Although their first recordings were issued by Kindercore Records, a label whose artists leaned towards sunny
Beach Boys and
Zombies-style pop, their early sound was more influenced by noisier acts like
The Replacements and
The Mekons. Over the years, the band has featured not one but several songwriters; the band's original musical cornerstone was the songs of founding members Timothy Bracy and Peter Hoffman. Other members included Lori Carrier, Margaret Maurice, Paul Deppler and Andres Galdames. In 2000, Shannon McArdle joined the outfit, and became a major contributor to the songwriting, beginning with that year's ''We're All In This Alone.'' 2002's
Lost In Revelry continued the string of favorably reviewed, but poor-selling albums. Drummer Sean Fogarty joined the band in 2002, along with John Troutman on the guitar and pedal steel. After 2004's
Fortune, Hoffman took a hiatus from the band, while Bracy and McArdle were married in 2005. That year the couple released an album, the more electronica-dappled
The View From The Floor, as a duo under the name
Slow Dazzle. Entertainment Weekly declared that 2005's
Full of Light And Full of Fire contained "the prettiest protest songs imaginable." In a turn of events that recalls the story of their songwriting heroes
Richard and Linda Thompson, Bracy and McArdle announced their divorce in 2007. The band issued a final recording called
30 Year Low, along with a bonus disc combining covers, live tracks and rarities in August 2007. In 2020, the band announced a digital and vinyl re-release of ''We're All In This Alone'' to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the record. == Recordings ==