New Bums

New Bums emerged from a partnership between two established figures in independent music, crafting a lean yet gripping style grounded in folk, indie, and lo-fi approaches. Their songs typically revolve around a pair of voices paired with two acoustic guitars, arranged so that flowing melodic lines and a soft psychedelic drift both come through clearly. The first effort, Voices in a Rented Room from 2014, produced a stripped-down, oneiric atmosphere, whereas Last Time I Saw Grace in 2021 achieved greater density while drawing on the same core elements.

Ben Chasny, the prolific guitarist and songwriter recognized primarily for Six Organs of Admittance and his roles in Rangda and Comets on Fire among other projects, joined Donovan Quinn, a central figure in the psychedelic folk group Skygreen Leopards, to launch the duo in 2013. They set out to explore a stripped-back format built on intertwined vocals and minimal accompaniment, offering a distinctive, introspective reinterpretation of American folk-blues filtered through an off-kilter perspective. Shortly after initial writing and recording sessions, Bill Callahan invited them to support several dates on his 2013 tour. Their first outing appeared as the two-track 7" Slim Volume toward the end of that year, with Voices in a Rented Room following in early 2014; both arrived via Drag City. Other obligations led to an extended pause until the 2021 release of Last Time I Saw Grace, whose expanded palette heightened the psychedelic current running beneath the debut without sacrificing the close-knit feel.