Crooks & Nannies

Crooks & Nannies makes absorbing, dynamic indie rock that evokes the intimacy and vulnerability of the duo’s childhood friendship. Sam Huntington and Max Rafter, both of whom write and sing the band’s songs, became close as high schoolers in upstate New York before moving to Philadelphia together nearly a decade ago. Their music candidly tackles the themes of these past ten years – depression, grief, love, power dynamics, and gender identity. Real Life, out August 25 via Grand Jury, is their first album in seven years. It’s a testament to their growth as friends and as individuals; a document of loss, loneliness, self-doubt, resilience, and renewal. The duo’s lucid songwriting makes this LP a powerful portrayal of two voices rediscovering and contending with one another.

Throughout their early 20s, Huntington and Rafter leaned on one another for inspiration and support while exploring and individuating their unique musical voices. After nearly a decade of friendship created and sustained by a shared love of music, the two began to collaborate on the songs that would become Real Life. “I heard Max’s songs and they felt in line with what I was writing at the time. It made sense for Max to be in that world too,” says Huntington. The duo’s new songs feel like a direct reflection of their personal growth and musical maturation.