For someone dealing with a dodgy tour van coolant system, Julia Steiner is surprisingly calm. The Ratboys guitarist and songwriter is calling from the road as the Chicago foursome – completed by guitarist Dave Sagan, bassist Sean Neumann and drummer Marcus Nuccio – support their sixth studio album, Singin' to an Empty Chair, a record that grapples with bottomless grief and impossible joy in their signature alt-country sheen.
Likewise, Liz Stokes of The Beths is no stranger to documenting personal growth. She dials in from her home studio in Auckland where she’s been working since her band completed a four-month tour for Straight Line Was A Lie.
