The Handsome Family
The Handsome Family are an alternative-country duo from the United States, the couple Brett and Rennie Sparks who live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Brett writes the music while Rennie, who also is an author, writes the lyrics. Typical for the lyrics is a close connection to the literary genre American Gothic, and Gothic elements found in early country and folk songs. Their seventh CD, Last Days of Wonder (June.
Slim Cessna's Auto Club
Slim Cessna's Auto Club is a country music band formed in 1993 in denver, Colorado. The constant in the band has been Slim Cessna, formerly a member of The Denver Gentlemen (along with David Eugene Edwards and Jeffery-Paul of 16 Horsepower). Their music includes elements of country blues, southern gospel, and other forms loosely grouped as Americana or alternative country. The Auto Club is sometimes labeled "country gothic" due to the juxtaposition of apocalyptic religious imagery with stories of alcohol, violence, and relationships gone awry.
Curtis Eller's American Circus
Angry folk-country-punk-blues, whatever, banjo wielding showman Eller sings dark and ageless tunes.
An excellent and highly intriguing singer/songwriter who is based in New York City, Curtis Eller has successfully brought a variety of influences to his unorthodox folk-rock vision. The banjo-playing Eller's work has an old-time feel, drawing on an abundance of direct or indirect influences from the '20s, '30s, and '40s (including country singer Jimmie Rodgers, cowboy icon Gene Autry, and Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson).
Jim White
Jim White is a southern gothic alt-country singer-songwriter. He has released four albums as a solo artist. While his music is based in americana, he borrows elements from rock, rhythm and blues, and even electronica, often piecing sounds together in the lo-fi cut-and-paste fashion of artists like Tom Waits. His albums have featured a wide variety of collaborators, such as Victoria Williams, Morcheeba, Aimee Mann, Barenaked Ladies, and Joe Henry.
The Constellations
Dubbed an Atlanta supergroup by locals, The Constellations officially formed when vocalist Elijah Jones teamed up with Grammy-winning producer Ben H. Allen (Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley) to create Southern Gothic. Jones and Allen tossed ideas around for two years before finally recording. Now the band and its ever-changing line-up of Atlanta musicians is playing sold out shows in Atlanta’s most popular venues, from the Earl, Star Bar, Lenny’s, the Drunken Unicorn, and even Athens’ the 40 Watt.
The Wreckery
THE WRECKERY are a Melbourne based formed by Hugo Race and Ed Clayton-Jones on their return home from tenure with Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds in Europe and the U.S.A. Robin Casinader joined on drums having played with Hugo and Ed in the art punk outfit Plays with Marionettes. Nick Barker and Charles Todd finished the line up on bass and sax respectively. THE WRECKERY were a big hit on the live circuit and had a large and loyal following.
Salter Cane
Salter Cane are an unsigned alt-country band based in Brighton, UK. They cite their chief influence as Joy Division and are often compared to Nick Cave, primarily due to Chris Askew's vocals. Other members of the band are Jamie Freeman on drums, Jessica Spengler on bass and Jeremy Keith on bouzouki.
Lilium
"Lilium" (meant to mean "fortress") started as a solo-project of Pascal Humbert, 16 Horsepower's bass player. Under this moniker he made the album "Transmission of All the Good-Byes", a mainly instrumental creation, which was released in 2000. Lilium now is a duo-project after 16 Horsepower drummer Jean-Yves Tola joined Humbert. As a double act they have so far released one album, "Short Stories", which came out in 2003. Humbert worked on "Transmission Of All The Good-Byes" from 1984 until 2000. The album was released at the end of October 2000 on Glitterhouse Records.
The Bad Things
Bubbling forth like a mossy belch of polka filth from the greasy, jet fuel-contaminated wetlands of the Northwest, comes The Bad Things. With junkyard waltzes and shameless shanties, The Bad Things are hellbent on providing traditional music for the post-apocalyptic era. "Combining elements of Gypsy, folk, Klezmer, Hillbilly ballads, mariachi crooners, and a Vaudeville theatrical aesthetic, the group has a reputation for drunken debauchery and feverish dancing at their live shows.....The group lends their old-fashioned style with a post-modern sense of black humor."