theokaylakes

Chicago IL , USA

Some music is meant for taking the backroads home. It helps you escape everyday rhythms, settle into a slower tempo, and get lost for a while. The Okay Lakes make cinematic indie/folk-rock that hooks listeners with cursive melodies and clear-eyed lyrics, influenced by literary songwriters such as Jeff Tweedy, Jason Isbell, and Joe Pug. Their songs feature lush, fingerstyle guitar (influenced by Blake Mills and Elliott Smith) backdropped by panoramic soundscapes (inspired by Hey Rosetta and Doves). It’s this blend of sturdy songcraft, wintry orchestration, and patient arrangements that rewards listeners who return for repeated deep dives. “The albums I love most aren’t the ones I fell in love with on first listen,” says Jordan Keller, the singer/songwriter of the Chicago-based solo-project-turned musical collective. “They’re the ones I returned to over and over, without skipping songs, on late-night drives or long road trips. I wanted to make music that listeners could get lost i