Since debuting in the mid-2000s, Pittsburgh-based singer/songwriter Emily Rodgers has carved out her own niche that blends elements of folk and Americana with atmospheric, experimental rock, occasionally recalling forebears like
Mazzy Star and
Cowboys Junkies. While her 2005 debut, Emily Rodgers & Her Majesty's Stars, was a full-band, folk-oriented affair, it was her follow-up that attracted national attention. After signing with
Misra Records in 2008, she recorded Bright Day, a dark and dreamy set that was mixed and mastered by veteran New York producer
Kramer (
Galaxie 500,
Bongwater). Following the album's 2009 release, Rodgers began touring, making an appearance at SXSW and sharing stages with acts like
Nina Nastasia,
Jolie Holland, and
Great Lake Swimmers. In 2010, her song "This Town" appeared in the independent film Café. Working again with
Kramer, this time as producer, Rodgers delivered her haunting third LP, 2 Years, in the summer of 2016. ~ Timothy Monger, Rovi