Dead Winter Carpenters/Hiram Rapid Stumblers

Tapping the vein of alt-country and bluegrass, Dead Winter Carpenters have launched onto the scene with a knack for harmony and high-energy live shows. The band's Dirt Nap EP, released in January of this year, is still getting pass around as they make their way on the road from northern California to points more eastern. Opener "Long Arm of the Law" introduces the band as an incredibly tight, strings-driven outfit. Singer Bryan Daines croons an adventurous yarn, which is contrasted in style by "Colorado Wildfire," in which Jenni Charles rolls out smooth, dynamic vocal lines. "The band is made from five songwriters, and we all do the fine-tuning to make these songs the best that we can make them," Charles tells Scene. (Sandy)