Penny and Sparrow
| Date/Time: | Saturday, 09 Apr 2016 at 9:00 pm |
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| Location: | M-Shop |
| Cost: | $10 Students / $12 Public |
| URL: | http://www.sub.iastate.edu/calendar/eli-...rboy-reed/ |
| Contact: | Student Union Board |
| Phone: | 515-294-8349 |
| Channel: | Student Union Board |
| Categories: | Arts, performances Student activities |
| Actions: | Download iCal/vCal | Email Reminder |
Penny and Sparrow is American singer-songwriter duo of Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke out of Austin, Texas. Formed in 2011 after living as roommates at the University of Texas, the duo began their musical endeavor as a hobby and creative outlet. Their first tune, "Creature" was recorded in a small apartment behind an orphanage with one microphone and a laptop. "If you listen closely, you can hear kids screaming and laughing in the background of each song," says Baxter. "After just one song, we knew writing and recording was something we didn't want to stop doing." Through the years, Penny & Sparrow has steadily grown both in discography and audience.
While the instrumentation in each of their three albums - Creature (2011), Tenboom (2013), Struggle Pretty (2014) - may differ, Penny & Sparrow has garnered a reputation of blending sincere lyrics with haunting melodies and harmonies in every song. The raw and emotive quality of their songs has been known to push crowds to near silence for an entire set.
The group's latest album, 2014's Struggle Pretty, was written and recorded inside the East Austin house that Andy and Kyle, along with their wives, lived in together. The album, which landed at #2 on iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart and #49 on Billboard's Top 50, is vast with instrumentation and creativity, while still staying true to the harmony-centric roots found in Creature and Tenboom. Kyle and Andy teamed up with producer Chris Jacobie for the album, who helped capture the spirit and sound of the duo. From the somber "to haunt, to startle," to the sweeping "Bread and Bleeding," each song has its own voice within the album.