When we talked recently with Happy Traum of Homespun Tapes, he turned us on to the incredible nouveau old time outfit called Crooked Still. It features the very dynamic cellist Rushad Eggleston, bassist Corey DiMario, banjo innovator Dr. Gregory Liszt (Biology, MIT, can you dig it), and the greatest new singer on the acoustic scene, Aoife O'Donovan. New to us, anyway--she's been knockin 'em dead in Boston and around the country for some time.
Hands down, this is the most exciting outfit of this kind that has appeared in this decade. You can't touch them, they're just too good. Dr. Liszt is just getting off tour with Springsteen. They have other great bands going on in their circle as well, Rushad does one with Aoife and others called Wild Band of Snee, when he's not out with Fiddler's 4 or Darol Anger's Republic Of Strings.
This is the new breed, scary talent and high IQ. Berklee and New England Conservatory grads, scientists and the like. But they party with the best of them, and they kick ass on stage. Check them out on YouTube. And they're not shy--Aoife's got a great trio with Ruth Ungar Merenda of The Mammals and Kristin Andreasson of Uncle Earl called Sometymes Why, with a very deservedly X-rated song featured. We love it.
We spoke recently with the captivating Aoife ("ee-fa") O'Donovan, she's the new one to watch. Well, don't just watch--get Crooked Still's Shaken By A Low Sound, it's the best thing we've heard in ages. They are not merely pushing the envelope--they set a match to it.
