St. Vincent

Before she began composing and performing her own quirky, intricate pop songs, Annie Clark proved her musical prowess as part of Glenn Branca's 100 Guitar Orchestra, as guitarist and background vocalist for the Polyphonic Spree (on their third album, Fragile Army), and as a member of Sufjan Stevens' touring band. Synthesizing a blend of Regina Spektor, My Brightest Diamond, Joan as Police Woman, and Feist, Clark then adopted the name St. Vincent for her solo career. She self-released a three-song EP for her tour in Europe, which included a cover of the Jackson Browne-penned "These Days," as well as several originals, including the Billie Holiday-esque "What Me Worry" and the orchestral "Paris Is Burning." That same year, Clark signed to Beggars Banquet and issued her excellent full-length debut, Marry Me -- on which she played not only guitar but also organ, vibes, Moog, bass, and piano, just to name a few -- in July 2007. For 2009's Actor, Clark went for an even more lavish sound, enlisting woodwind players Hideaki Aomori and Alex Sopp as well as Midlake's McKenzie Smith and Paul Alexander as her rhythm section. Clark toured in support of the album consistently throughout 2010, but also found time to collaborate with Beck and Liars on a remake of INXS' hit album Kick. For her third album, Clark recruited talents such as producer John Congleton, Beck keyboardist Brian LeBarton, and Midlake drummer Smith to record in her hometown of Dallas, Texas. The results, Strange Mercy, arrived in September 2011. ~ Marisa Brown, Rovi