Speedy Ortiz racked up a ton of accolades at the end of 2013. You’re hard-pressed to go to any blog that put out some sort of year-end best-of list and not see Speedy Ortiz somewhere on someone’s list. And there’s a good reason for that, they’re an awesome band. Created as the solo project brainchild of Sadie Dupuis in 2011, the project has since then blossomed into a fully formed, indie rock gem. Layering Dupuis’ slightly warbly vocals on top of a sound that’s pretty heavily influenced by the classic garage rock acts of the 90’s, Speedy Ortiz has exploded on the music scene since the release of their highly acclaimed debut album, Major Arcana.
Upon first hearing, the band draws some pretty immediate comparisons to acts like Sonic Youth, however, their sound lies much more on the poppier side of things as opposed to the droning, effects-heavy gaze sound of the 90’s. Their tracks are deceptively catchy despite being composed of what seems like disharmony bent on going against any sense of melody. If you’re a fan of contemporary acts like Swearin’ and Hop Along, definitely give Speedy Ortiz a listen and make sure to catch them at Stopover on Friday night/Saturday morning at midnight!