8 May 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic created havoc for the Accidentals. The trio had to cancel roughly a year’s worth of gigs, workshops, festivals, and such, along with whatever revenue these would raise because of the disease’s impacts. On the positive side, this caused the group to slow down and work on their music and other related projects rather than tour. The indie-folk band transformed the attic of their shared house in Traverse City, Michigan, into a recording studio.
“During the Lockdown, we focused on the songs, the songwriting, and really had time to consider the production,” founding member Savannah Buist (lead vocals, electric bass, acoustic violin, electric violin) said in the press notes. “We’ve been super influenced by the artists we’ve toured with, and we’re really streamlining what our sound is now.” The other two associates are Katie Larson (harmony vocals, electric guitar, cello) and Michael Dause (harmony vocals, drums, electric guitar). The Accidentals, originally formed when the players were in high school, have toured extensively since their graduation in 2016 and have performed over 200 gigs a year. The trio have shared the stage with such noteworthy acts as Brandi Carlile, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Andrew Bird, and the Decemberists and performed string parts on albums by artists as different as K-Pop’s BTS and one-person jam band Keller Williams.