Wagon

The St. Louis alternative country group Wagon consists of Chris Peterson (fiddle), Ben Davis (guitar/vocals), Danny Kathriner (drums/vocals), Len Small (bass/vocals), and multi-instrumentalist Steve Rauner (mandola, Hammond organ, lap steel, and accordion). The quartet's brand of earnest country-rock, which is bolstered by lilting two-part harmonies and touches of traditional instrumentation, calls to mind the Scud Mountain Boys and certainly owes a debt of influence to predecessors (and fellow Midwesterners) Uncle Tupelo. The band first emerged in 1996 with the album No Kinder Room, which was helmed by pedal-steel legend/producer Lloyd Maines and released on Hightone Records. In 1998, the group released another low-key effort, Anniversary, on the European label Glitterhouse Records. Beauty Angel Queen followed in 1999 (on Stationwagon Music/Glitterhouse Records). The effort featured guitar great Dave Schramm (Yo La Tengo, the Schramms), who guested on a couple of tracks.