The band was formed by Mike (MC) Taylor and Scott Hirsch in 2007. The band’s early recordings were released through Taylor’s own recording label, “Heaven & Earth Magic Recording Company.”
The band’s debut album, Country Hai East Cotton, was released in 2009 via Taylor’s label in a limited edition of 500. This was followed by their international debut album, Bad Debt, in 2010, released via Black Maps. The band’s third album, Poor Moon, was released in 2012 via North Carolina-based “Paradise of Bachelors”, and received positive reviews. The band’s fourth album, Haw, was released on April 2, 2013.
The band’s music contains elements from various musical genres, such as folk, country, dub, country soul, rhythm and blues, bluegrass, jazz, funk, swamp pop, gospel, blues, and rock. The band’s style was also described as “alternative country” and “country rock.” The band’s main influences include the Beatles, The Byrds, and Buffalo Springfield. The band has been compared to Will Oldham and Bill Callahan.
Hiss Golden Messenger – Sanctuary Lyrics:
Feeling bad, feeling blue
Can’t get out of my own mind
I know how to sing about it
Ring of bone, a little lonely
I better hit the road, child
We can cry into the phone a while
Jubilee, find me
Steady with your hope now
That little light’s gotta last a while
Like an arrow to the marrow
I know it feels like hell now
Till we make it to the other side
Want good news, you want sanctuary
When you try to get real
Oh, they break you in one week
You wanna move, you want sanctuary
That’s all that I can offer to you
From the bottom to the bone, to the bone
Get used to the bad news
It’s all part of the show, child
Handsome Johnny had to go, child
What did you feel, brother, bad dreams?
Well, there’s something you should know now
There’s little things that’ll cut you down
Ragged people, hard times
And the lightning strikes the poorhouse
Rich man cries like a crocodile
Salvation, despair
But the game that they taught me
Sometimes it feels like it just ain’t fair
You want good news, you want sanctuary
When you try to get real
Oh, they break you in one week
You wanna move, you want sanctuary
That’s all that I can offer to you
From the bottom to the bone, to the bone
Yeah, to the bone
Oh, to the bone
Yeah, to the bone
Oh, to the bone
Yeah, to the bone
Oh, to the bone
Feeling bad, feeling blue
Can’t get out of my own mind
I know how to sing about it
