The Forecast

“…Along with some stupendous pop hooks, it brings in the kind of robust rock riffs and tender, Americana-tinged fare that elicit comparisons to Rilo Kiley and early Wilco.” Pop Matters

‘The Forecast sing about love, loss, regret and redemption. Highways and whisky make their way into bittersweet, dreamy songs about losing what you want most, giving up and gaining hope. The high lonesome soprano of bassist Shannon Burns soars over the vocals of guitarists Dustin Addis and Matt Webb on songs that swing on a pendulum between the sweet harmonies and meandering guitars of Laurel Canyon and the breakneck intensity of indie rock and punk. With the fervor of a young X, The Forecast kick down the doors of expectation, wearing their Midwestern roots wrapped tightly around them.

On their third, self-titled album, The Forecast has moved from writing songs about family, place and the road to creating a 12-track love story that sends grinding regrets soaring endlessly, with self-laceration and an overwhelming desire for redemption seared into every lyric. “I wrote about how bad it feels to know you’ve lost something when you never should have given it up, asking for forgiveness when you know you probably don’t deserve it, but you know you’ve lost something you can’t replace,” explained Addis. “We culled these songs from a collection of about 35, they make the best story and after writing for two years, I couldn’t be happier with the record.”

“Kisses” has the soaring big sky sound the band has trademarked, embellished with a resonant percussion as The Forecast and guest vocalist Geoff Rickley of Thursday raise their voices to sing “I’m stealing your kisses back from you, for all the shit you put me through.” “Snake Charmer” brings pedal steel and piano to a heartbreaking tune about saying goodbye that uses gorgeous instrumentation and the haunting vocals of Shannon Burns to illustrate the resulting hollowness inside. The album is imbued with lovely playing and the kind of warm production that lulls the listener, contrasting with the jagged-edged songs in a way that illuminates both.

Hailing from the once quiet town of Peoria, Illinois, The Forecast exploded onto the indie rock circuit in 2001. With their must-see live performances alongside bands like Hey Mercedes, The Jealous Sound, and Motion City Soundtrack, they earned a fiercely loyal following in the Midwest. Taking cues from indie staples such as Rainer Maria, Braid, and The Anniversary, The Forecast gave the genre a well-deserved kick in the ass, ratcheting up the intensity and throwing down balls to the wall, in-your-face rock and roll.

After signing to Victory Records, The Forecast released Late Night Conversations, produced by A.J. Mogis. The album received critical acclaim from magazines and newspapers across North America and The Forecast toured with bands like Bayside, Action Action and Planes Mistaken For Stars. In The Shadow of Two Gunmen was produced by John Naclerio, who is known for his work with bands like Brand New and Matchbook Romance. Addis recalled, “John was super open to all the ideas we had coming into the studio and to helping us make them happen. He was also extremely helpful working with Shannon and I on our vocals. He just made everything really comfortable.” Naclerio is back at the boards for The Forecast, with Addis calling him “the 5th member of our band.”

The Forecast have synthesized twang, rock and roll and bittersweet lyrical themes into their own signature sound. With all the heartache and sweetly sad odes to longing and loss, make no mistake about it – this is a band with power and intensity to spare.