Talking about this peculiar time, Gavin says, “You have to let things fall apart. And it was only possible because of this tremendous trust. I have so few relationships in my life where I have the kind of trust that I do with Naomi and Jo — where I can trust that there’s a higher purpose, that we can work through all the boundaries and compromises and mess that comes with long-term relationships, and then return to form.” 

If you’re ready to rejoice with MUNA in their latest era, be sure to listen to the new record in full, and catch them on tour soon. They’ll be in Chicago this month playing Lollapalooza, including an aftershow at Thalia Hall.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: The Linda Lindas

Photo by Zen Sekizaw

The future of punk rock seems to be safe. For live music fanatics like myself, we know and see young punk bands regularly. Every major city in the US has a scene, Chicago being no different with bars and venues like Delilahs, Cobra Lounge, Reggies, and Liars Club. Not the to mention the countless basement, garage, back yard, and living room parties, but with The Linda Lindas breaking out of the LA scene with such incredible talent and ferocity, they have shown us another example of age just being a number.

The Linda Lindas are composed of Lucia de la Garza, age 15, Mila de la Garza, age 11, Bela Salazar, age 17, and Eloise Wong, age 14. The de la Garza duo are sisters, Wong is their cousin, and Salazar is a long time family friend. Many may recognize The Linda Lindas from when their performance of “Racist, Sexist Boy” in a LA public library went viral in 2021. I remember the first time I saw the video was when RATM's Tom Morello shared it on his Instagram. Seeing these teens and tweens rock out like if they were seasoned punk vets was refreshing. The music was raw, loud, and sincere. Learning that the drummer was just 10 made them even more impressive.

I got to catch The Linda Lindas in Barcelona, Spain at the Primavera Sound Music Festival. Salazar did most of the speaking since, I assume, her Spanish is a bit more fine tuned than the others. When she introduced her band mates, along with their ages, there was a collective "Whoa!" from the audience coupled with cheers and adulation. They rocked their entire 50 minute set playing a number of songs from their debut album Growing Up and ended with the crowd favorite "Oh!" There was headbanging, guitar shredding, fist pumping, and even moshing. I've been to my fair share of rock shows, but this was the first time I've seen grown men mosh to a band with an eleven year old drummer. The band is stirring and inspiring. I hope they continue to see success and make great music.

The Linda Lindas are currently on tour. See all upcoming tour dates here, and watch the video for their debut album’s title track below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Amelia Moore

This week’s ANCHR Artist of the Week goes to Amelia Moore, a 20-year-old vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who crafts heartfelt electro-pop anthems.

Moore grew up in Georgia and got introduced to her love of music by singing in a church choir and playing violin, before she eventually decided she wanted to play her own music and also taught herself to play piano. Moore continued to invest in her passion for creating music and went to Belmont University in Nashville for college. At 18, Moore found herself moving to LA and collaborating with artists like Austin Sanders (aka ASTN, a Florida-bred singer/songwriter) and producer Pink Slip—the latter of which she worked with on her debut EP. When the pandemic hit in 2020, it was hard for anyone, including Moore, not to be discouraged about a future in music, but she was able share her songs on TikTok and cultivate an audience in that way.

In a short amount of time, Moore has been able to garner over 3 million streams of her debut single “sweet and sour” on Spotify, and she just released her debut EP teaching a robot to love earlier this month on June 3, via Capitol Records. Talking about the debut project, Moore says ““This project is the culmination of first love, first loss and the recognition that love is what separates us from the robots.” She has also described her songwriting process as therapeutic, and with all of the wonderful reception so far, it’s clear that listeners also find sanctuary in Moore’s storytelling. After all, Moore’s social media handles are “@icryatwork” and if you can’t appreciate that level of emotional honesty, then we can’t be friends.

Despite all her success online so far, Moore only recently played her ever first headline show. Be sure to keep an eye on future show announcements from Moore on her website, and give her a follow on TikTok and Instagram.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Indigo De Souza

Photo by Charlie Boss

I recently saw this week’s ANCHR Artist of the Week, Indigo De Souza, play a support set with Lucy Dacus at Thalia Hall. These days, it’s so easy to be distracted by literally everything, even when you’re at a concert, but Indigo just has this magnetic ability to her music and stage presence that grabbed and held my undivided attention throughout her performance.

Indigo De Souza grew up in a small town in the North Carolina mountains and has been playing guitar since she was nine. Since then, she’s relocated to Asheville, NC and put out several singles and two full-length records.

Indigo released her sophomore album, entitled Any Shape You Take, in August of 2021, which features singles like “Real Pain” and “Hold U.” The record really expands upon Indigo’s multifaceted creativity, with every track embracing a different tone and mood—it’s like a sonic (dare I say) shapeshifter of a project. Indigo talks about the broad scope of the album saying, “I wanted this album to give a feeling of shifting with and embracing change. These songs came from a turbulent time when I was coming to self-love through many existential crises and shifts in perspective.” As listeners can experience as they travel through Any Shape You Take, Indigo says she never embodies one particular genre and that “all of the music just comes from the universe that is my ever-shifting brain/heart/world.”

The shifting nature and adaptability in Indigo’s style feels especially fitting with all the change going on in the world today, and these songs make a perfect soundtrack for anyone going through their own evolutions. On top of her incredible songwriting, Indigo also produced Any Shape You Take, alongside Brad Cook, Alex Farrar and Adam McDaniel.

Indigo De Souza will be on the road all across the country this summer, and if you’re in Chicago like ANCHR, you have not one, but TWO chances to catch a show in July. First, she’ll be performing in support of My Morning Jacket at Northerly Island, and she’ll also be playing Pitchfork Music Festival. She her full tour schedule here, and tune into the “Hold U” music video below.

ANCHR Artist of the Week: Cola

This week’s Artist of the Week goes to Cola— yet another Fire Talk band that doesn’t disappoint! Cola is a supergroup consisting of Tim Darcy and Ben Stidworthy (formerly of Ought) and Evan Cartwright.

Photo by: Colin Medley

The trio got together in 2019 when Darcy and Stidworthy reached out to Cartwright about collaborating on something new, after they’d met Cartwright on the road with one of his many other projects. Darcy describes the initial period of time working together as very natural, especially one they met for some in-person sessions. “We really just took time to enjoy the process of collaborating and writing songs together,” Darcy says. Once the pandemic hit, the group had to end up working separately from one another, and Darcy describes the solitude work as being a “defining color as well as a barrier” to their debut album called Deep in View.

Sonically, Deep in View is packed with distorted, hazy guitar tones that contrast with bouncy melodies and bright drumbeats. Lyrically, the group comments on wading through the modern world and living with technology. Darcy describes the process of writing the record as solo work combined with team efforts— "Ben and I had a flow writing this record where we would send each other demos every Friday. It was a really motivating way to write, as I would spend the week working on something but then get the bonus of hearing what Ben had written when I sent him my track,” he says.

If you’re a fan of Ducks Ltd., Wet Leg, or of course Ought, you should tune into the new album.

I have yet to experience any of Cola’s songs in person, but luckily they are hitting the road soon, including a stop at Sleeping Village. Don’t miss out on their debut Chicago show on July 21st—grab tickets here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Sunflower Bean

Photo by Driely S

This week’s ANCHR Artist of the Week goes to Sunflower Bean— a trio from NYC consisting of vocalist and bassist Julia Cumming (she/her), guitarist and vocalist Nick Kivlen (he/him), and drummer Olive Faber (she/they).

Sunflower Bean is one of those bands that seem like they were born in the wrong era because they have such an authentic and effortlessly classic sound, but I guess someone’s got to keep rock and roll alive for the next generation! Earlier this month, the band released their third album, entitled Headful of Sugar, as a follow up to 2018’s Twentytwo in Blue. The new album name acts as a metaphor for the constant consumerism, exposure to news and attachment to devices that runs through society— and the band says the album is for those outsiders who are disillusioned with the modern world. “We wanted to write about the lived experience of late capitalism, how it feels everyday, the mundanity of not knowing where every construct is supposed to ultimately lead you,” Nick Kivlen says. “The message is in the title: this is about fast pleasures, the sugar of life, the joy that comes with letting go of everything you thought mattered.”

Sunflower Bean teased the new record with several singles that showcased their versatility— for example, “Roll The Dice” features an enticing, slow fade in that leads to fuzzed-out guitar riffs and layered echoes of Kivlen’s and Cumming’s vocals, while “I Don’t Have Control Sometimes” kicks off with peppy vocalizations from Cumming and a punchy pop drumbeat. Talking about the latter song, Cumming says, “I’ve always thought that my reckless side was both a gift and a curse, leading me to my best choices on stage but my worst choices in life. I don’t have control sometimes is the admission, acceptance, and almost celebration of the parts of yourself that are impulsive or maybe even insane.” While this song is the band’s admission and acceptance of relinquishing control, they claimed full creative control with the making of Headful of Sugar— Olive Faber took on the role of engineering for the first time, and the recording was mostly done at home. “We didn’t have to rely on anyone outside of the band and our producer, Jake Portrait, to get Headful of Sugar made,” Faber says. “Self-sufficiency helped us tell the story we wanted to tell.” 

To celebrate the new music, Sunflower Bean is currently on tour, including a stop in Chicago at The Bottom Lounge on Friday, May 20th. See all of their tour dates here, and watch the video for “I Don’t Have Control Sometimes” below.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: Hatchie

Photo by Lissyelle

This week’s ANCHR artist of the week goes to Australian singer-songwriter Harriette Pilbeam, better known by her stage name Hatchie. Hatchie’s whimsical sound is vast and expansive, particularly on her latest album Giving The World Away, which was just released last month via Secretly Canadian. The song “The Rhythm” for example has a hypnotic beat that’s reminiscent 90’s electro-pop— think tinges of Ace of Base or Fatboy Slim. Then there’s the single “Quicksand” which is more moody and atmospheric with a swelling chorus that gives nods to Mazzy Star, or the title track “Giving The World Away” that opens with distorted guitars and a funky drumbeat.

Hatchie describes the new album as being a deeper and unexplored territory for her. “There's more to me than just writing songs about being in love or being heartbroken—there's a bigger picture than that,” she says. “This album really just feels like the beginning to me, and scratching the surface – and even though it’s my third release as Hatchie, I feel like I’m rebooting from scratch.” The record features collaborations from musician Joe Agius, as well as percussion from James Barone, the drummer for Beach House.

Prior to Giving The World Away, Hatchie released 2018’s EP “Sugar & Spice” and the 2019 album called Keepsake, so there’s plenty of previous songs to tune into as well.

In the celebration of the new album, Hatchie kicks off tour this month and you can catch her show in Chicago on May 14th at Sleeping Village. Snag tickets here, and watch the video for the enchanting “The Rhythm” below.

ANCHR'S Artist of the Week: Horsegirl

Photo by Cheryl Dunn

Here at ANCHR, we love a good hometown act— and Horesegirl is one Chicago band you should definitely have on your radar. The trio is made up of Penelope Lowenstein (she/her), Nora Cheng (she/her), and Gigi Reece (they/them), and the members all started playing their own original music after playing in a Sonic Youth cover band.

We first got the chance to check out Horsegirl at Pitchfork Music Festival last year, when they only had a handful of singles released, but they still captivated the festival crowd with their blend of shoegaze, grunge and post-punk.

Since then, Horsegirl has signed to Matador records and made the announcement of their debut record, Versions of Modern Performance, which will be released June 3rd and include singles “Anti-glory” and “World of Pots and Pans.” Speaking about the latter single, the band says, “‘World of Pots and Pans’ is the first love song Horsegirl has ever written—or the closest thing to it. We wrote it in Penelope’s basement while preparing to leave for our first ever tour. The lyrics, inspired by the misinterpretation of a Television Personalities lyric, imagine a (possibly unrequited) romance unfolding through references to Tall Dwarfs, Belle & Sebastian, and The Pastels.” The trio worked together to craft the lyric video for the song in just a few hours, which attests to how collaborative the band remains in all aspects of the project.

The debut album was recorded in Chicago at Electrical Audio with producer John Agnello— you can pre-order a copy here, and make sure to come to the release show at Thalia Hall on Sunday, June 5th. Get your tickets here.

ANCHR'S Artist of the Week: The Regrettes

Photo by Lissyelle Laricchia

You know that iconic quote from 10 Things I Hate About You that describes Kat Stratford’s music taste as “angry girl music of the indie rock persuasion”? Well, originally I might think of Bikini Kill or Sleater-Kinney, but nowadays I can pick up tinges of that descriptor with moments of The Regrettes’ catalog. There’s a playful edginess to lead vocalist Lydia Night’s vocal inflections that blends perfectly with their catchy riffs. Take a listen to their popular track “Seashore” or “I Dare You” for a prime example.

The LA-based band consists of Night alongside Genessa Gariano, Brooke Dickson, Drew Thomsen, and they just released their third album Further Joy to follow up their 2017 debut Feel Your Feelings Fool! and their sophomore record How Do You Love? Night describes the title of the new album as a concept I think we can all relate to; that constant drive to obtain happiness against moving goalposts. “We’re obsessed with social media, which makes it easy to obsess over self-growth and unhealthy amounts of productivity. That phrase, ‘further joy,’ summarized what it meant to be on the hamster wheel of constantly chasing happiness, but in turn, that’s what makes you unhappy,” she says. The new songs explore the band’s desire to end that toxic cycle.

The record came together after a year in isolation and shut down, when the band members finally got a break from their consistent touring schedule that kept them playing live music essentially nonstop. The band met up in January of 2021 for a writing retreat in Joshua Tree, where they outlined the album and crafted demos while hiking, stargazing, dancing and having deep conversations. After the retreat, they fleshed out the material over Zoom writing sessions and worked with Jacknife Lee and Tim Pagnotta. The break from touring and the time that the bandmates spent together on the retreat really allowed for The Regrettes to connect more and broaden their sonic horizons with the new tunes. The underlying theme on the record of being present and appreciating the moment is a sentiment that has resonated with so many people throughout the pandemic— which acted as a wake up call in a lot of ways. Night says she hopes listeners take this lesson away after listening to Further Joy; “We all deserve happiness and to be present, and we'll never get there if we feel so much shame and guilt for not being there already.”

If you truly want to live in the moment, make sure you catch The Regrettes when they come to Chicago to play The Metro on May 13th and/or when they return for Lollapalooza in the summer!

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: BANKS

Here at ANCHR, we’ve been fans of the Los Angeles- based singer songwriter BANKS since before the 2014 release of her debut album Goddess. Throughout her first three records and several other singles, BANKS has continuously proved her ability to explore new sonic territory, often adding a cheeky and edgy side to her vulnerable storytelling. BANKS’ lyrics are emotive and raw, while also being moody and powerful— she showcases her fierce prowess while being open about her flaws.

Last month, BANKS returned with the new single entitled “I Still Love You” from her fourth record, called SERPENTINA— which is out this Friday, April 8th. The new track dives further into the songwriter’s vast vulnerability that we’ve all come to know and love. Talking about the single, BANKS says she held onto the song for more than six years. “It felt like a secret I wanted to keep just for myself. But I finally feel not only ready but so excited to share this with the world. It’s about loving someone you don’t talk to anymore. Missing the little things about them. Even the things you thought you hate. I hope you feel like you are sitting next to me when you listen. And I hope it’s as special to those who hear it as it is to me,” she says.

BANKS also co-directed the music video for “I Still Love You” in addition to co-producing the new album, allowing her artistic expression to expand beyond her captivating lyrics and melodies. With SERPENTINA, BANKS also promises a more loose and freeing demeanor, stating that the album title was inspired by the feminization of the word “Serpentine.” “Snakes represent rebirth and the shedding of one's skin,” she says. “They just move on, and I think that's what life is about. Changing and transforming, with a little bit of danger, but also smooth and silky. It just felt like the perfect representation. This album feels regal to me, but also my most human ever. So I think it kind of touches both ends of the spectrum.”

You can pre-order SERPENTINA here, and see where you can catch BANKS performing live soon here—including a stop in Chicago for Lollapalooza.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE

Photo by Peggy Fioretti

This week’s ANCHR Artist of the week goes to Philadelphia’s SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE, an experimental rock band that has been making music since 2014 with an array of band members. The band adopted their name from a 1973 Spanish film with the same title. With their eclectic and expansive sound that continues to push boundaries and evolve, we recommend them if you’re a fan of Squid, black midi, and Post Animal.

Currently, the SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE lineup consists of Zack Schwartz, Rivka Ravede, and Corey Wichlin— who all wear multiple hats for the band, contributing everything from vocals, keys, guitar, bass and drums. Most recently, the band put out their fourth studio album entitled ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH in 2021, which was released via Saddle Creek, but the first of their records that was self-recorded and produced. Schwartz says the process of recording the fourth album was completely different than the rush of making their third album Hypnic Jerks. "We had to record that in seven days, because that was the studio time we had, whereas ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH was made over the course of three, four months,” he says. Being made during pandemic times also meant the band recorded some of the material remotely, and had the time to dive deeper into multifaceted sounds and production styles.

The band describes the song “THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T DO” from ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH as being one showcases the growth they’ve undergone from their inception to current day. "This song draws on some of the sonic aesthetic of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE's old records and aligns those sounds with the electronic instrumentation we've been exploring," Wichlin says.

When he first joined the group, Wichlin moved from Chicago to Philadelphia to join Ravede and Schwartz, so the band’s upcoming shows at Schubas on March 30th and 31st are partially a homecoming show. Hopefully you snagged your tickets for them already because they’re sold out, but keep an eye out for all upcoming events here.

ANCHR's Artist of the Week: poutyface

Photo by Javi Perez

When I think of the alt-pop singer songwriter poutyface, I think of an artist marching to the beat of their own drum. Hailing from Southern California, poutyface first began garnering new listeners and fans by creating songs on the app Voisey, when it was still in beta testing in 2019. Since then, poutyface has released a several singles— including “Fboys Anonymous” that starts off with a beat that sounds like a video game soundtrack and “NEVER FUCKIN KNOW” which features poutyface speaking in a storytelling cadence during the verses before launching into her singing in the chorus.

Every song she’s released has its own unique DNA, but like the artists she admires most, all of poutyface’s songs share a common thread of great lyrics. “I’m a massive believer in the importance of pen game,” she says. “All of my big­gest inspirations are incredible lyricists, Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Mereba, to name a few. I’m also a huge fan of Doja Cat… I think I’m attracted to music with a lot of soul, but honestly, I listen to every genre and pull inspiration from every angle. And my taste is constantly changing,” she adds.

Most recently, poutyface released her new single called “Cherry Picking,” which is reminiscent of pop punk music of the early aughts, and tells the story about the ups and downs of a toxic relationship. Poutyface talks about the single, saying, “‘Cherry Picking’ is about being used by someone for their own personal validation. I’ve had relationships and friendships where I gave way too much. This song feels like spinning out. It’s about losing your mind trying to keep someone around who isn’t concerned with anyone but themselves… the ones who pick off your energy whenever the fruit looks ripe enough to feed them.”

poutyface is currently on tour with YUNGBLUD, see where you can catch her upcoming shows here, and tune into “Cherry Picking” below.

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.