Darlingside

Pesticide is used to kill pests. Fratricide is when you kill your brother,” explains Darlingside's Dave Senft. “A former teacher of ours used to say ‘kill your darlings,' which is to say, if you fall in love with something you've written you should cross it out. We like that idea and we thought a good name for it might be ‘darlingcide', but we changed the ‘c' to an ‘s' because we're not super into death.” The naming of the band reflects the arch humor, cryptic wordplay, and playful banter that the four close friends share on and off stage—but the music Darlingside plays is serious, cinematic, and deeply moving.

On Birds Say, the Massachusetts-based quartet's wide-open arrangements are marked by the skillful vocal interplay of the four singers. When bassist Dave Senft, guitarist and banjo player Don Mitchell, classical violinist and folk mandolinist Auyon Mukharji, and cellist and guitar picker Harris Paseltiner gather around a single microphone and let their richly-textured voices loose, they splash their melodies with a sunny melancholy that brings their lyrics to vibrant life. Subtle musical shadings take cues from 60s folk, chamber pop, bluegrass, classical music, and modern indie rock, while aching harmonies are complemented by tones from the harmonium, frailing banjo, 12-string electric guitar, Wurlitzer, auto-chord organ, and grand piano. The result is a collection of quietly passionate songs that defy easy categorization.

"Birds Say is a sonic gem to be envious of and is one of the great albums released this year" - The Huffington Post

"…exquisitely-arranged, literary-minded, baroque folk-pop" - NPR Music

http://www.darlingside.com/

Frances Luke Accord

Frances Luke Accord is an independent Chicago-based duo hailing originally from South Bend, Indiana. Both dedicated multi-instrumentalists and meticulous songwriters, Nicholas Gunty and Brian Powers distinguish their music with genre fluidity, buttery harmonies and acoustic ensembles. Although prevailingly a modern folk band, FLA sips copious inspiration from Americana, jazz, soul, and rock.

Since forming during their senior year at the University of Notre Dame, Frances Luke Accord's approach to music has marked a boundless evolution. In December of 2012 the duo released their first record, Kandote, a not-for-profit, intercultural collaboration with the Barefoot Truth Children's Choir of Kkindu, Uganda; an endeavor that continues to support the primary education and musical aspirations of the choir. Since moving to Chicago in the summer of 2013, the band has garnered increasing local and regional attention for their captivating live performances and stunning self-produced releases, including the Queen for Me EP (April 2014), Live @ Strobe (April 2015), and, most notably, their debut full-length album, Fluke (May 2016).

"While Simon & Garfunkel may be no longer touring, Powers and Gunty are more than talented enough to take their place." - PlaylistHQ

http://franceslukeaccord.com/