Taking a cue from the expansive, indie folk spell casting of bands like
Fleet Foxes,
Mumford and Sons,
Lost in the Trees, and
the Decemberists, Chesapeake, Virginia-based collective the
Last Bison blends rootsy, atmospheric Americana with classically infused chamber pop. Formed in 2010 around the talents of siblings
Benjamin and Annah Hardesty, their associate pastor father Dan Hardesty, brothers Andrew and Jay Benfante, Amos Housworth, and
Teresa Totheroh, the
Last Bison were originally brought together under the moniker Bison, but changed the name to avoid confusion with another group. The band's debut album, Quill, which featured the single "Switzerland," was released in 2011 and resulted in a record deal with Universal Republic. An EP,
Inheritance, arrived in 2012, followed in 2013 by their major-label debut. ~ James Christopher Monger