Alex Schaaf moved to New York from Wisconsin in 2010, got a bunch of acclaim for the Yellow Ostrich album The Mistress, signed to Barsuk and toured the U.S. several times with his hot new band: multi-instrumentalist Jon Natchez and drummer Michael Tapper. Still, wherever you go, there you are, and that’s what Strange Land is all about. Strange land retains Schaaf’s sweet, boyish voice and bracingly open-hearted songwriting, but adds a hard-won urban edge: brawny bass and busy, prominent drums, triumphal horns, and plenty of raw, overdriven guitar. Howler is the brain child of Jordan Gatesmith. The 19 year old picked up the guitar only 5 years ago, and learned quickly. After being the guitarist for several regionally successful projects, Jordan felt like it was time for his voice to be heard, and wanted to write and sing his own songs. Howler’s overall sound can be described as a cross between the Cr amps and the Replacements, with a dash of VU.