Here’s what happens when three roots-savvy musicians with indie leanings lock themselves in a house with a pile of songs, a camcorder mic, and an indoor pool: they reinvent the cover album.
Under the playful moniker kissing other ppl, Rachel Baiman and Durham-based duo Viv & Riley have cooked up an experimental, tender, and sonically rich collection of covers that bridge Wilco and Lennon Stella, Songs: Ohia and Joan Armatrading. It’s folk. It’s indie. It’s a little messy, in the best way.
From the van to the living room (and pool)
The concept took root during a tour where Viv & Riley backed Baiman. “We listened to a lot of music in the van,” Riley Calcagno recalls. Not just folk and country, but pop, indie, even some 2000s deep cuts. Vivian Leva adds: “It started as, wouldn’t that be fun if we could play a song like that together.” First up? Lennon Stella’s heartbreak banger “Kissing Other People.”
That was the spark. Soon after, they assembled a set of wildly different covers that, under their hands, sound like they were always meant to be played together. “It felt like fun coincidences,” Riley says. “These artists across a lot of different realms and times. It just seemed like we could make a record.”
Baiman + Viv & Riley = natural magic
Rachel Baiman is no stranger to musical boldness. Her 2023 album Common Nation of Sorrow (Signature Sounds) earned four stars from American Songwriter, who praised her “big-picture songs.” Folk Alley highlighted her “emotionally raw, plaintive vocals” that “permeate our souls.” NPR called her “virtuosic.” VICE NOISEY said she’s “flipping off authority one note at a time.”
She’s worked with Erin Rae, Kevin Morby, Molly Tuttle, and contributed to Kacey Musgraves and Shaboozey projects. This collaboration adds a new creative chapter.
Viv & Riley bring their own momentum. Their last album, Imaginary People, was produced by Alex Bingham of Hiss Golden Messenger, and included contributions from members of Wye Oak. Rolling Stone Country said they “evoke shades of Yo La Tengo,” and Under the Radar praised their “warmth and organic joy.” With more than 8.5 million streams and a loyal audience, their fan base is growing fast.
Together, their chemistry is obvious. “I love playing with them,” Baiman says. “Viv’s such an amazingly nuanced singer. I became a better singer trying to match her on harmonies. The weirder the idea, the more we wanted to try it.”
A cover album that sounds like an original
Recorded entirely at producer Greg D. Griffith’s Connecticut home (known for work with Amy Ray and Pete Seeger), the trio never actually entered the professional studio next door. Instead, they tracked in the living room, captured ambient audio on a camcorder mic, and even recorded in a 1960s-era bomb shelter and indoor pool to experiment with natural reverb.
The result feels alive. First takes, unusual instruments, and unfiltered harmonies give the album an unmistakable texture. Riley’s chaotic guitar search on “Ashes of American Flags” finally landed on a high-strung. Viv made her recorded drum debut. Rachel brings intensity and clarity to her vocal lines.
These aren’t replicas. They’re reimaginings that wear their process on their sleeves.
Why this album matters
This isn’t a novelty or side project. kissing other ppl is what happens when skilled songwriters get curious. When they dig into others’ work not to replicate, but to explore.
It’s about conversation. Taste. Accidental brilliance. Tiny studio mishaps that turn into signature sounds. And maybe most of all, it’s about trust—trusting your bandmates, your gut, and the music you grew up loving.
So yes, it’s a cover album. But more than that, it’s a snapshot of artists in motion. No posturing, no polish for polish’s sake. Just instinct, skill, and a lot of heart.
