Though not related by blood, The Whole Famn Damily is a tightly-knit collective of musicians who draw their familial connections from the sweat and tears they pour into their music. Judging from their well-blended harmonies, you might think there were at least some cousins in the mix, but their sound has more to do with shared geographical genes than actual DNA.

TWFD's members hail from all across the Ozarks, which is evident in their sound. At times rollicking like a moonshine-soaked hoedown or as delicate as a siren call from some dark hollow, this band is definitely rooted in the old traditions from the mountains. Yet they are not afraid to incorporate the regional or international sounds from the deltas of the Mississippi, the Danube, or the Ganges, either.

A sitar, a string section, a slide guitar - check. A banjo, a mandolin, a suitcase that doubles as a stomp box - yep. A guitar, bass, drums, keyboard, accordion, and who knows what else is in the mix, too. They not only pick up on the sounds of the musicians traveling I-30/40 between Austin, Memphis, and Nashville; they also pick up any instrument that might fall off the back of the truck!

So what do they sound like? Americana? Country? Some sort of hipster nonsense? Well, as they like to put it, "Folkestra" - the perfect portmanteau to describe their crazy blend of music right from the heart of the Ozark Plateau.

Michael Worch is following