County Liners

Emerging from Olympia, Washington’s underground music community, Mary Jane Dunphe and Chris McDonnell formed the County Liners as an outlet for lean, hardscrabble country rock. The project took shape in 2016 after Dunphe, already known through her roles in the punk band Vexx and the electronic pop duo CC Dust, sustained a severe ankle injury that confined her to bed for several weeks and interrupted work with both acts. Sharing a house with McDonnell, who plays in the electronic pop combo Trans FX, she began writing songs with him during the enforced downtime. Their material merged the raw texture of indie rock with the wistful tone of vintage country, and the pair felt the results warranted an audience. Once mobile again, Dunphe and McDonnell recruited housemate Riley Kendig, previously active with Guram Guram, along with Mirce Popovic, McDonnell’s Trans FX bandmate. The resulting lineup, operating as the County Liners, entered the studio with producer and engineer Captain Tripps Ballsington, also known as Dave Harvey, to cut a five-song EP. Wharf Cat Records released Mary Jane Dunphe & Chris McDonnell in the Country Liners in November 2017.