The Grasping Straws are a psychedelic art rock band from NYC, blending grungy-jazz-infused abstractions with a scream and a whisper–raw yet controlled, urgent yet tender. Formed in 2012 by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mallory Feuer, The Grasping Straws emerged from the antifolk and DIY basement scene, carrying their fearless, collaborative spirit into every performance. Over the past decade, they’ve toured the US, Canada, Australia, Europe, and the UK, captivating audiences with their dynamic range–“soft and subdued one minute, then releasing an angst-ridden banshee wail the next” (Full Time Aesthetic). Their latest album, Shapes (produced by Gordon Raphael–The Strokes, Regina Spektor), builds on the emotional terrain of their previous release, Patterns. Where Patterns confronted cycles of abuse, Shapes steps back to explore meaning-making, connection, and the interplay between the digital and natural worlds. Praised for creating “beauty from confusion and contradiction” (Boog City Festival Blog), The Grasping Straws’ work has been described as “intriguing with its patience and calm… ultimately moving” (The Deli Magazine). Whether in a packed club or intimate gallery, their performances adapt to the space–visceral, thoughtful, and unafraid to blur the line between music and art.
