ST VINCENT

The Abstractress HISTORY

Annie Clark was probably destined for musical greatness – her uncle is fingerstyle legend Tuck Andress, after all – and after studying at the Berklee School of Music and touring as a guitarist for both The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens, she emerged in 2007 with her first St. Vincent album, MarryMe.

For many, however, it wasn’t until 2012’s collaboration with David Byrne, LoveThisGiant, that her uniquely angular playing grabbed their attention. 2014’s St.Vincent and 2017’s Masseduction further explored this Devo-meets-AdrianBelew-at-an-art-show style, and her Ernie Ball Music Man signature guitar celebrates her individuality and achievement on the instrument.‹ GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS

St. Vincent is an incredibly versatile player, from ‘30s-style fingerpicking to ultra-modern, abstract, effects-laden freak-outs and Robert Fripp-style brainy licks. And she’s able to do it all within the context of a pop song in a way that we’ve never really heard before.‹ WHERE TO START Slow Disco

This is one of St. Vincent’s most straightforward, chord-based songs, but it will connect you to her musical sensibilities before you try to tackle…‹ BOSS LEVEL Birth In Reverse

This track is crammed full of spiky single-note riffs, dirty fuzz melodies and clangy chords before a synth-like middle section throws hammer-ons, pull-offs and odd rhythmic couplings at you.‹