Minor Victori

As Minor Victories, Editors’ Justin Lockey, Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell, Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite, and Lockey’s brother James (who makes films with Justin as Hand Held Cine Club) craft expansive songs that build on their combined musical heritage. The group began when Justin Lockey started work on an EP of extreme noise music; in search of a female vocalist to complete the project, he connected with Goswell, with whom he shared management. After recording a couple of tracks via long-distance collaboration, Goswell suggested Braithwaite as a second guitarist, and he and James Lockey recorded their parts — which also included drums and bass — at Mogwai’s Castle of Doom studio in Glasgow. As recording progressed, the collaboration included contributions from Mark Kozelek and the Twilight Sad’s James Graham. The group’s debut single, “A Hundred Ropes” (which featured a video directed by Hand Held Cine Club), arrived in early 2016, and Minor Victories’ self-titled first album appeared that June. The following January, the band returned with the simply named Orchestral Variations, a collection of instrumental versions of Minor Victories’ songs. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi