For those who missed it: today an excellent new project/EP saw the light of day. Indiepop project Hero No Hero are So Cal based Gretchen DeVault and Ken Aki. Their sound is one that is rooted in 80’s/90’s, recalling the days of bands like The Sundays, Stereolab and The Cure, but also draws inspiration from more recent outfits like for example LIPS, The Pantones, and Foliage. Gretchen DeVault’s vocals quicken Ken’s compositions, and the result is a concise EP that will please fans of all things indie and jangle pop.
A lifelong fan of bands like The Smiths, The Wedding Present, Heavenly, and Echo and The Bunnymen, Ken Aki is a jazz-saxophonist that has redirected his energy to playing guitar and composing indie music. He was a member of the short-lived group Falconet formed with Sally Jati and Rob Uytingco of Starry Eyed Cadet and had also joined Starry Eyed Cadet on stage as their substitute bassist for their most recent LA show.
Michigan native and a veteran to the indie scene, Gretchen DeVault is a founding member of the acclaimed indie pop band The Icicles, composer/lead-singer of LA based The Francine Odysseys and half of the shoegaze duo Voluptuous Panic. Gretchen’s contribution to the world of indie music has been both prolific and significant.
Many aspects of life have been disrupted or completely smothered by Covid 19, but Hero No Hero are an example that music can endure and that musical relationship can still be formed and flourish. Hero No Hero demonstrate that nothing needs to stifle art and music. Having never met IRL, Ken and Gretchen have communicated through phone calls, texting, and file sharing. I happen to know quite a few other bands like that … haha. Despite the all the negativity, options are still being opened up, and creativity is just unstoppable…