Heartless Bastards

The Heartless Bastards combine roots in soul and punky garage rock to create a lean, passionate, urgent sound that honors both sides of that musical mix. The band revolves around gutsy singer Erika Wennerstrom, who started the band in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2003. With some help from the Black Keys, the band was signed to Fat Possum, which released the Heartless Bastards' debut album, Stairs and Elevators, in 2005. They released two more albums over the next few years, with considerable personnel shakeups, Wennerstrom being the only one to appear on all three.