Handsome Family Values: Alasdair Roberts

For the Handsome Family, upcoming album Honey Moon—a collection of love songs due April 14—is a startling left turn. The husband/wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks still deals in spectral bluegrass and noirish folk forms on its ninth album, but gone are the ghosts and murder ballads that had painted them into a gothic-Americana corner. (Trust us, the album is still plenty weird. Love is weird.) The Handsome Family is guest editing magnetmagazine.com this week. Read our Q&A with Brett and Rennie about Honey Moon and a host of other topics.

Brett Sparks: Alasdair Roberts played live in our living room once. He is a Scottish folk musician who used to record under the moniker Appendix Out. The first time I heard his 2001 record, The Crook Of My Arm, I wept. It consists entirely of solo vocals and guitar in non-standard, wonderful tunings. These are sad, sad Scottish folk songs. He sings both his own compositions and recitations of traditional songs, including many traditional death ballads. He lives in Glasgow. I wish I could play guitar like him. I wish I could remember all those lyrics!

“The Wife Of Ushers Well”:

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