''Through the Trees'' is the third full-length album by

the Handsome Family The Handsome Family is an American music duo consisting of husband and wife Brett and Rennie Sparks formed in Chicago, Illinois, and as of 2001 based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They are perhaps best known for their song " Far from Any Road" fro ...

, released in 1998 on Carrot Top Records/

Loose Music Loose is a British independent record label based in Ladbroke Grove, London. In 1998, Loose was formed from the vinyl only record label, Vinyl Junkie, which was set up in 1994 by Tom Bridgewater. Loose Music – About Since 1998, Loose has re ...

. The album has received significant critical praise, and is considered one of the band's best works.

Recording

''Through the Trees'' was written in the aftermath of Brett Sparks' mid-1990s hospitalization and diagnosis of

bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...

.Layne, Joslyn " The Handsome Family Biography, ''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

'', Macrovision Corporation The closing song, "My Ghost", was inspired by Brett's experiences in the psychiatric unit. The album was recorded in a makeshift warehouse loft space in a run-down part of Chicago, using equipment lent to the band by

Wilco Wilco is an American Rock music, rock band based in Chicago. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo after singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently during its fir ...

Jeff Tweedy Jeffrey Scot Tweedy (born August 25, 1967) is an American musician, singer songwriter, author, and record producer best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Wilco. Tweedy, originally from Belleville, Illinois, began his music care ...

, who was a friend and fan of their work. They had met each other through Tweedy's wife Sue Miller, owner of the Chicago club Lounge Ax. Rennie Sparks later told

Folk Radio UK ''KLOF Magazine'' is an independent online music and culture magazine launched in 2004 by Alex Gallacher. Content ''KLOF Magazine'' primarily features writings on music as well as interviews with a wide range of notable artists and musicia ...

in an interview: "Jeff offered to let us borrow a bunch of gear he had but wasn’t using (an ADAT, a Mackie mixer, Lexicon reverb and a fabulous Tube-Tech compressor). This was a huge gift – Jeff gave us more than gear, he gave us time. We returned our rental equipment and slowed our work pace. We were finally recording music without worrying about how much money each hour was costing us. It completely changed how we worked." Tweedy also plays guitar and backing vocals on several songs.

Reception

Mojo Mojo may refer to: * Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in Hoodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Mojo'' (2017 film), a 2017 Indian Kannada drama film written and directed by Sreesha Belakvaadi * '' ...

'' magazine named it one of the “10 Essential Americana Records Of All Time”. It was praised in the magazine's music encyclopedia ''The Mojo Collection'' as "an American gothic country classic: dark twisted, blackly comic tales of death and decay, drink, desperation and dead dogs." '' UNCUT'' named it the "Best New Country Album of the Year".

Track listing

All music by Brett Sparks; all lyrics by Rennie Sparks, except as noted.

Personnelcf. Brett & Rennie Sparks (1998): Credits. In ''Through The Trees'' D booklet Chicago: Carrot Top Records.

* Brett & Rennie Sparks - voice, guitar, banjo, bass, dobro, melodica, autoharp, drum machine, piano, etc. except as follows *

- backing vocals, tracks 3, 4, 5, 7; guitar, end of track 4; rhythm guitar, track 5 * Dave Trumfio - additional percussion; bass on "Stalled" * Jessica Billey - violin on "Down In The Ground" * Dave Smith and Dave Winer of The Baltimores - horns on "My Ghost" * Brad Miller - band photo

References

External links

The Handsome Family official website
1998 albums The Handsome Family albums Carrot Top Records albums Loose Music albums {{1990s-country-album-stub