The Owls

Ex-Legendary Jim Ruiz Group singer Allison LaBonne's unconventional lyrics and vocals attracted fans of quirky indie pop to Minneapolis foursome the Owls soon after she recorded the band's initial recordings with Hang Ups frontman Brian Tighe. Maria May and drummer Stephen Ittner (later replaced by Ashtray Hearts drummer John Jerry) were soon invited into the fold to round out the quartet with LaBonne and Tighe. The band first performed live in 2001, but the band's introduction to many was their two songs on Apartment Music, a compilation on Free Election Records in 2002. The Our Hopes and Dreams EP was released by Portland, OR's Magic Marker Records in 2004. The album drew critical praise from the press, inspiring comparisons to the Velvet Underground, the Mamas & Papas, and Belle & Sebastian. Their full-length follow-up, Daughters and Suns, was released in 2007.