These United States

These United States weave an eclectic sonic tapestry by merging the offbeat "new weird American" leanings of Devendra Banhart, the ornate electronic flourishes associated with Flaming Lips, and the roots-tinged guitar textures evocative of Wilco. The project took shape through a songwriting partnership between Jesse Elliott and David Strackany, the artist known as Paleo, yielding the material for the band's first album during 2007. United Interests issued the resulting debut, A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden, in 2008, followed six months later by Crimes.