Through The Trees - The Handsome Family (1998)
Much more than just the title song to the greatest supernatural crime drama ever made, they also have a deep enough catalog that friend of the band Andrew Bird released an entire record of his own interpretations of their music.
Brett and Rennie Sparks’ partnership starts from lovely Americana and classic country but then transmutes it into dark, gothic, sometimes romantic and sometimes creepy arrangements. The matter-of-fact lyrics celebrate life in the American midwest (and other places) and the slightly surreal nature of living there.
It’s all gloomily beautiful.
Tracks I Liked
My Sister’s Tiny Hands - grim, true love
Cathedrals - a touching elegy for the fading glory of mid-century ambition
The Woman Downstairs - Would probably make Tom Waits’ skin crawl
