Queen Kwong is a three-piece Los Angeles rock outfit lead by Carré Callaway, a musician and singer who was discovered at age 17 by Trent Reznor. Callaway and various versions of her band have been playing here in L.A. for several years now — even supporting Nine Inch Nails on two occasions — and developing a sound that’s as melodic as it is raw and aggressively “underproduced.” That sonic nakedness is curious given QK’s stated influences, which include Spiritualized, Radiohead and of course NIN, but those variously exhilarating and melancholy electronic moods come through in her fastidiously analog rock — especially live, as a number of YouTube videos demonstrate.
Despite appearing on Virgin Mobile’s NXNE bill with Iggy and the Stooges, The Raveonettes and Wavves and her underground single “Pet” being used in a high-profile campaign for Levi’s Europe, Queen Kwong remains unsigned. The band is recording their first full-length album now, but more recordings and demos can be heard at queenkwong.com and updates can be had via Twitter and Tumblr.
Photo by Laura Taylor.
