“It’s not heavy metal, but in our guts, it feels a bit like Heavy Metal,” says Michael Trent of the band’s new album.
Shovels & Rope is American folk duo of husband and wife Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst from Charleston, South Carolina. The pair have been making music together for nearly a decade but have continued to push boundaries by mixing styles and influences. Manticore is a melting pot of country, folk, singer/songwriter, bluegrass, indie rock, pop and even some experimental elements. It is Hearst, in her grainy, soulful voice, who unites these contrasting genres in a raw, emotional way. Complemented by Trent as they often sing simultaneously but not in a precise way and rarely in harmony. This new project is just as intense musically as it is emotionally.