Describing A Weather’s music as “intimate” is a severe understatement. The band’s whispered vocals and calming cyclical guitars are the absolute epitome of all that is worthwhile in the confessional landscape of the bedroom troubadour.
Lead songwriter Aaron Gerber spins a haunting immediacy into the fabric of his acoustic yarns, and it is perhaps this quality that has facilitated A Weather’s rapid journey from the quietest of Portland clubs to their current, precarious position on the brink of national recognition.
Gerber, a Maine transplant, was attracted to Portland several years ago by the fact that it had “a lot going on, [and wasn’t] nearly as intimidating or imposing as somewhere like New York or LA.”
Perhaps it was the congenial atmosphere of our fair city, but whatever the reason, Gerber was inspired to abandon his previous exploration of “experimental computer based” music. Making a complete creative 180, he ventured into the quiet, nocturnal pop landscape, which would eventually give rise to A Weather.
Not long after moving to the West Coast, Gerber recorded a three-song demo in his “horribly cold” North Portland home, and distributed it to friends, unsuspecting audiophiles, and future A Weather vocalist Sarah Winchester. She later blended her own expansions with Gerber’s sound, helping to create the dense vocal tapestry, which has become the band’s trademark. Gerber’s accruement of musicians continued steadily, and eventually led to a Craigslist posting that would put A Weather in contact with their current label, Team Love Records.
The posting in question was meant to produce a second guitarist, but wound up attracting the attention of Aaron Krenkel, who forwarded the band’s music to his brother, Team Love co-owner Nate Krenkel. With indie-rock luminary Conor Oberst making up the other half of Team Love’s ownership, the label presented a ripe opportunity for A Weather.
They quickly capitalized on these possibilities with the release of their Feather Test 7-inch record, a collection of songs that expertly treads the line between quiet introspection and an immediacy that “[pushes] right up against your ears in the headphones.”
The Team Love higher-ups were apparently pleased with this atmospheric gem, as they fronted the band funds to produce their debut full-length. Over the course of two excruciatingly hot days this summer, the “scantily clad” members of A Weather braved the temperatures of North Portland’s Type Foundry studio to create a recording that has since been dubbed Cove. Slated for a March release on Team Love, Gerber has described A Weather’s upcoming effort as “a bit harder” than their current fare.
Following Cove’s release, A Weather will be hitting the road to promote the album. Already, they are slated to play indie-rock’s collective coming-out party at the South by Southwest festival in Austin,Texas, and plans are in motion for tours with other Team Love acts. While touring has in the past been impractical for A Weather, their association with Team Love will hopefully buoy the band’s touring opportunities.
Even before the release of their EP, A Weather had opened for Bright Eyes in Seattle, a gig that showcased their formidable musical potential, but also foreshadowed what will no doubt be a steady rise to national prominence for the band’s lush, gorgeous pop. If Portland is known for any one export, it is surely the exquisite and contemplative indie-rock that seems to seep from this city on a daily basis.
A Weather is more than ready to add their name to the roster of Portland’s finest musical exports.
A Weather will be performing live on KPSU on Nov. 9 at 5 p.m., and at the Artistery on Nov. 10.
The show starts at 8 p.m. and entry is $6.