photo by Dave Estep (view set)
Anacortes: gateway to the Washington’s San Juan Islands. Home to artists like Karl Blau, Phil Elverum and The Lonely Forest. Soon to be know for another new band, BellaMaine. The young indie rock group, led by married duo Nick and Julianne Thompson, immediately caught the attention of KEXP’s Morning Show host, John Richards, after The Lonely Forest’s John Van Deusen send him a copy of their self-released debut EP. But while Van Deusen’s band leans more toward emotive anthems, on An Anxious Mind the Thompsons craft dreamy pop songs while trading melodic vocal lines and guitar/keyboard harmonies, all enhanced by renowned NW producer John Goodmanson (Death Cab for Cutie, Sleater-Kinney, Blonde Redhead, etc.). With rhythm support from bassist Jordan Nielsen and drummer Gaelan Sylvia, BellaMaine is the complete package and will likely find their place among buzzworthy artists like Tennis, School of Seven Bells, The Rosebuds and many others. Count yourself lucky for getting an early glimpse of a band destined for greater success, as they perform a few songs live in KEXP’s studio:
One Comment
I love these guys, but especially Julianne because she’s my great niece. I listen to KEXP because it’s kind of a nice soundtrack for Ulaanbaatar where we’ve been living and working for a couple years.