Growing up in Falls Church, VA, Thao Nguyen first picked up a guitar at the age of 12 and began performing in a pop country duo in high school. She has since worked with many acclaimed artists, including Andrew Bird and Mirah, also recording a trio of critically-acclaimed records with The Get Down Stay Down—beginning with 2008’s We Brave Bee Stings and All and culminating with this year’s We The Common, an album which sings with synth-string flourishes, banjo pickings, honking saxophones, and fuzzy guitars.