Songwriter Al Olender tries to grasp the brief, beautiful moments that make up our lives in slow-motion but finds that the tighter she holds on, the more these frames fall into a soupy blur. Change is our only constant, but what if we wanted to steep in the now? What if we could stay right here? Olender captures the anxieties of an ever-moving world with a sweet and silly sincerity on her second full-length album The Worrier, never shying away from staring the truth right in the face. Exploring anxiety, sexuality and anarchy, both in herself and in her relationships, Olender’s acoustic, bluesy melodies point to the butterflies of first crushes, the gut-punching realities of responsibility and the eternal romance of friendship.-Sammy Maine
Aubrey Haddard seeks refuge in her creative discipline. Carving out a boundary-less space to explore the human experience, she creates a sonic landscape that is both epic and deeply personal. Layers upon layers of unapologetic guitars lay the foundation for Haddard’s vocals, heralded by critics as “harrowingly beautiful” (Clash Magazine) and “herculean” (The Line of Best Fit). Calling upon the inspirations of powerhouse PJ Harvey, and songwriters from Feist to Frusciante, Haddard blends the analog and the digital with eccentricity. Themes of Greek mythology and Japanese literature weave their way through her stories, inviting listeners to peek into her subconscious and share in the depths of something both raw and real.
