Scott Bondy fronted the briefly buzzed-about Nirvana-ish power trio Verbena (Dave Grohl produced their 1999 major-label debut), but the buzz faded, and in 2007 Bondy reinvented himself as a low-key folk troubadour.
Recorded on just two microphones, A.A. Bondy's solo debut, American Hearts, is full of darkly sardonic songs. The former Verbena frontman leaves behind the rock crunch of his former band for bluesy folk songs about damnation and salvation. It ends up somewhere between Bob Dylan and Ryan Adams, wrapped in flannel shirts and muddied boots. Though this album was recorded at a barn in upstate NY, one hears Bondy's Alabama roots.