The Accidentals
Bright, virtuosic indie folk driven by interlocking strings and soaring harmonies. It is the sound of a long road trip through the Great Lakes with your best friends.
Bright, virtuosic indie folk driven by interlocking strings and soaring harmonies. It is the sound of a long road trip through the Great Lakes with your best friends.
The Accidentals create a sound that feels both academically precise and wildly liberated. Rooted in their 'orc dork' beginnings, their music is built on a foundation of classical string mastery, but it breathes with the air of the open road. You will hear cellos used as percussion instruments and violins that pivot from orchestral swells to bluegrass fiddling in a single breath, all anchored by tight, rhythmic songwriting.
What truly sets them apart is the vocal chemistry between Sav Madigan and Katie Larson. Their harmonies are not just stacked; they are woven together in complex, contrapuntal patterns that mirror the intricate movements of their instruments. It is folk music that refuses to stay still, constantly leaning into pop sensibilities and rock energy without ever losing its organic, hand-played soul.
Start with 'Bittersweet' to hear the raw, high-energy spark of their early years, then move to 'Vessel' or 'Eastern Standard Time' to experience their evolution into sophisticated, Nashville-honed songwriters. It is the perfect companion for anyone who loves the technical brilliance of Punch Brothers but wants the heart-on-sleeve accessibility of the Indigo Girls.
The Accidentals are an American band, formed in Traverse City, Michigan in 2012 by singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Sav Buist (now Sav Madigan) and Katie Larson. The group has featured an eclectic blend of indie folk, pop, bluegrass, rock, classical, and other genres. They have released eight full-length albums, four EPs, and two live albums. Buist and Larson grew up in musical families, released their first two albums while in high school, hired percussionist Michael Dause in 2014, and began touring nationally. Dause departed in March 2023 and was replaced by Katelynn Corll. The band signed with major label Sony Masterworks by the time the members were around age 21, but they returned to releasing their recordings independently. Now based in Nashville, they tour and lead music workshops across the US.
Shares bluegrass, chamber folk, open field, violin (subgenre)
Shares open field, violin, chamber folk, folk rock (atmosphere)
Shares cello, chamber folk, hand played, indie folk (signature)
Shares cello, bluegrass, chamber folk, hand played (signature)
Shares open field, chamber folk, hand played, indie folk (atmosphere)
Shares interlocking vocal counterpoint, cello, chamber folk, indie folk (detail)
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