THE ODD COUPLE

Rennie supplies the lyrics to Brett's alt-country murder ballads; odd tales, ranging from the blackly humorous to the downright chilling. Hot Press caught up with The Handsome Family after the release of their most recent album Twilight and importuned upon them to play us a tune, before hearing how these high school sweethearts became crowned King and Queen of American gothic.

Click below on the part you want to watch:

PART ONE The Beatles of Folk? Brett and Rennie demur, but do own up to composing the greatest snakebite song ever written. 56k 128k

PART TWO Wilderness songs ...Rennie on writing herself out of the urban Chicago landscape and into the "trees and the darkness." 56k 128k

PART THREE High school sweethearts – how the Handsome Family began. 56k 128k

PART FOUR "Musicians are all philistines" – why Brett won?‘t use tape 56k 128k

PART FIVE "Greil Marcus made us cry" – the eminent folk expert and Americana chronicler pays tribute. 56k 128k

Click below to listen to the Handsome Family play an acoustic track from their Twilight album:
56k 128k

A limited edition album collection of rare Handsome Family tracks will be available at the gigs on their April tour:
Tourdates: April 5th - Spirit Store, Dundalk, 6th - Kings Bar, Waterford
7th - Cleeres, Kilkenny, 8th - Roisin Dubh, Galway, 9th - Dolans, Limerick
10th - Half Moon Club, Cork, 11th - Temple Bar Music Centre, Dublin