Bringing classic, sunny-melodied power pop to 21st century indie pop,
Au Pair is a collaboration between
Gary Louris of alt-country-rock's
the Jayhawks and
Django Haskins of chamber pop mavens
the Old Ceremony. The duo met in 2013 when they were both taking part in a Big Star's Third concert in Chicago -- a tour celebrating
Big Star's 1975 album, Third/Sister Lovers -- where they performed with
Big Star drummer Jody Stephens,
Chris Stamey of
the dB's, and
Mitch Easter of
Let's Active, among others.
Louris and
Haskins quickly began writing songs together, including the sweetly
Beatles- and
Badfinger-evoking debut single "In Every Window." Produced by Brian Haran (
Filthybird) and recorded at his studio in Durham, North Carolina, where the duo reportedly performed most of the album together into a single microphone, the full-length
One-Armed Candy Bear arrived in late 2015. ~ Marcy Donelson