The Popovers Will Warm Your Cold Heart

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 28, 2011 5:20PM

Chicago son Dan Savage has a rather successful little career answering people queries about sex and relationships. Perhaps you've heard of him? And if you listen to his weekly podcast, the Savage Lovecast, you've surely heard him. And if you've listened to that podcast you've also surely heard The Popovers, contributors of the program's ultra catchy theme song.

The group is the bedroom project (and no, not Savage style advice in the bedroom, but "we've never played live and only exist in recorded form" project) of Tim LaFollette and Catie Braly and whichever of their friends they can recruit to play the often ornate little pop masterpieces. And little is a bit of a misleading term. While there's certainly a lo-fi aesthetic to the group's recordings the songs are stuffed to the brim with sound -- some horns here, a dash of sleigh bells there, a massive guitar run NOW -- that proves that a reduced recording budget doesn't mean you can't create a bedroom symphony. (Again, we mean DIY, not Savage advice-fueled "bedroom symphonies.")

The band's debut, Make It So!, has been a work in progress for the last five years or so and the group recently decided to release it for free via the Interwebs. While we're sure this move is partially motivated simply in the hopes that the fruits of their labor will be heard outside of their circle of collaborators, there is another more altruistic motivation behind the digital release. LaFolette has been diagnosed and is being treated for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, and he's asking that if you dig his tunes you donate a couple bucks to his own struggle against ALS.

DOWNLOAD: The Popovers - Make It So!

If you'd like to learn more about The Popovers (and hear the sexxxy voice of and one of Dan Savage's Tech-Savvy At-Risk Youth) then check out the latest installment of his La Folette's monthly video series about his battle with ALS.