Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Becca Stevens and Grammy Award-winning Attacca Quartet have announced a collaborative album Becca Stevens | Attacca Quartet, out April 22nd via GroundUP Music.
Nearly a decade ago, Stevens was approached to reimagine a selection of her songs with string arrangements for a performance at San Diego’s Mainly Mozart Festival. It introduced Stevens to her future husband, the violist, composer, and Attacca Quartet member Nathan Schram. It also started a long road to their first collaborative full-length album, Becca Stevens | Attacca Quartet. The first single “45 Bucks” and an accompanying live performance video shot at Skillman Studios in Brooklyn, NY, has also been released.
The album’s tracklist honors several stages along the way in the development of the project while reflecting Stevens’ development as an artist. Stevens explains:
I originally wrote ‘45 Bucks’ for my album Regina back in 2016. The song started as an attempt to ‘take the high road’ by putting frustrations to music rather than escalating a no-win situation with a next-door neighbor, and evolved into an ode to several folks who have let me down throughout my life. When the Attacca Quartet and I were choosing songs for this album, my dad William Stevens suggested this song and said he would like to have a go at arranging it since it is outside his usual classical style and would be a fun challenge. The blend of my dad’s unique style, wittiness, and understanding of my musical voice made him the perfect candidate for this arrangement.
Since the recording of Becca Stevens | Attacca Quartet, much has transpired. Among the highlights are Stevens’ first Grammy nod (2020’s WONDERBLOOM) and Attacca’s first Grammy win (2019’s Orange). Nathan Schram also released a solo debut, Oak and the Ghost, while Stevens released Becca Stevens & The Secret Trio. The quartet, meanwhile, has continued to push their creative boundaries with their latest record, Real Life, which finds them further exploring the work of electronic artists.
