“

Singer Christa Meyer and instrumentalist Tim Kelley began collaborating after a chance meeting on the street. They soon were married, and started crafting uniquely smarmy and intelligent acoustic rock that covered everything from alternative country to German cabaret to Spanish folk.

”

“

For the past 15 years or so, the Americana subgenre of Gothic Country has been steadily growing, populated by musicians who listen equally to Hank Williams and Misfits. With almost two decades of experience and umpteen albums, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club are the veterans of the scene.

”

“

I’m always surprised every time I hear a new Murder by Death album. For a band that’s not Mr. Bungle, each album is a pretty big departure from the previous. Their last offer, Good Morning, Magpie is no exception.

”

“

Hang Jones is the stage moniker of San Francisco singer/songwriter Stephen Grillos and on 2008 he released a little concept album called The Ballad of Carlsbad County.

”

“

Jay Munly (Jayson Thompson: also credited as Munly and Munly Munly) is a banjo player, guitarist, singer, and songwriter based in Denver, Colorado. He has played a significant role in the development of the "Denver Sound", music that mixes elements of country, Gothic, and gospel. He is a member of Slim Cessna's Auto Club and Denver Broncos UK as well as the leader of his own band, Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots. Prior to working with the Harlots, Munly released several solo albums recording with a vast array of musicians. Some of these performers included members of Slim Cessna's Auto Club, Devotchka, and future members of Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots. In July 2006, Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots was voted the best band in Colorado by over 100 music experts in the Denver Post Underground Music Poll.

”

“

New York-based band Firewater, incorporated a global range of musical influences into their highly-dynamic sound. A loosely-knit ensemble centered around the lead vocals of ex-Cop Shoots Cop bass player Tod A. (born: Tod Ashley), Firewater tied together such influences as Klezmer, Indian wedding music, art-punk, and Tom Waits-style cabaret poetry to create their heady, often quite danceable sound. Coupled with Tod A.'s acerbic, post-apocalyptic, and death-obsessed lyrics, Firewater was a band to be reckoned with almost from the beginning.

”

New York-based band Firewater, incorporated a global range of musical influences into their highly-dynamic sound. A loosely-knit ensemble centered around the lead vocals of ex-Cop Shoots Cop bass player Tod A. (born: Tod Ashley), Firewater tied together such influences as Klezmer, Indian wedding music, art-punk, and Tom Waits-style cabaret poetry to create their heady, often quite danceable sound. Coupled with Tod A.'s acerbic, post-apocalyptic, and death-obsessed lyrics, Firewater was a band to be reckoned with almost from the beginning.

“

Boise-born and Boston-based, Eilen Jewell has quickly distinguished herself as one of the rising stars of a new generation of roots musicians. Her first two albums, Boundary County (self-released, 2006) and Letters from Sinners and Strangers (Signature Sounds, 2007) were astonishingly assured efforts, which matched Jewell's understated yet insightful songs with a rugged blend of Americana styles. They were met with a great deal of acclaim, with No Depression raving Jewell is showing she can wander with the best of them, and write riveting song-stories about her adventures along the way. Indicative of Jewell's strong following in Europe, The Word in the U.K. described her as A voice of real distinction [that] manages to transcend some powerful influences and pierce the fog long enough for her own point of view to emerge.

”

“

Will Oldham, a.k.a. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (born 24 December 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky), is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. From 1993 to 1997 he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music. Will Oldham is known for his "do-it-yourself punk aesthetic and blunt honesty," and his music has been likened to Americana, folk, roots, country, punk, and indie rock. He has been called an "Appalachian post-punk solipsist", with a voice that has been described as "a fragile sort-of warble frittering around haunted melodies in the American folk or country tradition."

”

“

The Black Heart Procession (occasionally spelled The Blackheart Procession) is an indie rock band from San Diego, California. The band was formed in 1997 by Pall Jenkins (member of Mr. Tube and the Flying Objects and the short-lived Ugly Casanova) and Tobias Nathaniel (both members of the band Three Mile Pilot). The group is often augmented by the contributions of Mario Rubalcaba, Jason Crane, Joe Plummer, Dimitri Dziensuwski and Jimmy LaValle. This album is group's first recording.

”

“

And Also The Trees are a rock band formed in 1979 in the United Kingdom. They are most notable for their poetic lyrics and evocative music which is strongly influenced by their native English countryside.

”

“

Borrowing their band name from a traditional American folk song that comes out of Western North Carolina, O’Death draws on traditional folk, bluegrass, punk, gypsy music, goth country, swing and jazz stylings.

”

“

Kaizers Orchestra is a Norwegian alternative rock group formed on January 1, 2000. The two leading members, vocalist Janove Ottesen and guitarist Geir Zahl, had known each other for years, and first played together in a band called Blod, Snått & Juling in 1989. Kaizers Orchestra are notable for being among the first non-black metal Norwegian bands or artists singing in their native language to become popular in non-Scandinavian Europe. To other Norwegians, the band is instantly recognizable both because of their unique, unpredictable style, and because of vocalist Ottesen's marked Bryne dialect, shared by four of the other band members.

”

“

Tonino Carotone is a bizarre, vaudevillian character, a Spanish singer/songwriter with a great affinity for Italian culture. He presents himself as a sort of Spanish/Italian Tom Waits, switching between the two languages song by song and playing Italian-esque arrangements.

”

“

Shelton Hank Williams III, known as Hank 3, is an American country, punk and metal musician. The grandson of country legend Hank Williams and the son of Hank Williams Jr., he is one of the most prominent musicians to play neotraditional country in a country music market dominated by pop country. In addition to his honky tonk recordings, Williams' style alternates between punk and metal. He is the principal member of the punk metal band Assjack, the drummer for the Southern hardcore punk band Arson Anthem, and the bassist for Pantera singer Phil Anselmo's band Superjoint Ritual. In his career, he has released six studio albums, including four for Curb Records.

”