BOTW Playlist: Waxahatchee

With Alabama’s Waxahatchee – the brainchild of former P.S. Eliot member, Katie Crutchfield – finding herself striving towards greater acclaim on a daily basis and sharing stages across Europe with the likes of Tegan and Sara, we asked Katherine, Waxahatchee’s touring bassist, to put together a playlist of the tracks that have been soundtracking life on the road for Crutchfield and co. of late.

The resulting mixtape is a kaleidoscopic haberdashery of sound, drawing on an eclectic selection that ranges from the futuristic alt-pop of Grimes through to the lo-fi balladeering of R. Stevie Moore. There’s also a healthy dose of tracks featuring friends, peers and family members of Crutchfield: notably two tracks apiece from Californian twee-punk four-piece, Sourpatch (who have been described by Crutchfield as her favourite band right now), and Crutchfield’s sister – and former P.S. Eliot bandmate – Allison’s latest venture, Swearin’. The latter, whose self-titled 2012 debut album is well worth tracking down, are represented here by the bouncy lo-fi punk of ‘Kenosha‘ and the fuzzy freak-outs of ‘Kill ’em With Kindness‘. It’s testament to the tight-knit sense of community cherished by Crutchfield and her cast of collaborators; an indication of the importance of togetherness and independence in the current musical climate:

– Alex Cull

Photo: Ryan Russell