Loquat

Kylee Swenson and Earl Otsuka met in 1996 and began writing music together under the name of an exotic fruit, Loquat. Five years later, bass player Anthony Gordon came along and asked the duo, "Why aren't you playing live?" To which Otsuka and Swenson just shrugged their shoulders and went back to their guitars. Gordon then recruited childhood friend, drummer Christopher Lautz, and original Loquat keyboardist Ben Kasman to whip the band into shape. After Kasman left, Ryan Manley entered the fray, and the happy quintet now makes stunning pop music while trying--sometimes unsuccessfully--to drink in moderation.

Armed with its organic-meets-electronic guitar pop, Loquat released its first two EPs--The Penny Drop (self released) and Fall (Dreams By Degrees)--in 2002, and various Loquat tracks have found their way to compilations, including Listen.com's Listen Picks Vol. II and Amoeba's Amoeba Music Compilation Vol. IV. In 2003, Devil In The Woods records released Loquat's EP, Before the Momentum, including a cover of The Smiths' "There is a Light That Never Goes Out."

The band has shared the stage with The Cardigans and Evan Dando, was voted "Best Pop Group" at the 2003 SF Weekly Music Awards, toured from California to Texas for SXSW, and had its track "Swingset Chain" featured on The WBs One Tree Hill.

A month after the U.S. release of the bands debut full-length album, "It's Yours to Keep" (Jackpine Social Club)--released in Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Sweden on Dearstereofan records in 2004--Loquat reached 85 on the CMJ Radio 200 chart.

Backed by the lilting, moody dynamics of her bandmates, Swenson sings in sepia tones, mixing bittersweet nostalgia with sardonic humor through penetrating lyricism.