Now It's Overhead

Athens, GA's Now It's Overhead mixes moody pop influences such as the Cure and Depeche Mode and the layered textures of bands like Spiritualized and My Bloody Valentine into lovelorn indie rock. Vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/producer Andy LeMaster, bassist/keyboardist/trumpeter/vocalist Orenda Fink, keyboardist/vocalist Maria Taylor, and drummer/vocalist Clay Leverett are also active in other Athens bands and projects: LeMaster, along with former Sugar bassist David Barbe and the Glands' Andy Baker, owns and operates the Chase Park Transduction Recording Studio, where he has worked with Japancakes, Azure Ray, Bright Eyes (of whom LeMaster is also a touring member), and Seaworthy, among others; Fink and Taylor also perform with Azure Ray. Now It's Overhead released their self-titled debut on Saddle Creek in mid-2001. Their sophomore album, Fall Back Open, which included guest spots by Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and Michael Stipe, appeared in spring 2004. Two years later, after officially welcoming collaborator Brad Register (on guitar and keys) into the band, Now It's Overhead released Dark Light Daybreak, which showed a slightly more upbeat side to their usual brand of shoegaze-inspired rock. ~ Heather Phares