Griff, Max, Stelth (3 of 5 Dovekins), Alex (intern/sound), Andrew (host) & Drew (sound) from left to right. Photo by Cindy Schneider @2011

“ Dovekins consists of members Blake Stepan, Stelth Ulvang, Griff Snyder, Laura Goldhamer and Max Barcelow. All members are able to play multiple instruments, a characteristic that not only separates them stylistically but allows a greater range of sounds in their music.

Thanks to this versatility, Dovekins is able to effortlessly go from delicate, breathy acoustic folk (“Raining Buttons”) to Bellingham-esque accordion-driven folk (“Broke Trombone”). For some bands, however, especially new ones, the lack of a defined sound can make it difficult to build an audience. Typically, bands will wait until they have a loyal fan base to start experimenting (e.g. Radiohead, Kanye West and more recently, Yeasayer and Minus the Bear).

But in this case, the fact that Dovekins can’t be pigeonholed works to their advantage. The success of artists like Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes have certainly attributed to a bit of a “folk revival” and the recent influx of folk-centric bands can make it hard for a new group to gain attention. Dovekins’ wide stylistic range certainly gives them a leg up. “~ Matt Crowley/The AS Review