Artist description Their’s is a rare focus, one that's drawn comparisons (mostly English) along the lines of Tindersticks, Pulp, Gallon Drunk, PJ Harvey, and Tom Waits, clearly an influence on Krumm's tales of drunken nights and weary days after. These are sad songs, well-executed live, a single lamp illuminating Krumm, his shirt-and-tied band different these days than a year ago, still registering the same emotions. Sadness. Longing. Sometimes, a clenched-fist optimism, though, more often, a bracing anger. The Great Crusades' songs are stories, played out on stages throughout the U.S. and Europe, having recently completed a 13-show tour of Germany and Austria to support the German label Trocadero's release of “...spilled.” Their's is a particularly attractive sound, even as it holds you at arm's length. Great is not a wasted word in their name.It's what they are.

Music Style Rock and Roll

Similar Artists Tom Waits, 16 Horsepower, Gallon Drunk, Tindersticks, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave

Artist History After stints in Boston, Champaign and Los Angeles, core members have regrouped from elemntary school beginnings in hometown Collinsville, IL to pick up where they left off.

Group Members Brian KrummBrian HuntChristian ModerBrian Leach

Instruments vocal, guitar, bass, drums, organ, piano

Albums The First Spilled Drink of the Evening

Press Reviews Face down on the bar: THE GREAT CRUSADES look at life through a shot glass lens on "The First Spilled Drink of the Evening" (Mud, CD), mixing anger, muscle and minor-key remorse like a roughneck Tindersticks with the bonus of a singer (guitarist and songwriter Brian Krumm) who's got the tubercular pipes of Tom Waits and Axl Roses's love child.- Rolling Stone (David Fricke)"The Great Crusades are Urban & Westerners...A manly bunch, vocalist Brian Krumm sounds like he'd vault onto a front porch and wring the neck of any weedy alt country indie-it he encountered. His voice has veins in its teeth. It's like Tindersticks on steroids or a deeper Tom Waits. The band's sinewy spag-western country and tough folk-punk on The First Spilled Drink of the Evening (Trocadero) is a perfect match."- Mojo"...thick with atmosphere and so perfectly played out that it creates a surreal neo-Brechtian spin that is both dark and heavy, though never doom-laden."- Bucketfull of Brains

Location Chicago, IL - USA

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