The Paper Kites

The Paper Kites are an Australian indie folk group based out of Melbourne whose sound mixes lush harmonies, introspective lyrics, and wistful, often soaring melodies. They rose to popularity in the mid-2010s with albums like States and the more inventive, more pop-oriented Twelvefour. The group earned an ARIA Music Award nod for their fourth album, 2018′s On the Corner Where You Live, and followed it three years later with a collection of duets called Roses. 2023′s At the Roadhouse grew out of a monthlong live residency in rural Victoria. The Paper Kites initially formed around the duo of Sam Bentley and Christina Lacy, who had been performing and writing together since high school. Members David Powys (guitar/banjo), Sam Rasmussen (bass/synth), and Josh Bentley (drums) were recruited from other Melbourne-based bands in 2010 to complete the lineup that was responsible for their debut single, “Bloom.” With their warm, harmonic blend and acoustic-oriented indie folk-pop sound, their first EP, 2011′s Woodland, began to pick up steam, and by early 2012 the Paper Kites were headlining across Australia and had landed a couple of key television song placements. By mid-2012, they had more than enough material for a full-length album yet decided to continue developing their sound live, and issued a second EP instead called Young North. The band’s debut LP, States, finally arrived in late 2013, and they made their first trip to North America, first supporting Canadian group City & Colour, then embarking on their own headlining tour. Seeking a different direction for their sophomore album, the Paper Kites headed back to the U.S. to work with Seattle-based producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Manchester Orchestra), who helped them develop a more lush, synth-based sound. Released in late 2015, Twelvefour was a sort of concept album that was composed entirely between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m. Arriving in April 2018, their follow-up, On the Train Ride Home, proved to be a dramatically understated affair, consisting largely of hushed acoustic material. Initially conceived as a double album, its second half was split into a separate release titled On the Corner Where You Live, which appeared in September of that year. The latter of the two albums netted the Paper Kites an ARIA Music Award nomination for Best Adult Contemporary Album of the Year. For their fifth album, 2021′s Roses, the band opted for a collaborative approach and recorded a set of duets with a range of other artists including Aoife O'Donovan, Julia Stone, Lucy Rose, and more. The group’s next project was an immersive one. Holing up in the rural Victorian town of Campbells Creek, the Paper Kites started an unannounced monthlong residency at a local roadhouse, writing and recording songs there by day and acting as the live house band in the evenings. They came away with 2023′s At the Roadhouse, a studio album that bore the immediacy of their nightly live gigs. ~ Timothy Monger