Baked

Baked crafts an energized strain of indie rock marked by swift tempos and buzzing textures, with R.J. Gordon—also the bassist for Titus Andronicus—at the helm. The Brooklyn, New York-based project began in 2012 when Gordon issued the sluggish, droney demo “8er” online. In July 2013 the track received a cassette single release on Exploding in Sound Records, this time as the B-side to the tighter cut “Wet Blanket.” By August 2014 the band had opened a Brooklyn performance space and delivered its debut full-length, Debt. On that album Gordon handled lead vocals and guitar alongside guitarist Davey Jones, bassist Jeremy Aquilino, keyboardist and singer Isabella Mingione, and drummer Yoni David. Baked supported the record on the road with Lost Boy ? and Bueno, and on select dates Gordon performed double duty by opening with Baked before headlining with Titus Andronicus. February 2017 brought the follow-up album Farnham, named for a college friend of Gordon’s who had died of cancer. The new lineup retained Gordon and Aquilino while adding guitarist Steve Hartlett, keyboardist and vocalist Isabella Mingione, and drummer A.J. Pantaleo.