Reading Rainbow

Nostalgically named after the ‘80s children's PBS television series, and boasting a web address in dedication to the host (www.myspace.com/levarmotherfuckingburton, Reading Rainbow popped up on the skirt of the lo-fi indie trend in late 2009. Philadelphia transplants Robbie Garcia and Sarah Everton formed the band from the ashes of a screamy Richmond, VA no wave band called Forensic Teens. After their drummer bailed on a gig, Everton (a singer with limited musical abilities, who was essentially making noises on a circuit bent keyboard) turned to the drums herself, and learned how to play on a stripped-down kit comprised of merely a snare and a floor tom in about two weeks. Embracing minimalism, heavy reverb saturation, and an analog aesthetic, the duo started recording with an Tascam 388 eight-track reel to reel, and debuted with an EP of demos and a vinyl LP titled Mystical Participation before making plans to release Songs to Sing in early 2010.