Pygmy Lush

A genre-bending experimental sextet from Sterling, VA, Pygmy Lush juggle punk, lo-fi, screamo, post-hardcore, and moody folk-rock, sometimes all at once. Formed in 2005 by ex-pg. 99 members Johnny Ward and siblings Mike and Chris Taylor, along with Mike Widman and David Krepinevich after the dissolution of previous bands Malady and Mannequin, the band released its volatile debut album, Bitter River, on the Robotic Empire label in 2007. Woven throughout River were bits and pieces of the dark, significantly quieter folk tunes that would populate their 2008 follow-up for D.C. indie/punk label Lovitt, Mount Hope.