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Handsome Family Values: Alfred Deller

handsomelogo120eFor the Handsome Family, upcoming album Honey Moon—a collection of love songs due April 14—is a startling left turn. The husband/wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks still deals in spectral bluegrass and noirish folk forms on its ninth album, but gone are the ghosts and murder ballads that had painted them into a gothic-Americana corner. (Trust us, the album is still plenty weird. Love is weird.) The Handsome Family is guest editing magnetmagazine.com this week. Read our Q&A with Brett and Rennie about Honey Moon and a host of other topics.

deller355Brett Sparks: Born in 1912 in Margate, England, Alfred Deller was the greatest countertenor of all time. He was particularly active in the ’60s and was one of the main figures in popularizing Renaissance and baroque music. His milestone record, 1955’s The Three Ravens: Elizabethan Folk And Minstrel Music (recorded with British lutenist Desmond Dupré), brought songs like “Barbara Allen” to the public ear for the first time. As a boy, Deller sang in his church choir. Even after his voice broke, he continued singing in his high register. Deller’s voice is remarkably high and ghostly beautiful. He was a leader in the historically accurate performance movement.

“Barbara Allen”: