On Wild Animals, Trampled by Turtles’ seventh studio album, themes of impermanence run deep, both lyrically and sonically. The quintet’s hybrid folk sound continues its evolution pushing the band further into the grey area between genres that defies pigeonholing.

Trampled By Turtles formed in 2003 in Duluth, Minnesota. From their beginnings on the Midwestern festival circuit, they have reached new heights with each album. The release of 2012’s Stars And Satellites saw the band play to more fans than ever, sell close to 100,000 albums, make their first national television appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman, and have their first concert feature, Live at First Avenue, broadcast on Palladia. This year will see the band headline Red Rocks Ampitheatre for the first time and the kickoff of their own festival, Festival Palomino, which will take place September 20, 2014 outside Minneapolis.

Lead songwriter Dave Simonett has been especially affected by change over the last few years. He relocated from Duluth to the city of Minneapolis. “When I lived in Duluth, I think I took connection with uncivilized nature for granted. There, I had to drive 20 minutes and I was in the middle of nowhere, and I did this almost daily,” says Simonett. “This was a very important ritual for me. Solitary time in a nearly untouched landscape is my version of church, so I think there is a bit of loss of religion in a lot of my work these days. I’ve always been a little obsessed with our struggle to stay connected to our simple animal side, the part of our nature that lived off the earth, hunted live game, worshipped trees and mountains. I believe a lot of sadness is caused by feeling disconnected with the rest of nature. A lot of what is instinctual for us is beaten down and frowned upon in modern society. It has to be confusing for the subconscious.”

Outlaw Alt-Folk group Tejon Street Corner Thieves hails from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, bringing new energy to the Bluegrass genre by mingling darker subjects and tones with depth-driven lyricism and performative musicianship. 

The musicians behind Tejon have been playing together since 2013, where they gained momentum in the local Colorado scene with accolades and press coverage around the state, spanning from Colorado Springs’ Colorado Springs Gazette to Denver’s 303 Magazine. The band eventually caught the eye of Banjo-attacking murder folk troubadour Amigo The Devil and signed to his recently-launched record label Liars Club.

Tejon Street Corner Thieves released their latest project ‘Thick As Thieves’ on May 20th, a 12-track LP. The record was recorded at Royal Recordings in Colorado Springs with producer Bill Douglas, and combines Americana, folk, and bluegrass into an intoxicating mix with a unique outlaw, trash-grass twist.

Over the past few years, Tejon has grown out of their local acclaim, becoming a national voice amongst the Bluegrass community for both their unique sound and charming antics. Following the COVID-19 shutdown, Tejon got extensive news coverage when the band took to the road (on a school bus), performing their music for fans from a safe distance. Their ingenuity brought in a stream of new fans, propelling their music mainstream. 

Tejon is set to embark on an extensive tour in 2022, headlining a string of dates on the Thick As Thieves tour, and as support on The Dead South’s summer tour.