Shovels + Rope

There's nothing like Texas IFC Round Up weekend to make you realize there's a lot of trash out there. When you hear a fraternity paid $10,000 to hire a rapper named "Chip tha Ripper" for an hour and his best known single is titled "Bitch, I Feel Good", you begin to lose some faith in humanity. Is anyone still making good, honest music out there? Luckily, yes.

On March 9, when I saw Hayes Carll at Cactus Cafe, I got introduced to a new, wonderful band. Since then I've been listening nonstop to Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent's band Shovels and Rope. The music takes me back to another time. Any musician these days who can produce such haunting melodies with a few simple instruments and their voices is worth a listen to.