HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER IN CONCERT:
Hiss Golden Messenger mix honky-tonk country, roots rock, and contemporary folk for an intoxicating home brew of familiar musical styles. For fans looking for an engaging concert experience, this up-and-coming group is sure to deliver with everyman anthems that encourage ticket buyers to sing along. Vocalist/guitarist M.C. Taylor is a magnetic figure in concert, always getting fans feeling good with his working-class hero vocals and playful audience interactions between tunes. The group’s driving, hook-laden songs and musical versatility allow them to take old genres and make them fresh with unexpected detours—a simple country song might feature a funky guitar break, or a folk ballad could turn into a thumping rocker halfway through. The end result is a gripping thrill ride for fans who love to hear familiar sounds delivered with a modern twist.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
M.C. Taylor and Scott Hirsch formed Hiss Golden Messenger in 2007 after their previous group The Court & Spark dissolved. Relocating to North Carolina, the group quickly absorbed much of the area’s musical flavor, resulting in a more country-oriented sound. In 2009 the group released their debut album Country Hai East Cotton, which received positive reviews despite its limited run on Taylor’s own label: Heaven & Earth Magic Recording Company. They delivered their international debut Bad Debt in 2010, followed by Poor Moon (2011) a year later. Their fifth album The Lateness of Dancers (2014) featured a more mainstream sound that increased the band’s cross-over appeal, and led to their national television debut on the Late Show with David Letterman, where they played fan favorite “Southern Grammar”.
