Stove

Stove originated as the solo outlet for Steve Hartlett of Ovlov. His first release under the name, the 2015 album Is Stupider, occupied the same sonic sphere of overloaded guitars, plaintive vocals, and '90s influences that defined his prior band. Once consistent collaborators joined, most notably drummer/vocalist Jordyn Blakely, the project broadened the Ovlov template by introducing greater space and softness on the 2018 album 's Favorite Friend.

Immediately following Ovlov's dissolution in early 2015, Hartlett began reshaping songs originally slated for that group into the darker, fuzz-laden style that became Stove. Handling every guitar, bass, and drum part himself, he tracked the debut over three focused days in rural Vermont alongside co-producers Nick Dooley and Dan Francia of Flagland. Exploding in Sound, the label that had previously issued Ovlov's material, committed to putting out the new venture, and Is Stupider appeared in November 2015.

Although numerous players cycled through Stove's live configuration, the core settled on Hartlett, Blakely, and bassist Alex Molini. That trio issued two EPs during 2016: Is a Toad in the Rain in August and Is the Meat That Fell Out in December. Hartlett and his former Ovlov bandmates also reconvened that year, resuming regular performances while developing fresh material that surfaced as the 2018 album Tru. Meanwhile Stove, now featuring Ovlov guitarist Mike Hammond, assembled its follow-up. Released the same year, 's Favorite Friend reflected the impact of personal losses and achieved a cohesive sound through collective input and iterative refinement of songs that began as basement demos.