Necessities Is One of 2018's STL 77 Honorees

Once again in 2018, ​the RFT recognizes ​St. Louis' ​unparalleled musical talent by presenting the STL 77, ​our list of 77 acts who did big things in the last twelve months. From now through June 16, the kick-off date of our huge two-day music festival ShowcaseSTL, we'll be announcing two ​honorees per weekday on our music blog. For last year's STL 77 picks, go here; for the complete lineup for ShowcaseSTL, go here.

“Beauty rests on necessities,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson, that sage of Concord, Massachusetts, and believer that simplicity and economy was the pathway to godliness. One look at the barrage of blinking, brightly colored guitar pedals employed by the local trio Necessities would seem to challenge Emerson’s dictum. But the polyrhythmic-pop band’s genesis was indeed borne of a casting-off: the dissolution of three distinct local bands — the pop-savvy Dots Not Feathers, noise-dance duo Volcanoes and earnest glitch-rock trio Bear Hive — brought Stephen Baier, Jon Ryan and Chris Phillips together. Their bond began with mutual admiration and friendship but moved onto making spindly, riff-centric rock songs that, yes, use that battery of effects pedals, but also give creative contours to Phillips’ lyrics and delivery.

Recommended If You Like: Don Caballero, So Many Dynamos, Mutemath

Bandcamp: https://necessities.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/necessitiesband/