The New Yorker has called Tift Merritt "the bearer of a proud tradition of distaff country soul that reaches back to artists like Dusty Springfield and Bobbie Gentry,” and Emmylou Harris said she "stood out like a diamond in a coal patch.”

"Stitch of the World, Merritt's sixth studio album was written on a friend's farm in Marfa, Texas, at Merritt's California cabin and in New York City in the wake of several major changes in her life. The album was recorded in Los Angeles while Merritt was six months pregnant, after which she relocated to her hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina.

The time since the release of Traveling Alone has also found Merritt recording and touring with Andrew Bird in his Hands of Glory, MC Taylor's Hiss Golden Messenger and classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein. Merritt workshopped the songs on Stitch of the World with longtime friend Sam Beam of Iron & Wine after bumping into him in an airport.

"Merritt's achingly beautiful country-tinged tunes hark back to the musical work of Joni Mitchell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Leonard Cohen." – Time

http://www.tiftmerritt.com/

Weatherman (duo)

Weatherman is a minimal, downtempo, experimental pop band featuring the songs, voice and keyboards of Annie Toth and the drumming of her husband, Jason Toth (Handsome Family, Daniel Knox, Old Town School faculty for 10+ years). They've just released their debut EP of songs recorded with Alex Inglizian at Chicago's Experimental Sound Studio. They've shared stages with the likes of Dosh, Ryley Walker, Sandro Perri, and Juana Molina.

“The somber, light-­footed songs on Weatherman evoke the mist over Lake Michigan at dawn, with Annie Toth's whispered vocals cutting like the morning sun through the skittering electronics and sturdy percussive loops—she gives strong performances without overpowering the mood.”
- Chicago Reader

http://www.weathermanband.com/