iSound

There are lots of mountains in the world but few are older or wiser than the Blue Ridge of Virginia. An hour’s drive west from the state capital, foothills cradle the small city of Charlottesville where generations of workers, artists and students have built a progressive community steeped in the best traditions of the American South. The Hackensaw Boys first began playing their joyful blend of old-time tinged music on the streets of Charlottesville in the autumn of 1999. Far from limiting themselves to the old-time canon, however, the Hackensaws have been first and foremost a band of songwriters. Their music, while drawing upon the spirit of the mountains, is sophisticated and informed by the best elements of punk rock and classic country music. As one reviewer put it: “Imagine the Carter Family meets the Ramones, and you begin to get the picture.” Their newest album Love What You Do (scheduled for release on August 30, 2005 on Nettwerk) bears witness to the Hackensaw ethic and j...