Finally Facing Our Waterloo

A great St. Louis band makes a rare public appearance

When Mark Ray isn't running St. Louis-based Undertow Records or designing album covers for the likes of Centro-matic, he leads the oft-reclusive Waterloo. The band's latest album, In the Light of Day, continues to explore the soft underbelly of American country soul while experimenting with bigger, bolder sounds.

The members of Waterloo may play only a handful of dates in a given year, but when they do perform it's because they're excited about the developments the band has made and wish to share that enthusiasm with the crowd.

"If people come see us, I want them to feel whatever growth we're having," explains Ray. "I don't know that you feel that if you see the same band in the same club eight times a year. I love playing out, because I love what happens in the studio after we play out a couple times."