All the bands that emerged from Seattle in the Nineties and were signed by the Sub Pop label were part of the grunge wave. All of them? No, because The Walkabouts are an exception. Here's a band inspired by Townes Van Zandt, Nick Drake and Neil Young, distilling folk rock with melancholy moods and ample, meticulous orchestration. Formed in 1984 around Chris Eckman (vocals) and Carla Torgerson (vocals), The Walkabouts are better known in Europe than in the USA. The albums New West Motel (1993), Satisfied Mind (1993), Settings the Woods on Fire (1994), Devil's Road (1996), Nighttown (1997), Train Leaves at Eight (2000), and Ended Up a Stranger (2001) form the backbone of a solid discography. Travels in the Dustland, due out in October 2011, is no exception to the rule.
