* En anglais uniquement
Formed in 2001 as a solo vehicle for Madison, WI native
Krist Krueger, moody Portland, OR-based indie rock outfit
Southerly, who are often compared to
the National and
Tindersticks, specialize in the kind of brooding, ornate, and orchestral pop that began to blanket the rocky Pacific Northwest in the mid-2000s. Like fellow lush West Coast collectives
the Decemberists and
Fleet Foxes,
Southerly’s approach to pop music is often conceptual, grandiose, and drenched in atmosphere. Released in 2004, the intimate
Best Dressed and Expressionless dealt with the deaths of close friends and family members, while 2007’s
Storyteller and the Gossip Columnist featured a full band, orchestra, and horn arrangements. The similarly themed Champion of the Noisy Negativists was released in 2010. ~ James Christopher Monger