Artist: Thao with the Get Down Stay Down

Hails From: San Francisco, CA

Musical Style: Country, Folk, Indie Rock

For Fans of: Laura Gibson, Feist, Dr. Dog

Why you should check them out:

Twenty three year old Thao Nguyen is a rare commodity these days – a charming singer songwriter who delivers impacting and clever narratives with childlike sensitivity and genuine affectation. Aided by her band, The Get Down Stay Down, Nguyen and company create upbeat folk pop enhanced by just a little country twang, and a whole lot of heart.

Background Check:

Writing songs since age twelve, Thao Nguyen spent the majority of her time playing solo until meeting with drummer Willis Thompson while both were attending college in Virginia. What became a two piece endeavor soon expanded to four with the addition of Adam Thompson on bass and later, Frank Stewart on guitar. In 2005 Nguyen released her debut Like the Linen, a collection of upbeat rhythms and delicate guitar lines that glided easily into acoustic numbers for their Daytrotter sessions released a year later.

As luck (and a whole lot of talent) would have it, after receiving a copy of Like the Linen that was sent by Nguyen herself, Laura Veirs was so impressed that she quickly welcomed Nguyen as an opener for her full European tour. One thing soon lead to another, and in 2008, Thao, now with the full band, released their follow up We Brave Bee Stings and All, on their new label Kill Rock Stars. While retaining the initial enthusiasm and feel of her debut, We Brave Bee Stings and All is really just a fuller and more energetic effort, complete with childhood images of ice cream and trampolines. And although this album ultimately conveys messages of loss and the pain of growing up, it’s truly this juxtaposition of childhood innocence that their music portrays which make the songs so utterly heartfelt and nostalgic.

Where you can find them in cyberspace:

MySpace

Thao’s website

Wikipedia

On Tour:

JamBase