Hemmingbirds is an indie pop rock band based out of Chicago, IL. The band began as a solo project of singer/guitarist/violist Yoo Soo Kim in the fall of 2009. The name is loosely inspired by Ernest Hemingway and a Fleet Foxes track about hummingbirds and meadowlarks.

The recordings from Yoo Soo’s solo project expanded into what would ultimately become the band’s debut Death Wave released May 2010. Zach Benkowski and Timothy Cap joined on drums and guitar, respectively, and the musical composition of the band moved from a solo project to a full-fledged band. After a slew of lineup changes, Matt McGuire joined on bass to complete the current lineup.

The release of Death Wave was met with local and national acclaim. The album reached #109 on CMJ’s Top 200 National Charts, and the band was named The Deli Chicago’s #4 Emerging Artist of 2011 and Metromix Chicago noted the group as a “Local Band to Watch.” 

Riding on the success of Death Wave the band began writing and recording its follow-up. Departing from the original solo creative writing process of Death Wave, Hemmingbirds wrote and recorded their sophomore effort The Vines of Age collectively as a full, live band. As a result, the album marks a transition from the band’s original folk rock influenced sound into a heavier, noisier, more soulful feel that, at the heart of it, still encompasses a solid pop rock sound.

Hemmingbirds new album, The Vines of Age, will be released worldwide on Tuesday, 9/25.


mutual friends w/ musical talents journeying the last 11+years to make an impression in the music world.

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