Devery Doleman: Lead vocal

Lawrence Kim: Guitar, lead vocal

Julie Rozansky: Bass, backing vocal

Nate Smith: Drums

If Brian Eno wrote the soundtrack for a John Hughes movie, it might sound like Scam Avenue.

Pulsing synths collide with guitars alternately slicing and atmospheric, propelled by beats both human- and machine-made. Icy vocals float above it all, the lyrics shot through with melancholy and longing—and a certain kind of transcendence. 

How did their sound come about? Rewind to the summer of 2014, when lead singer Devery Doleman (formerly of cinematic Francophile popsters La Laque) answered a Craigslist ad posted by guitarist and principal songwriter Lawrence Kim.

Devery: “I fell instantly in love with Lawrence’s demos. With their immaculate melodies and perfect hooks, it's like they were dreamed more than written. I knew I wanted to sing them."

They expanded on the songs, recording in Lawrence’s apartment. The results were promising. It was time to think of a name. 

Devery: “‘’Scam Avenue’ is a nickname for a street in the neighborhood where Lawrence and I first met, taken from a blog detailing the shenanigans of a man who ran various shady schemes from his dilapidated building. At one point he chased a neighbor down the street with a chainsaw.”

Shows followed, as well as the critically-acclaimed Mercury EP. Their sound was evolving rapidly, and soon they felt a need to bring others into the mix. 

Lawrence: “I knew Nate (drums, Shy Child) from playing with him in bands, and Julie (bass, the Art of Shooting) was recommended to Devery as ‘a ringer who can harmonize like crazy.’ When they came on board, it totally changed the dynamic. Our sound opened up, and there was a greater sense of interplay that can only exist between people playing instruments live. All of a sudden, we were a band.”

The new line-up premiered on their next EP, Sailor, featuring a video for lead single “Fault Lines” directed by Tyler Hubby (Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present; The Devil and Daniel Johnston; Desolation Center).

And now, Scam Avenue is excited to announce the forthcoming release of Scam Avenue, their debut self-titled LP. Coming October 2021.