Thieves and Villains

Formed in New York’s Hudson Valley, Thieves and Villains began crafting emo-influenced rock music in 2007. Co-founders Sergio Otaegui and Christopher Pennings first crossed paths two years earlier, when both musicians were playing with different groups. Within two years, the two had left their former outfits and launched a new band, calling upon a rotating lineup of drummers and bassists. Thieves and Villains signed with Victory Records in 2008 and released the debut album Movement. In late 2009, the band retreated to Otaegui’s parents’ basement to write material for a new album, which they recorded the following March and released in mid-2010 as South America. ~ Andrew Leahey