Big Black Dog

Dead Fingers are the Birmingham, Ala.–based husband-and-wife duo of Taylor Hollingsworth and Kate Taylor. Hollingsworth has been a member of Conor Oberst’s Mystic Valley Band, while Taylor has worked with her sister Maria Taylor, who’s been a member of Azure Ray and Bright Eyes. Though Big Black Dog is the duo’s second album, they feel it’s the first to capture the essence of their live show. Recorded sporadically, as they were expecting their first child, the album has a loose, unvarnished feel that perfectly serves the quirky, skewered songs. Their raw, countryfied vocals give a rustic charm to the Taylor-led darkness of “Pomp and Circumstances,” where behind the snare drum lurks a murky band creating a very quiet wall of sound. “Twisted” lives up to its title, with a thigh-slapping hoedown feel worthy of the classic cowboy-country TV show Hee Haw. “Free Tonight” demonstrates loose but lovely harmonies. “Shoom Doom Babba Labba” keeps up the playful groove, but the quickly moving lyrics could hide a dark tale. “Feet Back on the Ground” gives Taylor room to show off her vocal range.