The Last Revel, Pat Ferguson & the Sundown Sound, David Huckfelt

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Across three albums, this Minnesota trio has woven a rich tapestry of Americana styles. Bluegrass, folk and blues come together seamlessly on many of their songs, and “Cheyenne,” their latest single from this month, is no exception. On it, lead vocalist Rachel Hanson sings mournfully while violin and organ chords swell and recede. With Pat Ferguson & the Sundown Sound, David Huckfelt.

$15 ($12 adv.; ages 18+).

press release: In the fall of 2017, David Huckfelt left behind the familiar—the comfort of his home in Minneapolis; the camaraderie of his critically acclaimed band, The Pines; the luxuries of heat, hot water, and electricity—and relocated to Isle Royale, America’s most remote and one of the least visited national parks in mighty Lake Superior. There, as an artist in residence selected by the National Park Service, Huckfelt wrote in solitude, channeling the mysterious and lonesome island’s spirits into the stunning “Stranger Angels”. Featuring vocals from Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath, “Stranger Angels” contemplates man's impact on nature with the narrator longing for a place “where (he) won’t make the greedy richer”, and the fierce grip of climate change manifests in lyrics like, “Wild mustangs starve in the hills outside Las Vegas… and the West is burning like a lake of fire.” 

In addition to Meath, Huckfelt chose to surround himself with a dream team of musicians including drummer/co-producer J.T. Bates (Andrew Bird, Mason Jennings), bassist Darin Gray (Tweedy, William Tyler), and guitarists Michael Rossetto, Erik Koskinen, and Jeremy Ylvisaker, as well as sample wizard Andrew Broder of Fog.