The Deslondes

The Deslondes sound like a group of friends who have spent a decade playing together on street corners and in dimly lit bars until their rhythms became a single heartbeat. It is music that feels lived-in, carrying the humidity of New Orleans and the grit of a cross-country bus ride. There is a specific, loose-jointed swing to their sound that separates them from the polished Nashville machine, favoring the wobbling piano of a swamp-boogie joint over studio perfection.

What makes them truly distinctive is their democratic approach to songwriting and singing. With three principal songwriters, the perspective shifts constantly, yet the band maintains a cohesive identity through their tight, three-part vocal harmonies and a rhythm section that feels like it's perpetually leaning back. They successfully bridge the gap between the raw, skeletal folk of Alan Lomax field recordings and the sophisticated, soulful arrangements of Allen Toussaint.

Start with their self-titled 2015 debut to hear the band at their most foundational, or dive into 'Hurry Home' for a more expansive, slightly more psychedelic take on their country-soul hybrid. It is the perfect soundtrack for anyone who finds beauty in the frayed edges of a song and prefers their country music with a heavy dose of rhythm and blues.