At various points since its inception in 1991, Clem Snide has played gently winsome country music accompanied by a cello, noisy rock punctuated with a squawking saxophone, and sincere love ballads incorporating strings, horns, glockenspiels, and more. Bandleader Eef Barzelay has written songs about love, death, faith, fashion, and pop-cultural detritus—often simultaneously—with wry warmth and wordplay that never stoops to cleverness for cleverness’ sake.

Shivaree's quirky take on Americana and alt-country draws comparisons ranging from Tom Waits to Cowboy Junkies to Billie Holiday.