Warpaint
by Gregory Heaney
A Los Angeles quartet dealing in sparse, atmospheric art rock, Warpaint originally consisted of sisters Jenny Lee Lindberg and Shannyn Sossamon (on bass and drums, respectively), as well as Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman on vocal and guitar duty. Sossamon left due to conflicts with her acting schedule and was replaced by Stella Mozgawa. With a dedicated lineup, the band began to experiment with murky spaciousness and stripped-down arrangements, and gained the attention of former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante. In 2009 they self-released their debut EP, Exquisite Corpse (which was mixed by Frusciante). After a successful showing at CMJ, they signed on with Rough Trade and set to work recording their full-length debut for the label.
