Pupa's Window

In 1994, singer/songwriter Michael Nestor formed Pupa's Window in Eldersburg, Maryland-mostly as a vehicle to document the recording process and produce lo-fi cassette recordings. In the early-to-mid 1990s, Pupa's Window recorded music at the advent of cassette-based, lo-fi indie pop. The project had some early success on college radio-typically charting in the CMJ New Music Report.[1][2] After 2002, Pupa's Window records began to become more orchestrated, and involve other musicians.[3][4] Shortly after joining The Beechfields Record Label in Baltimore, Maryland, Pupa's Window began to be regarded as one of the "best-kept indie-pop songwriter secrets" in Baltimore.[5] The band's music draws comparison to Lou Barlow, Bill Callahan and Elliott Smith and has been described as, "a stripped-down, folky type of indie-pop with a freak factor provided by plenty of echoey production, a few odd instruments and sounds, and tape-loop tinkering." [5][6] Between 1994-2008, Pupa's Window released over eighteen records on both cassette and compact disc, and collaborated with Baltimore-based artist Private Eleanor.[5] Concurrently with this project, from 1998 to 2001, Nestor played in a shoegaze band, called Lowell.[2][3] Work on both Pupa's Window and Lowell were instrumental in Nestor joining the alt-rock group The Seldon Plan.[7] Recording as Pupa's Window contributed to The Seldon Plan's role in the Baltimore indie and DIY movement that experienced a revitalization across the late 1990s through the mid 2000s.[8]

The lo-fi indie DIY ethos had a significant impact on Nestor and his work with Pupa's Window helped in his development of The Beechfields Record Label. In 2003, he founded The Beechfields.[9] Nestor notes in an interview with Baltimore City Paper, the goal was to maintain an artist-centered approach to releasing records based on Virginia label Simple Machines founded by Jenny Toomey.[3] In 2004, Baltimore musician Austin Stahl began working at The Beechfields with Nestor to develop the label's roster while playing percussion for Pupa's Window.[2][3] Asked about the potential for too much emphasis on an inward-looking and diary-esque approach within lo-fi indie pop in general and Pupa's Window specifically, Nestor has said, "I'm really afraid of the self-indulgent aspect of this music...what I try to remember, is to keep things in the service of the song, that if something isn't working for the song--the lyrics, a drum loop, whatever--to rethink it."[3]

Citations

Online Sources

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