Found Americana

I run into a certain type of small band from time to time. They've been around for ages, but for some reason or another they've never crossed my radar. Not subject to the blog storm or hype fury, they quietly do their thing until I read about them by chance. And when I hear their music, it's a wonder to me that I've never heard of them before. It might be my own vain attempt to put form upon my accidents, but the bands that fall under this rubric all seem to have a similar sound. Not flashy and always very American: a little bit country, with a sort of plain forlornness in their storytelling.

Anyway, the occasion of this post is a band I just discovered on the latest Aquarium Drunkard podcast. They're Richmond Fontaine, a band that's been around since the mid-nineties in Oregon.

Richmond Fontaine - "Moving Back Home #2" from Thirteen Cities

The musician that immediately came to mind when I heard Richmond Fontaine is Richard Buckner, another I discovered without any hype paving the way. The Paste magazine podcast played him about a year ago. Hope you can hear what I mean.

Richard Buckner - "Town" from Meadow

Last but not least, another band that falls in this category. But in Songkick style, I'll give you a cover they did of a great fucking song.

Calexico - "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (cover)