Will Hoge November 9, 2007

In a more traditional singer/songwriter vein, Will Hoge is a standout. More like Pete Yorn than John Mayer, Hoge's songs don't get mired in the maudlin. His major label debut is 'Blackbird On A Lonely Wire.' Not unlike Exile-era Stones, the Deadstring Brothers deliver a menacing sound that draws equally on the melancholy of country ballads and the abandon of rock and blues. The band's music is deeply rooted in the storytelling and instrumental traditions of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and the "Outlaw Movement," but is also informed by the song structure and understated aggression commonly associated with Detroit bands. Their haunting melodies reveal the influence of early !70s rock icons like The Band and Gram Parsons, while Marschke's vocals betray the more modern influence of outre singer/songwriters like Jeff Buckley, Leonard Cohen, and Nick Cave. Deadstring Brothers' live performances have the energy of lo-fi guitar rock, but sophisticated arrangements keep them from being "just another Detroit band. Matt Mays and El Torpedo is a five-piece band whose sound has been described as a soulful eruption of roots rock.