DWNTWN

Equally inspired by the Carter Family and Crystal Castles, the eclectic pop outfit DWNTWN feature vocalist Jamie Leffler, guitarist/vocalist Robert Cepeda, and drummer Daniel Vanchieri. The group formed in 2010, when Cepeda and Leffler, the daughter of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers bassist Howie Epstein, began writing songs together as a way of getting over their respective breakups. DWNTWN soon fleshed out their lineup, and released their debut single, "See My Eyes," in 2012 via Kitsuné. That year, the band also issued a pair of EPs, Cowboys and the synth-heavy Red Room, which drew comparisons to Ellie Goulding and the Drive soundtrack. In 2013, DWNTWN collaborated with Jhameel and Giraffage on "Move Me," a track that appeared on the Kitsuné America, Vol. 2 compilation. The following April saw the release of the group's self-titled EP on Jullian Records, which included the singles "Til Tomorrow" and "Missing You." DWNTWN's 2017 debut album, Racing Time, included a cameo by Leffler's stepmother, Carlene Carter, on a version of Anita Carter's "As the Sparrow Goes." ~ Heather Phares