The truth about honesty is it can be uncomfortable. But when this uncomfortable feeling is embraced, when it is exposed and a spotlight is shown upon it, it can turn into something else entirely; something, perhaps,considered beautiful. That’s what Katlyn Conroy has set as her mission throughout her years writing and playing music, dating back to when she was 11. Music, and all of art for that matter, is no stranger to sad tales of loss and regret, but Conroy manages to bring a childlike gaze to it, backing her honest words with light-hearted music of keyboards, percussion and other sounds. Can a kazoo accompany the notion of being pulled down with no chance of release? Can kitchen pans beat upon with drumsticks work as a backdrop for a song about feeling foolish? Conroy thinks so, and that’s what she plans to continue to do under her new name, La Guerre.

After years leading bands or in supporting roles, such as Cowboy Indian Bear, Another Holiday, Katlyn Conroy & The Wild &Wooly, One More Cheerful Action and The Ultraviolets, Conroy felt ready for anew identity. Named after a vocal piece she sang in high school, La Guerre — French for “the war”— embodies the themes she’s always brought to her music, but with a fresh sense of longing and desire behind it. La Guerre, which draws upon varied influences, such as Miranda July, Conor Obsert and Jason Lytle, utilizes a rotating cast of musicians, but one thing is always front and center: as long as the truth is uncomfortable, Conroy will show it can also be beautiful.