For Skating Polly, music is a family affair. Comprised of siblings Kelli Mayo, Kurtis Mayo, and Peyton Bighorse, the band saw their inception when Kelli Mayo and Bighorse started the band at ages 9 and 14.
“Whenever my mom met Kelli’s dad, they had instruments around the house that we would always be playing. So, it was something that we did as a family,” says Bighorse. Mostly self-taught, the three-piece learned how to play music by practicing together, so it was only natural for them to start a band together.
Though they’re Tacoma-based, the trio recently returned to their home state of Oklahoma for shows in Tulsa and hometown of Oklahoma City, playing for all their family and friends at the Factory Obscura. She describes the experience as being both surreal and one of the most special shows the band has played. With support from Austin-based band Lord Friday the 13th, Skating Polly just finished up the first leg of their headline tour.
All this comes ahead of the release of their newest studio album, Chaos County Line, out now via El Camino Media. The name, Bighorse says, came into being because of how eclectic their new record is. “It just felt like where all these different things met each other.” Skating Polly isn’t content to do the same thing over again, striving to create something new entirely. Bighorse also says that her sister’s vocal cord surgery caused the band to think outside of the box when it came to making the record, shifting more of the vocal duties to Bighorse. Perhaps the best example of this occurs during the band’s single “Hickey King,” which also sees Bighorse take a leading role in the highly creative music video.
The massive, 18-song double record is a labor of love that’s been in the works since their last major release, The Make It All Show, in 2018. Bighorse says she’s excited for fans to hear the album because she believes that “the songwriting is stronger than it’s ever been. For all three of us, we’ve really built something strong together. The songs are more vulnerable than they’ve ever been, which makes it a little nerve-wracking getting ready to release it, but also, it adds to the excitement just in different ways than I’m used to.” As of right now, “Someone Like a Friend” is Bighorse’s favorite track from the record. Leaning into her influences for the creation of Chaos County Line, Bighorse credits Perfume Genius and the late Elliot Smith for inspiring her contributions to the album.
You can purchase Chaos County Line at El Camino Media. Don’t forget to follow Skating Polly on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more updates from the band.
Picture courtesy of Alan Snodgrass
