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July , 1996

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Sometimes, amazing things take place so subtly that most people don’t even notice. Idaho—a very private, powerful quartet from Los Angeles—is happening this very moment. Gathering steam since the early ‘90s, the current lineup consisting of guitarist/vocalist Jeff Martin, guitarist Dan Seta, bassist Terry Borden and drummer Mark Lewis, Idaho has ridden the undercurrents of mainstream pop and alternative music, surfacing earlier this year with Three Sheets to the Wind, the band’s finest album to date. Much like American Music Club, the Cranes and Red House Painters, Idaho relies heavily on studio savvy, songwriting excellence and word-of-mouth to reach its audience. The members of Idaho, unlike many of their colleagues, have broken the mold that inspires listeners and critics to use words like “pensive” and “moody” when describing similar bands. Although Idaho’s music is indeed thoughtful and affecting, the band possesses a unique sense of dynamics that allows it to drift easily out of gentle space into controlled rage and back again at will. The effect is devastating, and often devastatingly beautiful. Idaho is a band to be absorbed and savored. There’s nothing quite like them.