Chicago, USA-based musician Brett Sparks originally formed the Handsome Family with his wife Rennie, who he met while studying medieval classical composition at university, and friend Mike Werner. The Sparks' unique urban folk music is lumped in with the "No Depression" alternative country scene, a style commonly associated with bands such as Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown and Son Volt. Their compelling blend of the plaintive country moans of Hank Williams and Southside Chicago blues, however, creates a bizarre rustic hybrid that has far more in common with the pre-war stylings of the Carter Family. Rennie's lyrics deftly incorporate cultural references that reveal an acute awareness of the modern mindset. Their scratchy 1994 debut sneaked in the dirty rock 'n' roll of "Claire Said" amongst the funereal folk laments.
Milk And Scissors was a more coherent follow-up, with an expanded lyrical range evident on the fables "Emily Shore 1819-1839" and "Amelia Earhart vs. The Dancing Bear'. Jeff Tweedy of Wilco helped out with guitar and harmony vocals on 1998"s Through The Trees. The unlikely instrumental pairing of drum machine and autoharp added to the brooding atmosphere conjured up by tracks such as "Last Night I Went Out Walking", "Weightless Again" and the bizarre tall-tale "The Giant Of Illinois". The duo returned in the new millennium with In The Air and Twilight, their most accessible recordings to date.
