Murder By Death

Taking their moniker from the 1976 Neil Simon-scripted comedy of the same name, Bloomington, Indiana's Murder by Death deliver a heady blend of brooding and erudite balladry and orchestral indie rock that draws from country, folk, rock, and musical theater. Citing influences like Johnny Cash and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, the group emerged in the early 2000s in a blaze of dark post-rock and gothic Americana -- they often refer to their style as "whiskey devil music." The band's relentless touring and distinctive sound earned them a dedicated, almost cult-like fan base, who swooned to the ominous tones of career highlights like In Bocca al Lupo (2006) and Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon (2012), reveling in the menacing, but rootsy and captivating tent-revival atmosphere. They kicked off a new decade with 2022's Spell/Bound.