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Like most bands, Twingle had to hit pause during the pandemic after playing only one show together. While it was a setback, songwriter Anna Sabatino (vocals, guitar, piano) didn’t slow down. As a music teacher, her dedication to the art form has never wavered, and the temporary absence of live shows allowed her to dive deeper into songwriting (she continues to teach banjo, guitar, mandolin, piano, ukulele and voice at her studio in St. Johns).
Twingle, an art rock ensemble that includes Alex Radakovich (drums), Eric Sabatino (bass), Jessica Sylvia (backup vocals, percussion) and Nathan Weber (guitar, piano, synth and backup vocals), enjoys surprising listeners with their unique sound, which blends the unexpected with the familiar.
“The line between traditional and untraditional is where I like to live, experiment and push in my songwriting,” Anna Sabatino says.
During lockdown, Twingle continued producing songs and recording, driven by the collaboration between the Sabatinos, who are married. “Eric and I lived together and went into recording mode for songs I had written in college about women writers around the world in the 20th century and then a couple of new songs I wrote during that time,” Anna Sabatino says.
With Thomas Hoganson producing, Eric Sabatino played bass, and the trio found that they worked well together. Having Radakovich and Sylvia on board rounded the band out, and since then, they’ve been playing around Portland with their latest addition, Weber.
“I surround myself with bandmates who encourage me, who champion this band to anyone who will hear it,” Anna Sabatino says. “It means a lot when they care, and it puts a fire in me to keep going because I don’t want to take their support for granted. I love my bandmates so much. They make it fun and totally worth it.”
For Anna Sabatino, life is best lived by blending surprises with comfort as a baseline. “It’s where I like to experiment and push in my songwriting,” she says, adding, “My background is in old-timey folk and bluegrass, which is where I think the familiar vibe comes from. I’ve held on to my roots, but I wanted my songs to have a more untraditional approach. I love ‘60s psychedelia and experimental acts like Broadcast, François Hardy, Margo Guryan, Cate Le Bon, Heart, Dionne Warwick, Paul Simon and Pink Floyd.”
Currently, the band is looking forward to releasing their debut album, Future Caviar, as well as a music video they made with Jeff Tuyay of Dimwit. And Anna Sabatino is grateful for everyone who helped nominate Twingle for Best New Bands.
“Being a part of this showcase was on a bucket list of mine, and I really didn’t expect to get nominated at this point,” she says, adding, “It’s affirming to be acknowledged, particularly with it being harder to get people out to shows since the pandemic.”
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“I love Twingle for their psychedelic grooves and catchy guitar riffs.” —Monica Metzler, Pool Boys