Biography
Hailing from California, multi-instrumentalist Emmett Kelly built a reputation as a versatile session player, lending his skills to numerous leading indie-rock acts before launching his own project under the Cairo Gang moniker. His contributions appeared on tours and recordings by Joan of Arc, Azita, Angel Olsen, Sonny Smith, Beth Orton, and additional artists, coinciding with the arrival of the Cairo Gang’s self-titled debut in 2006. Kelly maintained an active role as a hired musician while pursuing his own releases and live dates, which included opening slots for the Fall and OCS, later known as Thee Oh Sees. The full-length Twyxt Wyrd, initially issued in 2008, received a reissue in 2010—the same year the Cairo Gang received substantial credit on Bonnie “Prince” Billy’s widely praised album The Wonder Show of the World. Although Kelly had already collaborated with Will Oldham on the measured 2006 release The Letting Go, the expanded attribution under his alias markedly raised the Cairo Gang’s visibility and initiated an ongoing series of joint endeavors between the two. He kept issuing material of his own, encompassing several smaller projects alongside the 2012 album The Corner Man.
Relocating to Chicago by 2013, Kelly transformed the Cairo Gang from a solo endeavor into a complete ensemble featuring bassist Ryan Weinstein, drummer Ben Babbitt, and guitarist Sam Wagster. Together they recorded the concise mini-album Tiny Rebels, which emphasized 12-string guitar textures and surfaced in summer 2013. The follow-up, 2015’s Goes Missing, ventured deeper into the melodic side of jangle pop, with Kelly handling the majority of instruments and receiving occasional support from Marc Riordan on drums and Joshua Abrams on bass. He subsequently became a member of Ty Segall’s touring and recording group, appearing on Segall’s self-titled 2017 album. After moving to Los Angeles, Kelly altered his recording approach by capturing basic tracks live at Segall’s home studio—Segall on drums, with Shayde Sartin and Ryan Weinstein contributing occasional bass—before layering the remaining parts himself. The resulting 2017 album Untouchable marked the first Cairo Gang release to convey the immediacy of a performing band.
Relocating to Chicago by 2013, Kelly transformed the Cairo Gang from a solo endeavor into a complete ensemble featuring bassist Ryan Weinstein, drummer Ben Babbitt, and guitarist Sam Wagster. Together they recorded the concise mini-album Tiny Rebels, which emphasized 12-string guitar textures and surfaced in summer 2013. The follow-up, 2015’s Goes Missing, ventured deeper into the melodic side of jangle pop, with Kelly handling the majority of instruments and receiving occasional support from Marc Riordan on drums and Joshua Abrams on bass. He subsequently became a member of Ty Segall’s touring and recording group, appearing on Segall’s self-titled 2017 album. After moving to Los Angeles, Kelly altered his recording approach by capturing basic tracks live at Segall’s home studio—Segall on drums, with Shayde Sartin and Ryan Weinstein contributing occasional bass—before layering the remaining parts himself. The resulting 2017 album Untouchable marked the first Cairo Gang release to convey the immediacy of a performing band.
Albums
Singles
