Offa Rex

Comprising resonant and impassioned vocals, flawlessly executed guitar work, and organ, Offa Rex are a psychedelic folk-rock collective made up of English singer/songwriter <a href="spotify:artist:0IRzm0TuehkXRBVKNzSX7e">Olivia Chaney</a> and Portland-based indie rock outfit <a href="spotify:artist:7ITd48RbLVpUfheE7B86o2">the Decemberists</a>. Stylistically akin to the folk talents of artists such as <a href="spotify:artist:1kYd37riIExqdm9g0juqGJ">Sandy Denny</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3lBdOoLNX9NzPPEexlrmdg">Anne Briggs</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4OrrjMGltjy6ojX6034f8u">Steeleye Span</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:2LIdnZDzySb04oH40be1fR">Fairport Convention</a>, the project originated with a simple tweet between <a href="spotify:artist:0IRzm0TuehkXRBVKNzSX7e">Chaney</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7ITd48RbLVpUfheE7B86o2">the Decemberists</a>' <a href="spotify:artist:24Bli8eQ02qYa1gqfbg7GT">Colin Meloy</a> (a huge fan of <a href="spotify:artist:0IRzm0TuehkXRBVKNzSX7e">Chaney</a>'s 2015 debut The Longest River), which led to a conversation on the social media site. This resulted in <a href="spotify:artist:0IRzm0TuehkXRBVKNzSX7e">Chaney</a> opening for <a href="spotify:artist:7ITd48RbLVpUfheE7B86o2">the Decemberists</a> on a nationwide U.S. tour. <a href="spotify:artist:24Bli8eQ02qYa1gqfbg7GT">Meloy</a> asked <a href="spotify:artist:0IRzm0TuehkXRBVKNzSX7e">Chaney</a> if she'd ever entertained the idea of performing songs with a backing band -- he had <a href="spotify:artist:2IZohp3Lo4D9nbEmn5r06l">the Albion Dance Band</a> in mind. <a href="spotify:artist:0IRzm0TuehkXRBVKNzSX7e">Chaney</a> liked the idea, and <a href="spotify:artist:24Bli8eQ02qYa1gqfbg7GT">Meloy</a>'s long-lived fantasy of starting a '60s-styled psychedelic folk band led to the birth of Offa Rex. The band’s debut full-length, The Queen of Hearts, arrived in the summer of 2017. Produced at <a href="spotify:artist:24Bli8eQ02qYa1gqfbg7GT">Meloy</a>'s home studio in Portland alongside Tucker Martine (<a href="spotify:artist:43O3c6wewpzPKwVaGEEtBM">My Morning Jacket</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1yAwtBaoHLEDWAnWR87hBT">Modest Mouse</a>) with arrangements handled by <a href="spotify:artist:0IRzm0TuehkXRBVKNzSX7e">Chaney</a>, the record displayed an eclectic and varied sound palette, which paid homage to various aspects of '60s folk-rock and psychedelia. ~ Rob Wacey, Rovi