Skittish

Cliches abound in your average band biography. And although much positive hyperbole has been heaped upon Skittish in the last 7 years, the best description came early on: “Skittish is Folk Rock, with Thorns.” From double albums of literary infused neo-folk, to the latest EP of crunching and pulsing rock, this has never been more true.

Based on the psychological concept of the 5 Stages of Grief that people go through when experiencing massive changes in their lives, each song represents a different stage, a different voice, the different personalities we all have when the flood of chemicals in our brain tilt us one way or another. Entirely written and recorded by Noller, it dances the listener from denial to acceptance in 25 minutes. The sound of the album seems to conjure Trent Reznor and Conor Oberst meeting in a support group, building a time machine, and heading back to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution to make a record in an old factory.

Skittish calls Minnesota home, and through all the national tours, SXSW successes, CMJ charting albums, and nation-wide exposure, there has been one permanent member of Skittish: Jeff Noller. Minnesota born and bred, and sprung from the same hometown as Garrison Keillor, Noller crafts songs that are at times folky, rough, weird, and bitingly sarcastic. All with literary flair and more hooks than a tackle box. He has written and recorded all Skittish albums in a hand-built lean-to of a studio in St Paul, Minnesota.

Recently signed to Spectra Records, Noller has gathered up the best talent the Twin Cities have to offer: Brianna Tagg, a member of numerous notable Minnesota bands including The Dweebs, adds instrumentation and powerful lead vocals and harmonies. While Jeremy Krueth and Lazarus Ulysses Clearwater have been bouncing their rhythm section off the walls of dark Midwest clubs for years. Cliches aside, the only description you need is: Skittish is folk rock...with thorns.