Queen Anne don’t do bright and shiny. The Los Angeles duo lives somewhere between shadowy, ethereal pop and the post-modern edge of the ’80s. Their new single, “Greyhound,” is the latest step in figuring out exactly how far into that space they can go.
The band is two people. Katie Silverman sings and writes. Sandy Chila, a veteran writer and producer, is the other half. It’s a smart pairing on paper. One brings the voice and the stories, the other brings years of knowing how a record should come together.
An Actor’s Ear for Character
If Silverman’s name rings a bell, there’s a reason. She’s acted on New Girl and PEN15, and appeared in the film The Exorcists. Before any of that she played a young Jacqueline Bouvier in Grey Gardens at the Ahmanson Theatre in LA. She also does long-form improv comedy.
You can feel that background in how the band talks about its writing. Their debut single, “Real Enough,” got noticed for being witty and character-driven, taking everyday frustrations and turning them into little stories with a playful twist. That’s an actor’s instinct, honestly. Build a character, give them a problem, let them talk.
Following Up a Bowie Gamble
Their second release took a real risk. They covered David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” which is the kind of song most new bands should probably leave alone. According to the band, critics and tastemakers liked how they stripped it down and rebuilt it as something moody and cinematic, starting quiet and acoustic before opening up wide.
Pulling that off buys you some credibility. It also raises the stakes for whatever comes next. “Greyhound” is that next thing, and it’s the first real test of whether Queen Anne can bring the same atmosphere to their own material that they brought to Bowie’s.
The title alone is a nice choice. A greyhound is all motion and nerves, built to chase something it never quite catches. That fits a band that seems to like characters who want more than they can get.
Go hear Greyhound and see where Queen Anne are running to next.
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