Biography
Emerging from the streets and subways of New York City, the handclapping indie pop associated with Freelance Whales originated after the group formed in Queens toward the close of 2008. Once frontman Judah Dadone had gathered an assortment of unconventional instruments such as a harmonium and waterphone, he recruited fellow players Kevin Read, Doris Cellar, Jake Hyman, and Chuck Criss to bring his D.I.Y.-sounding, folk-inspired pop songs to life. The ensemble refined its approach through repeated busking sessions and performances at venues throughout the New York area, among them Staten Island’s Farm Colony. Early in 2009, equipped with a finished set of songs, the musicians entered the studio to capture their debut album, Weathervanes. Issued independently, the record earned positive notices across numerous online blogs, where writers drew parallels to Arcade Fire—chiefly because of its deployment of unusual instruments—and Sufjan Stevens. In September 2009 the band secured a contract with Frenchkiss Records that paved the way for an international edition of Weathervanes the following year. Their second full-length effort, Diluvia, appeared in 2012. Vocalist Chuck Criss died by suicide in February 2022 at the age of 36.