The Court and Spark

The Court and Spark was originally lumped in with the alt-country movement largely because of the San Franciscans' choice of instrumentation: Pedal-steel and acoustic guitars played prominent roles on the combo's 1999 debut, Ventura Whites, with banjos, dobros and mandolins making cameo appearances. Several albums and years later, most of...

By Michael Roberts

June 29, 2006

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The Court and Spark was originally lumped in with the alt-country movement largely because of the San Franciscans' choice of instrumentation: Pedal-steel and acoustic guitars played prominent roles on the combo's 1999 debut, Ventura Whites, with banjos, dobros and mandolins making cameo appearances. Several albums and years later, most of these colors remain in the band's paintbox, but it's abundantly evident by now that the group is more interested in creating moods with sound than in following the standard guidelines of the Americana genre. Although Hearts, the combo's latest release on the Absolutely Kosher imprint, may move at a laconic tempo (lead vocalist M.C. Taylor is a mighty deliberate fellow), the shifting textures and aural juxtapositions on display throughout the likes of "Let's Get High" and "The Oyster Is a Wealthy Beast" create an environment so lush and luxuriant that to rush past it would be a crime. At their best, the Courtiers, who share this bill with Killfix, offer a refreshingly heady twist on twang.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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