The County Liners

Two veterans from Olympia, Washington’s underground music community launched the County Liners as a vehicle for lean, hardscrabble country rock centered on the songwriting of Mary Jane Dunphe and Chris McDonnell. The project took shape in 2016 after Dunphe, previously known for her roles in the punk band Vexx and the electronic pop duo CC Dust, sustained a severe ankle injury that required several weeks of bed rest and forced her to pause both groups. While recuperating in the house she shared with McDonnell, a member of the electronic pop combo Trans FX, the pair began writing songs together. Their material blended the grit of indie rock with the lovelorn outlook of vintage country, and the results convinced them the work warranted an audience. Once Dunphe regained mobility, she and McDonnell recruited Riley Kendig, another housemate who had performed with Guram Guram, along with Mirce Popovic, one of McDonnell’s Trans FX bandmates. Recording as the County Liners, the quintet entered the studio with producer and engineer Captain Tripps Ballsington, also known as Dave Harvey, to cut an EP. Wharf Cat Records issued the five-song release, titled Mary Jane Dunphe & Chris McDonnell in the Country Liners, in November 2017.