Brian Dunne is not your grandma’s antiseptic, pseudo baby boomer singer songwriter. Known for his laugh-to-keep-from-crying, darkly humorous lyrics, Dunne’s work reconfigures the limiting nature of the genre into something less cotton candy young love, more burn down the banks. This DIY ethos, born from a healthy New York cynicism self-conceptualized, funded, and dragged to every willing venue, found an easy home at Kill Rock Stars along the likes of The Decemberists, Jeff Hanson, and Sleater- Kinney. Releasing his fourth album in early 2023, his first on KRS, Dunne is bending the sounds of American rock into masterfully composed, existentially poignant, wildly catchy renderings of being alive.
Jessye DeSilva (she/they) seamlessly blends theatrical pop elements with folk and roots music to form her piano-driven alt-americana sound. They infuse hope into songs about religious trauma, mental health struggles, and societal injustice to create a uniquely queer and unholy ruckus. Jessye’s latest album Renovations received press from No Depression, Rolling Stone, The Boot, and NPR. No Depression has said of Jessye “Comparisons to Elton John and Brandi Carlile are easy — DeSilva clearly takes a page from these idols, anchoring their songs in pop melody juggernauts, gauzy textures, and vocal bravado.” American Songwriter has said that her “catalog doesn’t skimp on razor-sharp lyrics, paired frequently with an almost ethereal vocal,” and Nashville Scene named Jessye a 2023 Artist To Watch, saying “DeSilva could inject new life into a genre that could definitely use a little more pretzel logic.”
