WNeko Richelle Case is an American singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian indie rock group the New Pornographers. Case has a powerful, untrained contralto voice, which has been described by contemporaries and critics as a "flamethrower," "a powerhouse [which] seems like it might level buildings," "a 120-mph fastball," and a "vocal tornado". Critics also note her idiosyncratic, "cryptic," "imagistic" lyrics, and credit her as a significant figure in the early 21st-century American revival of the tenor guitar. Case's body of work has spanned and drawn on a range of traditions including country, folk, art rock, indie rock, and pop and is frequently described as defying or avoiding easy generic classification.
WDelicate Steve is the stage name of musician Steve Marion, an American multi-instrumentalist who leads the band of the same name. Delicate Steve's sound has been described as hand-crafted with elements of progressive rock, folksy twang, African rhythms, surf rock and 1970s pop. Marion has collaborated with a wide range of artists in a variety of styles and genres, performing live and recording in-studio with artists such as The Black Keys, Paul Simon, Amen Dunes, Mac DeMarco, Tame Impala, and others.
WThe Dream Syndicate is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1981 to 1989, and reunited since 2012. The band is associated with neo-psychedelia and the Paisley Underground music movement; of the bands in that movement, according to the Los Angeles Times, the Dream Syndicate "rocked with the highest degree of unbridled passion and conviction." Though never commercially successful, the band met with considerable acclaim, especially for its songwriting and guitar playing. Bandleader Steve Wynn reformed the band in 2012, and a fifth studio album was released in February 2017.
WGirlpool is an indie rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed by friends Avery Tucker and Harmony Tividad. Their self-titled debut EP was posted on their Bandcamp account in February 2014, and re-released on Wichita Recordings later that year. The band released its debut album, Before the World Was Big, in June 2015, also on Wichita Recordings. Their second album, Powerplant, was released in May 2017, via Anti-.
WTitle Fight is an American rock band from Kingston, Pennsylvania, formed in 2003. They have released 3 studio albums – Shed (2011), Floral Green (2012) and Hyperview (2015) – gradually shifting from a hardcore punk-oriented sound towards an emphasis on mellow atmospheres. Hyperview was released through ANTI-, a record label to which the band signed in July 2014.
WMerle Ronald Haggard was an American country singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler.
WHalf Waif is the stage name of American musician Nandi Rose Plunkett.
WKelly Hogan is an American singer-songwriter, often known for her work as a member of Neko Case's backing band, as well as for her solo work.
WSteven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived much of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity. Smith's primary instrument was the guitar, though he also played piano, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, and harmonica. Smith had a distinctive vocal style, characterized by his "whispery, spiderweb-thin delivery", and often used multi-tracking to create vocal layers, textures, and harmonies.
WThomas Alan Waits is an American singer, songwriter, musician, composer, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during the 1970s, but his music since the 1980s has reflected greater influence from blues, rock, vaudeville, and experimental genres.