Now It's Overhead

Athens, Georgia, serves as home base for Now It's Overhead, whose lovelorn indie rock fuses the moody pop sensibilities of the Cure and Depeche Mode with the dense, atmospheric layers favored by Spiritualized and My Bloody Valentine. The lineup comprises vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/producer Andy LeMaster, bassist/keyboardist/trumpeter/vocalist Orenda Fink, keyboardist/vocalist Maria Taylor, and drummer/vocalist Clay Leverett, all of whom maintain ties to additional Athens acts and side projects. LeMaster co-owns and runs Chase Park Transduction Recording Studio with former Sugar bassist David Barbe and the Glands’ Andy Baker; the facility has hosted work with Japancakes, Azure Ray, Seaworthy, and Bright Eyes, the latter of which also features LeMaster as a touring member, while Fink and Taylor likewise appear with Azure Ray. Saddle Creek issued the band’s self-titled debut album in mid-2001. Their follow-up, Fall Back Open, arrived in spring 2004 and incorporated guest contributions from Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Michael Stipe. Two years afterward, following the formal addition of collaborator Brad Register on guitar and keys, Now It's Overhead delivered Dark Light Daybreak, revealing a modestly brighter dimension within their customary shoegaze-inspired sound.