Kid Icarus

The recording project of Eric Schlittler, Kid Icarus has grown to incorporate a revolving cast of musicians and friends in northeastern Pennsylvania in the creation of lo-fi singer/songwriter rock. A prolific recorder in his own right, Schlittler has wasted little time since leaving his previous band Suetta in setting down an extensive body of work, from his own homemade cassette recordings to his releases on the Summersteps label. Starting out as a hopelessly amateurish home taper, using cheap boom boxes and reel-to-reel players, his first recordings are messy and fragmentary, displaying an affection for '60s rock and obscure singer/songwriters but ending up rather hit-or-miss. Enlisting the aid of more professional equipment and recording professionals, albums like 1999's Maps of the Saints and 2002's Be My Echo are saturated in the classic indie rock aesthetic, offering generous helpings of lo-fi hiss with off-the-wall songcraft reminiscent of the work of patriarchs like Robert Pollard. Through the early years of the 21st century, Schlittler continued to record but rarely toured or even performed live, adding a certain aura of mystery surrounding his character.