Shivering Timbers at Off Broadway
Shivering Timbers played a great set opening for Field Report — and they were nice enough to answer some questions for Encor.es to boot. What nice folks — and what a cute little piano player! Read More
Photos: Shivering Timbers @ Off Broadway | 03.06.13
It is, as many others have mentioned, hard not to compare Sarah Benn’s voice to Grace Slick. It’s intriguing on record and downright startling to hear right in front of you. Jayson’s tone and playing take a few notes from the early days of the Black Keys, sounding at times thick and controlled, but never out of place. From their inspirations, old or young, they’ve created a new color. Read More
Alt-country rowdies Shovels & Rope sing, shout and impress at the High Noon Saloon
Shivering Timbers opened the show, led by spouses Sarah and Jayson Benn. They also employ a drummer to accompany them on tour. More importantly, though, they employ their incredibly adorable 4-year-old daughter, Suzi, on a miniature, pink toy piano. With Mrs. Benn on big bass and Mr. Benn on lead guitar, Shivering Timbers' performance brimmed with dark, bluesy folk powered by Sarah's haunting vocals. Little Suzi's tinkering on toy piano intensified the eerie, ghostly vibe during songs like "Crooked Man." Though Sarah embodies a gypsy spirit, I liked Shivering Timbers best during songs like "The Mopping Floor," which showcased the Benns' ability to perform crunchy blues-rock reminiscent of the Black Keys.

Above all, little Suzi Benn stole the show. An adorable kid on a toy piano is bound to do so. Her mother Sarah said it best when she remarked, "I can't be playing second fiddle to my own daughter." I can't wait to hear what kind of music Suzi herself will end up making in 20 years, after growing up on tour with her mom and pop. Read More
Shovels & Rope | 11.03.12
Along with contemporaries like Justin Townes Earle, The Avett Brothers, Neko Case, Drive by Truckers, Joe Pug, and Gillian Welch, both Shivering Timbers and Shovels & Rope are proof that country music is alive and well. These modern artists have picked up a punk-rock attitude here, a jazzy vibe there, and a more pronounced folk sensibility. However, there is an obvious respect for the greats of the past and their roots are still in mountain music. The heart of their sound is still pure Americana. Read More
Musical Assembly
it was like listening to some very funky, creepy lullabies. I told Matt during their set, “I feel like I’m in a very weird version of Alice’s Wonderland.” We both agreed the singer was a sexier version of Olive Oyl, tall and spindly-limbed and just all kinds of porcelain-faced gorgeous. Read More
Kaleidoscope: It was a foot-stompin' night at historic Nelsonville opera house
Kaleidoscope: It was a foot-stompin' night at historic Nelsonville opera house Read More
Nelsonville Music Festival 2012 Recap
beautiful dissonance in the form of guitar and upright bass, complementing Sarah Benn’s haunting vocals Read More
Shivering me timbers
Their songs build until they reach an epic crescendo – and Rock’n'roll is born. Jayson shreds with a shape-shifting dissonance that channels the best of Jimmy Page. Brad’s drumming is sparse, yet elegant in its precision. This is the kind of music you listen to when you rock your darlin’ to sleep on a sweaty porch in New Orleans. Spooky. Banshee-Folk. Their album could provide the soundtrack for an entire episode of True Blood. When the set was over, I wanted more.... Read More
Neutral Uke Hotel at the Grog Shop April 22, 2011
I pretty much ran over and bought their album as soon as they got off stage, and I’ll be watching for them to play this area again.... Read More
Shivering Timbers at Now That's Class, Cleveland, OH, 1.13.11
the Benns should be seen in concert to appreciate the range of their talents, such as Sarah's powerful voice and Jayson's skilled guitar work. Not to mention the fact that they are charming as all hell... Read More
Interview
The nine-song set was a 30-minute, foot-stomping, electric-folk-gospel-infused explosion of buzzsaw guitars, banjo-y goodness, haunting bass lines and sultry vocals provided by the husband-and-wife duo of Jayson and Sarah Benn (guitar, bells, vocals and vocals, double bass, banjo, respectively)... Read More
Rachel Roberts, Shivering Timbers Mellow Out at Annabell's
Shivering Timbers are starting to share their music with the rest of the world, cute little folksy ditties geared toward their daughter but enjoyable to everyone. Sometimes it’s a little dark and spacey, sometimes it’s more of a poppy lullably, but it’s always easy on the ears...
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