West End Junction is a folk rock band from St. Louis, MO, comprised of Cara Ristau (vocals, keyboard) and Dan Ristau (guitar). The pair met in 2014 in a south St. Louis apartment jam session through mutual friends. Unable to stay away from the music that brought them together, they created the name West End Junction in 2019. Their music, heavily influenced by folk, Americana, and indie country, has been described as "haunting" by Gesso Magazine and "ethereal" by Grateful Web. Lyricist Cara Ristau's words often reflect themes around social justice and spiritualism with a particular focus on climate change.
Their most recent album, All Fall Down (2024), tells a story of resilience and fortitude in the face of grief. Using a wide variety of instrumentation to their advantage, West End Junction pairs expressive singing over a lush landscape of harmonies, Trey Anastasio-influenced guitar solos, and the occasional warm tremolo of the Hammond B3.