Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session: Speedy Ortiz

Speedy Ortiz | Photo by Rachel Del Sordo

Our latest Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session is with the Massachusetts-based band Speedy Ortiz. Formed in 2011 as the solo project of singer/guitarist Sadie Dupuis, Speedy Ortiz currently features drummer/vocalsist Mike Falcone, guitarist Devin McKnight and bassist Darl Ferm. Having spent countless dates on the road following 2013’s Major Arcana, Speedy Ortiz released their second album, Foil Deer, earlier this year on Carpark Records. They stopped by our studio to play songs from the new album right after a show at Johnny Brenda’s.

Perhaps the most defining trait of Speedy Ortiz’s music is how nimbly its members maneuver through intricate arrangements. You can hear it in the performances of “The Graduates” and especially the jagged “Raising The Skate.” Dupuis’ humor and take-no-prisoners attitude is on display in the lyrics, which are coupled with biting-yet-playful melodies. The gentle “Dot X” shows how moving the band can be, even when they dial the volume back (if only for a moment), and the headrush of “Swell Content” makes for a breathless conclusion to a killer set.

Download and stream the complete IRHP Session with Speedy Ortiz below, and check out performance video and photos from the studio, too!