Pitchfork Music Festival 2017: Five To See

PJ Harvey

Though easily falling into the established musician category, it would be impossible not to include PJ Harvey on our 'must-see' list. She's always put out an amazing and eclectic group of albums but her most recent release, The Hope Six Demolition Project has a great deal of political integrity and challenges issues on a local and global scale. The second reason is that PJ Harvey hasn't played in Chicago since 2009 when she played the Riviera Theater with John Parish. Though that show was fantastic, she only played the songs she worked on with Parish and Chicagoans have waited a long time to hear the rest of her immense catalogue. Her recent audiences have been lucky enough to catch "To Bring You My Love" "50ft Queenie" and even "Down by the Water" live, making this set definitely one not to be missed! PJ Harvey plays the red stage on Saturday, 15 July at 19:25.

Mitski

Last year, Mitski released her fourth studio album Puberty 2 which features a more prominent guitar sound but still keeps intact her lovely vocals. While super catchy, the single "Your Best American Girl" also tackles difficult topics about love amidst parental disapproval in a way that adds a layer of reality and depth, while songs like "Happy" personify emotions and allow a conversation to form. There's a real sense of not only being young here but discovering who you are with a fully realised sense of self. Mitski plays the Blue Stage on Sunday, 16 July from 16:00-16:45.

Vagabon

Vagabon is the moniker of Laetitia Tamko whose debut album, Infinite Worlds, release boasts a strong sense of folk and indie rock both. Within the singing is a really disarming sense of honesty and sincerity with at times lush overlapping. Perhaps the sense of songs comes from the accomplishment of being self taught without being over shadowed by production. They are still complex wonders that have unexpected and sometimes breathtaking evolution such as in "Fear & Force" for example but these don't feel forced and they don't feel anything less than genuine. She's definitely worth getting to the festival early for to kick-start your day. Vagabon plays the Green Stage on Saturday, 15 July from 13:00-13:40.

Cherry Glazerr

Cherry Glazerr is a young, but promising act. Lead singer Clementine Creevey began the band when she was merely 15 years old and not too long after was performing on the show Transparent. Four years leading the band have brought about three studio albums and some lineup changes. They are now a four piece still based in LA with a new album out, Apocalypstick. Though Creevey's vocals are consistently luscious throughout, the overall sound feels more realised and also more indicative of a sound that grows as alongisde the author/musician. The guitar rifts are more prominent and confident than ever but there's also a dreamy aspect one should not overlook as she brings such life lessons about learning sometimes the company of female friends are more important than spending time with the opposite sex as in "I Told You I'd Be With The Guys". Cherry Glazerr plays the blue stage on Saturday, 15 July at 14:45.

Kilo Kish

Kilo Kish is fascinating. She's already collaborated with some big names like Childish Gambino, Earl Sweatshirt, and Gorillaz but her debut full length release, 2016's Reflections in Real Time, is all her own. The record combines a mix of R&B and pop with even some moments of jazz, this Orlando based musician succeeds in creating an evocative, melodic, and low key mood. The album is not without its catchy hooks such as on "Distractions II: The Dilemma of Cool," for instance but overall these tracks leave you not just with solid songs but with an impression of what it's like to know and hang out with Kilo Kish and a sense of her personality, which is a rather unique gift. Kilo Kish plays the Green Stage on Sunday, 16 July at 13.00.