Sweet Smell of Success

Chicago natives COMPANY OF THIEVES make it look easy

Anticipation is in the air as Chicago's Company of Thieves take the stage at New York City's prestigious listening room, The Bitter End. The young band is the last of five talented acts to perform during the finals of the New York Songwriters Circle 2007 Songwriting Contest. Though the room is filled to capacity, an immediate silence settles in as singer Genevieve Schatz walks gracefully toward the microphone. After a brief introduction and a heartfelt thank you to the Circle for inviting them to participate, Company of Thieves launches into a semi-acoustic version of their single, "Oscar Wilde." Schatz's explosive and soulful vocals fill the room, reminiscent of Björk at times but with a softer, sexier edge. The song comes to an end three minutes later, the crowd still fully engaged, and Company of Thieves has won the Songwriting Circle's highest honor.

Not bad for such a young band. Twenty-year-old Schatz and Company of Thieves' guitarist, Marc Walloch, met by chance one afternoon less than two years ago at Chicago's clamorous Union Station. The pair quickly hit it off over their mutual love of The Beatles, and an instant friendship ensued. At thatmoment, without the pair realizing it, Company of Thieves was born.

Schatz andWalloch soon found themselves holed up in their apartments together, creating, writing, rehearsing, and ultimately, recording. In fact, Company of Thieves is a band that likes to do things a bit backwards,writing and recording their debut albumbefore all of themembers of what is now a five-piece band were even in place and well before the pair ever considered going on tour. When they finally began playing regular live shows, the twosome started out making the rounds of weekly open mic nights and coffeehouses, most notably the reputable Uncommon Ground, a venue Jeff Buckley frequented in the early stages of his career. It wasn't long before the duo's unpretentious introduction to Chicago's local scene turned into a fan base that grew larger and more loyal with every performance.

They released their debut, Ordinary Riches, in the spring of 2007 and soon moved on to larger venues, playing to packed houses at Chicago's venerable Metro and selling out shows at indie rock haven Schubas. Themomentumcontinued to build with a string of recent high profile showcases, including a spot at the Yahoo! Billboard Live showcase in New York where Yahoo! touted their album Ordinary Riches as "hands down, one of the best debut albums of 2007."

Company of Thieves have come a long way since that fateful meeting on the train platform. Amidst the favorable reviews and already having shared the stage with prominent acts such as Sara Bareilles, Teddy Geiger, Cary Brothers and Jon McLaughlin, this authentically modest band remains grounded despite their success. Recent setbacks, including a stolen trailer that caused the cancellation of a December East Coast tour, remind the Thieves that navigating the waters of an increasingly perilous industry will not be an easy feat. Rachel Komar, from the group's management team at Second Wave Music, sees a bright future for the young band. "In a society that is becoming obsessed with the word 'organic,' Company of Thieves is on the right track. Their raw talent and determination is inspiring, and I can't wait for the rest of the world to fall in love with them in the same way that I have." With a busy tour schedule ahead, including the South by Southwest festival in Austin this spring, the rest of the world is not far behind.

— Alison Toczylowski