Backyard Tire Fire, who emerge from a fertile Midwest music scene that’s introduced America to some of its greatest new rock bands over the last decade, fully embrace the best characteristics of their generation’s genre-bending, influence-melding approach to creating music. The varying methodologies, however, only serve as means to a greater end for Ed Anderson, the sublime songwriter who’s the voice and vision behind BTF.

On the band’s third album, Vagabonds & Hooligans, Anderson goes deep into his own psyche to conjure and craft his most... (+) expand

Backyard Tire Fire, who emerge from a fertile Midwest music scene that’s introduced America to some of its greatest new rock bands over the last decade, fully embrace the best characteristics of their generation’s genre-bending, influence-melding approach to creating music. The varying methodologies, however, only serve as means to a greater end for Ed Anderson, the sublime songwriter who’s the voice and vision behind BTF.

On the band’s third album, Vagabonds & Hooligans, Anderson goes deep into his own psyche to conjure and craft his most intriguing lyrics and gorgeous melodies yet. Strip away all the tweaked atmospherics, haunting harmonies and majestic recording techniques found in songs like “The Wrong Hands,” “A Long Time,” “Don’t Know What To Do” and the album’s title cut and what remains at the core are songs utterly singular and consistently transcendent.

Further illuminating the dizzying reach of this three piece band’s abilities is its live show. On stage, BTF sheds some of their more subtle and introverted studio dynamics to create a sound that can rival the best power rock trios in music today. The classic slide guitar tones Anderson coxes from his guitar, combined with the muscular rhythm section of brother Matt Anderson on bass and Tim Kramp on drums, delivers on the glory that rock music once promised in its heyday.

Via extensive touring (from clubs to festivals), BTF has built reputation as a compelling, remarkably flexible live act, sharing stages with such diverse luminaries as Son Volt, Clutch, Alejandro Escovedo, Mellisa Ferrick, James McMurtry, The Mother Hips, William Elliot Whitmore , North Mississippi Allstars, Will Hoge, and Dan Bern—and gathering a hard-won fan-base along the way.

Via extensive touring (from clubs to festivals), BTF has built a reputation as a compelling, remarkably flexible live act, sharing stages with such diverse luminaries as Son Volt, North Mississippi Allstars, Alejandro Escovedo, The Mother Hips, JJ Grey and MOFRO, James McMurtry, The Slip, Clutch, Melissa Ferrick, The Radiators, Will Hoge, Jackie Greene, William Elliot Whitmore and Dan Bern—and gathering a hard-won fan-base along the way. (-) collapse