Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts is an Indie-Art-Rock band by the name of Palehound. Ellen Kempner (originally from Connecticut) is the soft-spoken heart & soul of the band, and her songs are a formidable display of eclectic guitar skills combined with exceptional lyrical content. Ellen Kempner’s vocals are simplistically-complex, with a voice that is both soothing & dream-like with each chorus.
Palehound is a fine example of complexities delivered in a simple manner. There’s a great deal of genuinely impressive & intricate guitar work being achieved by Kempner, who manages to keep an abstractly melodic sound (with total success). Palehound’s sound is uniquely versatile - having strong indie roots up in the NorthEast scene. The band’s heavily artsy/indie/alternative origins fit nicely with each new album, providing a cozy/cool vibe with each listen (some of the earlier stuff, songs like “Molly”, give such an awe-inspiring display of creativity that would make FUGAZI blush).
Palehound’s refreshingly female perspective brings a level of emotional accessibility and humorous irony that is absolutely ingenious. Aside from the downplayed charm of Kempner and her crew (Larz Brogan on Bass, Jesse Weiss on Drums), there’s a ton of honesty & beauty in Palehound’s music - and a good amount of dance-friendly jams. Ellen Kempner is a musician’s musician. This band takes the listener on a journey through deep emotional depths as well as sweet groovin’ jams and hooks and melodies that’ll make ya hum their songs all night. Palehound achieves a perfect balance of poetry & music. I highly recommend checkin’ out their live jams, especially their audiotree session (LEGIT)!