Band Of Skulls

The gritty English trio Band of Skulls craft bluesy and ballsy slabs of atmospheric indie rock that echo the work of contemporaries like the Kills, Duke Spirit, and the Black Keys. Formed by Russell Marsden (guitar and vocals), Emma Richardson (bass and vocals), and Matt Hayward (drums) while attending college in the city of Southampton, the band (which was originally called Fleeing New York) recorded a buzz-worthy demo in 2008, which resulted in its full-length debut album, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey in 2009 and an accompanying international tour. For their second album, the band decamped to Wales' Rockfield Studios to work with producer Ian Davenport (Supergrass, Badly Drawn Boy). Sweet Sour finally arrived in February 2012 and contained the crunchy single "The Devil Takes Care of His Own," which had been a minor hit in Canada the previous year. The first material from their next album, produced by Nick Launay, appeared in the form of the riff-based single, "Asleep at the Wheel" in January 2014. Himalayan, the accompanying full-length, was issued that spring. ~ James Christopher Monger & James Wilkinson, Rovi