The Districts

The Districts, an American indie rock outfit, blend the natural textures of classic rock and indie folk with a bolder streak that echoes alternative rock across multiple periods, ambitious pop constructions, and noisy experimentation that steadily broadened in scope. Central to their identity are the expressive singing and introspective words of Rob Grote, who never hesitates to convey his emotions concerning personal bonds or surrounding circumstances. Their earlier, earthier and more straightforward phase appears on the 2014 debut Telephone, whereas Popular Manipulations from 2017 reveals a heightened drive and exploratory spirit. You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere, issued in 2020, introduced a smoother and more intricate palette in which keyboards assumed greater prominence, while Great American Painting in 2022 shifted emphasis back toward guitars without abandoning the refined atmosphere of the prior release.

Originating from Lititz, Pennsylvania, the group came together in 2009 during the high-school years of Rob Grote on vocals and guitar, Mark Larson on guitar, Connor Jacobus on bass, and Braden Lawrence on drums. This productive young ensemble put out its initial EP, Kitchen Songs, in 2011, then delivered Telephone as its first full-length the next year. Their second EP, the comparatively acoustic While You Were in Honesdale, arrived in late 2012, after which the band sustained a regional performance schedule. Their fusion of jangly indie Americana and blues-tinged rock drew notice from Mississippi's Fat Possum Records, leading to a 2013 signing.

Fat Possum released the self-titled third EP in January 2014, featuring three remastered tracks from Telephone alongside two fresh recordings. Slightly more than a year afterward came the second album, A Flourish and a Spoil, which introduced guitarist Pat Cassidy in place of Mark Larson, who had chosen college, and was helmed by producer John Congleton. The Districts returned in August 2017 with Popular Manipulations, portions of which they recorded themselves while again working with Congleton. Keith Abrams, who had engineered that album, joined the band to co-produce the 2020 release You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere, with Dave Fridmann handling the mix; the outcome marked a stylistic shift toward a cooler aesthetic and heavier synthesizer use. Keyboards receded on Great American Painting in 2022, yet the sleek finish persisted under producer Joe Chiccarelli. Rob Grote composed most of the songs during solitary COVID-19 isolation in 2020 and 2021, residing by himself in a Washington State cabin.