I Was Totally Destroying It

Formed in 2007, the Chapel Hill quintet I Was Totally Destroying It rose from the remnants of Sorry About Dresden and Saddle Creek. Muscular guitars and the contrasting viewpoints of dual songwriters and lead vocalists John Booker and Rachel Hirsh strengthened their material from the start. Although romantically involved when the group began, Booker and Hirsh ended their relationship after the debut album yet before the 2009 Greyday Records release Horror Vacui. Several tracks on that sophomore effort addressed the split directly, while the band itself remained together. Extensive touring placed I Was Totally Destroying It alongside an eclectic mix of underground and mainstream artists, highlighting a stylistic range that stretches from delicate folk-rock through energetic classic rock anthems to punk-pop numbers built around boy-girl harmonies reminiscent of 1990s indie rock.