A
Chicago indie/
country band, composed of husband and wife
Brett and
Rennie Sparks. Have been described as "
William S. Burroughs meets
Carson McCullers."
Rennie writes the lyrics, morbid tales of death and beauty:
Up Falling Rock Hill where the leaves swoop like bats
I shot my brother William five times in the back.
"Have mercy, have mercy, dear brother," he cried.
But, the wind has no mercy and neither did I.
- "Up Falling Rock Hill," In the Air
Brett writes the music, a melancholy
twang that makes the lyrics seem cheerful at times, until you listen to them. He plays guitar, bangs on various objects for percussion, and records their music on his computer (
In the Air was recorded on a Macintosh
G3). She plays bass,
Autoharp, and
melodica.
In the Air, their fourth album, released in 2000, was mentioned on many publications' top ten lists including that of Spin and The Austin Statesman. Sally Timms, of Mekons fame, has released a version of "The Sad Milkman" from the same album, and of "Drunk By Noon," off of Milk and Scissors.
Albums:
In the Air - Carrot Top Records, 2000
Through the Trees - Carrot Top, 1998
Milk and Scissors - Carrot Top, 1996
Odessa - Carrot Top, 1995
Compilations:
"Trail of Time" - Poor Little Knitter on the Road, Bloodshot Records, 1999
"Weightless Again" - Exposed Roots, K-Tel, 1999
"Moving Furniture Around" - New Sounds of the Old West, Loose Records, 1998
"Barbara Allen" - Straight Outta Boone County, Bloodshot Records, 1997
"Moving Furniture Around" - For A Life of Sin, Bloodshot Records, 1994