Making music is a family affair for wife/husband duo Megan Rooney and Jeffrey Albert. Known collectively as Spectator, the St. Louis act raised eyebrows and tapped feet with 2019’s Charlie, Baby, a record that served as an excellent follow-up to their melodic 2015 release The Last Exchange and their 2012 debut EP In the Brick.
But then, in an all-too-common refrain for artists active in the year 2020, the pandemic derailed things. As such, it’s been some time since fans were graced with new music from Spectator—but that all changed this week with Venus + Jupiter, a double-sided single released on April 3. Born in a time of COVID lockdowns and then shelved for years by circumstance, the pair of new songs represents a triumphant return for an act that got derailed right when they were picking up steam.
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“The idea was to get back into the studio relatively quickly after Charlie, Baby came out, because we had always taken years between recording things,” explains guitarist and vocalist Albert. “We got into the studio, and we recorded an early version of this song, ‘Venus.’ Then the pandemic hit. We had a baby at the time, and then Meg was pregnant, so things got put on hold.”
Albert and Rooney were both already involved in the city’s music scene when they met and formed Spectator in 2006. Both musicians were performing in various capacities around town when their paths crossed.
“We just started messing around,” Albert says. “I’d pick up her guitar and I’d start playing, and quickly, we realized that we were putting out a ‘sound.’ We would piece together ideas and melodies and turn them into songs. Then, we started playing with a couple of musicians we knew. I remember one time we were playing a new song, and somebody said we had that ‘Megan and Jeff sound.’ It grew out from that.”
The duo’s new tracks saw a similar creative process. Despite the challenges of lockdown and raising children, Rooney and Albert were still playing music and thinking through new material.
“We were home messing around with the guitar,” Albert says. “I’d be playing the melody, and we’d be singing and coming up with words.”
When the pandemic ended, Albert and Rooney relished the opportunity to seriously focus on music again. But even then, they knew that they needed some limits.
“We wanted to get back in the studio, but we knew we didn’t have the bandwidth to get in there and try to do a whole record, even though we’ve got a whole record’s worth of songs,” Albert says. “We thought these two songs felt like a good pairing, so we focused on those first.”
With new songs selected, Spectator turned to their friend Kevin Bachmann of Magic City to produce the tracks.
“Working with Kevin is awesome. We got introduced to him for our last record, and from the first time we met him, it was clear we all thought in a similar way,” Rooney says. “I think ‘collaboration’ is the key word for us and working with Kevin. We feel very free and liberated recording with him. I will give him tons of references for the sound we want, and he’ll totally listen, take that in, and then help us craft what we’re looking for.”
Joining them on the project as well is local drummer Kevin Bowers, perhaps best known for his work with Nova and The Pernikoff Brothers, and Sam Golden of Fiddlin’ Sam and the Bolo Band on strings.
Venus + Jupiter finds Spectator picking up where they left off. Sonically, they draw influence from the dreampop, folk, soul, indie, and Brazilian bossa nova sounds they love. Their maturation finds them combining their expansive melodies with the hazy sensibilities of Mazzy Star, the catchiness of Tennis, and the twang of Jeff Tweedy.
As a result, both “Venus,” sung by Albert and powered in part by an undulating piano melody, and “Jupiter,” with vocals by Rooney, are both textured and expansive.
“Venus” has the vibe of a chill-out-at-home-on-a-weekend-morning song. Sweeping atmospherics and pointed percussion wrap Albert’s vocals like a warm blanket. A video for this gentle and calming number was also released this week, directed by local filmmaker Brian McClelland.
“Jupiter,” a more pensive and wistful tune, is breezy and airy. Rooney’s vocals playfully dance with the melody, giving it a beautiful emotional depth.
While no new album is imminent, Spectator has plans to be more active in the near future, with smaller projects being released as they come along. That includes some exciting plans on the horizon for fans, teases Rooney.
“Our next project is a four-song EP,” Rooney says. “We have four songs ready. Our goal is to have that out in the late summer or fall.”
Spectator will next perform these songs and others at the Songbird Concert Series at The Focal Point (2720 Sutton Boulevard) on May 27.
