Whipstitch is an electrified folk rock band based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The band members are Kyle McDonald (vocals, guitar) Dan McDonald (guitar), Andy Braun (bass), and Kit Donnelly (drums). Whipstitch is a female-fronted band that prides itself in narrative songwriting and catchy pop structures with a “country-noir” edge.
The band formed in the summer of 2009 and recently released their EP, Petticoat Black. Lyrically intense, the songs on Petticoat Black reflect songwriter Kyle McDonald’s observations and interpretations about alienation, love and social mores. The songs are narratives, sung in the first person, with lyrics that are earnest and poetic. Despite the songs often dark content, they are also playful and warm, borrowing from the basic tenets of pop music, including solid structures and catchy hooks. Tastefully executed ambient guitars, alluring vibraphones, and poignant, vocals, give a fresh edge to Petticoat Black.
The band has been playing live in smaller clubs around the Twin Cities since its inception. Their electric sound is powerful and loud and the “guitar-bass-drum” live format is tight, well scripted, and appeals to a wide audience. Songwriter and “front person” Ms. McDonald continues to pen original material that gets groomed in their live act. With over 70 finished songs written in the last 12 months, their live show is always fresh and inventive.
