© 2025 WSIU Public Broadcasting
WSIU Public Broadcasting
Member-Supported Public Media from Southern Illinois University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
91.9 FM has returned to full power. Thank you for your patience and support!

The Handsome Family, 'Joseph'

Listen closely to The Handsome Family and it's as if you have stepped into a strange, shimmering plane. With "Joseph" from the forthcoming album Hollow, husband-and-wife duo Brett and Rennie Sparks contrast a foreboding, supernatural scene with the sweet simplicity of their piano-driven, waltz-like melody, complete with a straightforward yet emotive guitar solo.

Known for their songs about tragic historical figures, Brett Sparks says "Joseph" actually came from a dream: "It was a bleak winter during the middle of the pandemic. One night around 4 a.m., Rennie started screaming in her sleep. She screamed, 'Come into the circle Joseph! There's no moon tonight.' Scary as it was, I thought, 'Man, that's a good chorus!' " They garnish "Joseph" with what sounds like a sitar throughout (actually an overdriven electric guitar), but especially at the song's close, putting a bow on the otherworldly vignette: "Crawl under the bed / Whisper my name / It's time to begin."

Copyright 2023 WNCW

Joe Kendrick
As a WSIU donor, you don’t simply watch or listen to public media programs, you are a partner. By making a gift, you help WSIU produce, purchase, and broadcast programs you care about and enjoy – every day of the year.