Frances Luke Accord

Frances Luke Accord Website

When Nicholas Gunty and Brian Powers put their songs and their voices together, there is a delicate and powerful magic that commands the room to attention. The duo is known as Frances Luke Accord, and they are what NPR’s Mountain Stage calls “the definition of lean-in music.” Their soulful, effortless branch of indie-folk is orchestrated with spare and sophisticated acoustic threads woven into a lush backdrop for their intimate melodies. Rich, up-close tenor harmonies lend their timeless songwriting an urgency that honors the Simon & Garfunkel comparisons but pushes beyond into the world of Bon Iver, Jose Gonzalez, and progressive folk music.

Similar Artists: Darlingside, Iron & Wine, & The Milk Carton Kids

News

Frances Luke Accord Releases “Thank You, Derrick Watson” Single on Oct 11

Frances Luke Accord Releases “Thank You, Derrick Watson” Single on Oct 11

RELEASES

“Thank You Derrick Watson”

Release Date: October 11

“A dazzling burst of fresh folk, Frances Luke Accord’s ‘Thank You Derrick Watson’ is a rollicking addition to any Autumn playlist” – Atwood Magazine.”

“Thank You, Derrick Watson,” the new single from indie/folk duo Frances Luke Accord, drenches harmony-filled folk in the baking rays of a shimmering, Hawaiian glow. The single is inspired by Hawaii judge, Derrick Kahala Watson. “Thank You, Derrick Watson” ripples beyond politics, exploring ideas of empathy and innocence from the sonic vantage of Watson’s own childhood home.

Frances Luke Accord’s plucky approach and sunny optimism arrive embodied by a thick layering of acoustic instrumentation, including notably Hawaii’s most popular musical export, the ukulele. Swinging acoustic guitar and upright bass bathe the tune with a flush of oceanside warmth and lift the duo’s signature vocal harmonies into a richly nuanced articulation of hope and sincerity. “Thank You, Derrick Watson” is earnestly philosophical, relishing in the seaside corridor where folk and island sounds transfuse.

Bio

When Nicholas Gunty and Brian Powers put their songs and their voices together, there is a delicate and powerful magic that commands the room to attention. The duo is known as Frances Luke Accord, and they are what NPR’s Mountain Stage calls “the definition of lean-in music.” Their soulful, effortless branch of indie-folk is orchestrated with spare and sophisticated acoustic threads woven into a lush backdrop for their intimate melodies. Rich, up-close tenor harmonies lend their timeless songwriting an urgency that honors the Simon & Garfunkel comparisons but pushes beyond into the world of Bon Iver, Jose Gonzalez, and progressive folk music.

Both raised in South Bend, IN, Gunty and Powers met and began performing together during their time at the University of Notre Dame. Their first release, Kandote, was a bold intercultural collaboration with the Barefoot Truth Children’s Choir in Uganda, a not-for-profit effort which provides ongoing support to the choir to this day. Relocating to Chicago in 2013, the duo honed their songwriting craft while releasing two more self-produced EPs, laying the groundwork for their breakthrough debut full-length, Fluke, in 2016. This immersive, philosophically rich album set them off on their first national tour, which included support dates with Darlingside, Anaïs Mitchell, and The Ballroom Thieves.

Now a distance band, Gunty and Powers continue to explore their combined voice with a renewed sense of growth and brotherhood from their respective homes in Philadelphia and Chicago. Maria (2018) and Silver & Gold EP (2019) reflect this evolution with a fresh vitality and set the bar high for their upcoming sophomore LP, coming in early 2020.