SKORTS didn’t have your typical band beginnings.
It’s not every day a trip to the local guitar shop ends with a band touring the world, but that’s exactly how SKORTS got started.
A guitar shop, a bar, and a band called SKORTS
Vocalist and guitarist Alli Walls left Denver for New York City in 2021, a move she calls her “big romantic gesture to music.” Soon after, she met lead guitarist Char Smith at a local guitar shop.
The two recorded some demos together, then added bassist Emma Welch after Char had another chance encounter, this time outside a bar. Drummer Max Berdik completed the lineup, and SKORTS were born.
SKORTS earned it the old-fashioned way
SKORTS played constantly around New York City, and the grind paid off when Oh My Rockness named them its “Hardest Working Band of 2024.” The hustle also caught the ear of 90.7 WFUV, which invited the band in to record a live session.
SKORTS released their debut LP, Incompletement, in October 2025. The nine-track album delivers what the band calls “stadium-sized rock with a DIY edge.”
Mud meets halo: the SKORTS sound
A few things set the SKORTS sound apart. In no particular order:
Start with Char’s guitar.
That tone makes every song stand out. I couldn’t find the model confirmed anywhere online, but performance videos point to a Gibson ES-330 or ES-335 with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece. Consider that an educated guess, not gospel.
Whatever the model, the moment you hear that guitar, you know you’re listening to SKORTS.
Emma and Max make a stellar rhythm section. They play tight and in the pocket, never more than the song requires. Emma’s harmonies are integral to the band’s sound.
Alli’s vocals sit at the opposite pole. Where that Gibson digs down into the grungy mud, Alli’s voice floats somewhere up near ethereal. Pairing grungy guitar with smooth, dreamlike singing creates a compelling balance.
Don’t mistake ethereal for soft, though. Alli’s voice packs real power, and she unleashes it when the song calls for it.
“Steal The Night” from Incompletement shows that push and pull in action:
'Muse and the Marquee' shows the soft side of SKORTS
SKORTS drop a new EP, Muse and the Marquee, on November 13th. The band describes it as an extension of Incompletement more than a stride forward.
Three tracks are out so far, and they preview how different the six songs on Muse and the Marquee will be. “Amy” and “Headrush” sound like what we’ve come to expect from Incompletement.
“Bad Habit” arrived as a single on October 16th, and that’s where SKORTS reveal their soft edges.
The band promised heavy doom and dreamy alike on this EP, and they’ve delivered the dreamy with “Bad Habit.” If I were writing a song to showcase Alli’s vocals, this would be it.
What’s next for SKORTS? A hometown show and maybe album two
We know for sure we’re getting Muse and the Marquee on November 13th. If you happen to be in NYC, catch the EP release show at Saint Vitus Bar on November 19th with Paper Lady and Truman Flyer.
In their interview with Alex Alicia Media during their UK tour, they hinted at having enough material for another full-length album.
Here’s us putting that out into the universe in hopes of a short wait.
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