Easterday

Easterday upstaged its alt-pop peers in Kansas City between 1993 and 1995 by emphasizing well-written material over foaming-at-the-mouth showmanship. Behind frontman Scott Easterday, the quartet’s taut, passionate approach balanced intelligent chord progressions and breezy time signatures with lyrics that made you think twice. Songs such as “John F. Kennedy’s Birthday” and “Jean Niedieu” also emphasized Easterday’s calling card: the punchy vocal interplay between the band’s namesake and guitarist and vocalist Elaine McMilian. Easterday’s sole release was a four-song cassette that included the regional radio hit “Tall,” but the band split before finishing its debut album. Thanks to some sonic rehabbing from Black Lodge superproducer Ed Rose, Easterday has been reborn on 1993-1995, a compilation of the band’s existing studio recordings. Appropriately, the ensemble reunites on Easter weekend to celebrate the release with a one-off KC reunion.