The Albertans

Originally formed under the moniker Sex with an Angel, the musicians who would later become the Albertans assembled in New York City as a theatrical musical collective guided by guitarist and vocalist Joel Bravo. He completed the roster by bringing in Kylie Ward on vocals, ukulele, and harmonica; Ian Everall handling bass and percussion; Krystin Monaghan on keyboards and vocals; Curtis McLean behind the drums; Alison Yip contributing vocals and tambourine; and Anna Horabin on vocals and trumpet. A strong showing at the CMJ Music Marathon earned Sex with an Angel a recording contract, prompting the ensemble to adopt a fresh identity and relocate soon after. Drawing inspiration from the Canadian roots of two members, they chose the name of the province Alberta, then made the move westward official by settling in Vancouver. There they captured their first release, the 7" EP SWAA, which led to West Coast road work followed by sessions that produced the full-length debut Legends of Sam Marco in 2009. The band’s second album, Dangerous Anything, surfaced four years later.