americana

A.A. Bondy is an abbreviation of Auguste Arthur Bondy (aka Scott Bondy), the former lead singer of Birmingham, AL's Southern grunge darlings Verbena. After Verbena broke up in 2003, Bondy retreated to a Catskills home in Palenville in upstate New York and in time began writing songs again, emerging with a stripped-down indie folk sound. He recorded and mixed his debut album, "American Hearts", at a barn near his home, releasing the project in 2007 on the Superphonic imprint. The album was picked up by Fat Possum and re-released early in 2008.

While Kurt Wagner’s role as bandleader in seminal soul/country/folk collective Lambchop sees him deal in multiple shades of deep-orange warmth, Cortney Tidwell’s solo career is often shaded by a kind of icy detachment; an engaging, beautiful coldness. At first glance they might not seem the most natural fit for an album of country takes from the 60s and 70s, but look a little deeper and Invariable Heartache makes perfect sense.

John Doe refers to (at least) five different artists: 1. John Doe (born John Nommensen Duchac on February 25, 1954 in Decatur, Illinois) is the founder of the seminal L.A. punk band X, produced and managed by Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek. His musical compositions and performances are varied, including country and folk music. Doe also performs with the country-folk-punk band The Knitters and in 2009 formed John Doe And The Sadies. In the early 1980s Doe performed on two albums by fellow L.A punk band The Flesh Eaters.

Fairfield, a street musician who plays banjo, fiddle, and guitar and sings traditional folk songs as you would imagine they were sung when they were first written, is only just getting used to the idea of playing music venues alongside rock musicians. He is also an avid collector of 78 rpm recordings of American folk and mountain music and is working on plans to build his own spring motor gramophones.