Desdemona

Desdemona formed in Los Angeles in the early 2000s around vocalist and guitarist Jason Martin. The band's name came from the character in Shakespeare's 'Othello,' which gives a sense of the dramatic, emotional territory they were interested in exploring. Their debut single 'Othello's Crying' arrived in 2003, a brooding ballad that became their best-known track.

The lineup included bassist Josh Freese, drummer Matt Cameron, and keyboardist Dan Monti. Their sound leaned into alternative rock with a melancholic edge, built on solid basslines, intricate drumming, and atmospheric keyboards. Other songs like 'Perfect Paradise' and 'Black Lady' continued in that vein of introspective, guitar-driven music.

They released three albums, starting with 'A Good Day for the Damn.' The music stayed focused on emotional intensity and poetic lyrics, never straying far from the dark, atmospheric sound they established early on.