St. Vincent

St. Vincent is the stage name of Annie Clark. A talented multi-instrumentalist who performs most of the music on her albums, Clark dropped out of the Berklee School of Music and became a touring member of the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens's band before pursuing a career with her own music. Her 2007 album, Marry Me, was an ambitious debut of lush, orchestral indie pop that shied well away from saccharine views of human relationships. Akin to decidedly unconventional songwriters like Beth Orton and Julie Doiron, Clark shares their penchant for creating emotive imagery in her music and lyrics. Actor, her most recent effort, is a beautifully dark affair overflowing with imaginative use of sounds, recalling the best work of Broadcast. Utterly unique and challenging, St. Vincent writes catchy music that never waxes into bland.