Led by frontwoman Maggie Morris, Genders create thunderous indie epics out of lovelorn tales and interwoven guitar chords. The confessional songs that make up their debut album Get Lost track Morris' personal journey from the Bay Area to the Pacific Northwest while contemplating matters of the heart too. Since forming out of the ashes of another local band in 2012, Genders have been full steam ahead. The quartet nabbed a top spot on Willamette Week's annual Best New Band poll and scored a coveted slot supporting Built to Spill on a national tour. With a new EP in the can ready for release and another already in view, Genders don't show any sign of slowing down.

Homebase: Portland, Oregon

What do you count amongst your influences?

Heartbreak, longing, pop music, family, isolation, it's hard to say...

You cover songs solo quite often, from Lauryn Hill to Solange. How do you pick which song is next?

Covering songs is how I learned to play guitar and I still love to do it. Any song I really connect with I will cover, usually the ones I play on repeat or the ones that give me goose-bumps. Lauryn and Solange are amazing and powerful female artists that are unafraid to also write about really personal and hard things, which is the type of artist I strive to be. I was obsessed with those songs for those reasons, but also just because they are really beautiful! I wanted to participate in it somehow. (Also singing Ex-Factor was seeeriously challenging) Genders just did a cover of "Suffering Jukebox" by the Silver Jews and I'm planning to cover "Blue Tarp Moon" by the Domestics. Two beautiful songs that I want to hear forever!

You make a lot of the band's art including videos. What are the benefits of being so DIY? Do you feel like creating the visuals yourself is an extension of the music you make or is it just out of necessity?

It's a little bit of both. I started out as a visual artist, so I still really like that aspect of being a musician--the album art, the music videos, show posters.... I like to try to do it all. It's kind of the perfect in-between-song-writing activity. Joni Mitchell said that creativity was like a farm and that sometimes you have to rotate your crops. Sometimes doing something creative that isn't musical can bring some fresh inspiration. It at least keeps that creative part of your brain working. Another part of the reason I like to do all of the artwork is just being a perfectionist. I want to have control over every aspect of what I do. I've recently been wondering if maybe it's a little unhealthy.

You've toured with Built to Spill. After accomplishing that, what other goals do you have? What's the best thing about touring?

I've been thinking about just dying happy after that experience... but I think I'll just continue on, anyway! That was such a huge dream come true, a year later I still can't believe it's real. Other goals, currently are: releasing my side-project's album (Sunbathe, should be out in late April/May), touring in support of that (east coast!), touring locally with Genders, getting a new day job, and falling in love. I plan on touring until I can't do it anymore. It is one of the best things that I never thought I would love. It's super challenging in just the surviving on the road with very little money kind of way, but also in the way where you are faced with yourself everyday. You are somewhere new, you know no one and...who are you? Meeting new people everyday, seeing new sights...as someone who is very trapped in the future and sometimes in the past, touring is great because it forces you to be present. Also I love being with my best friends everyday, living our dream, even if it's really hard right now. It fills your soul.

What's next on the horizon for Genders?

Genders is releasing a new EP and plans to do some regional support touring for that. We are really excited to return to the Treefort Music Festival for the third year in a row. It is fun festival ever. After that we are hoping to find some sort of label support to properly release our EP. Steve and I are also trying to work out the logistics of tracking our own album and are going to start demoing out the next full-length! Busy busy.

Outside of the band you organize the Monthly Cycles for women to bike ride together. What brought that about? Has it triggered any creativity?

A couple other friends started that bike gang with me when I lived in San Francisco. It was really just a time for us to feel safe and confident riding around the city. We would usually just ride to a park and draw and or read comics. Physical activity often triggers creativity for me. Songs or lyrics often pop into my head. But mostly the Monthly Cycles is just a time for women to get together and accomplish something awesome and to support each other instead of buying in to the way society wants us to compete.