Hometown: Glasgow.
The lineup: Jill O'Sullivan (vocals, violin), Nick Packer (bass, guitar), Gregor Donaldson (drums, vocals).
The background: Sparrow and the Workshop, who have been supporting British Sea Power (not emotionally, we mean on tour, although you never know), isn't the greatest name for a folk-rock outfit. But then, we might have said the same about Fairport Convention had New Band of the Day been going in the late 60s. There's something humdrum and unmagical about it – the Workshop bit – when actually this trio from all corners of the globe (or at least the Scottish, Welsh and American corners) make a captivating sound that draws equally on pop and rock as well as the sort of stuff that usually has the phrase "trad arr" applied to it. Sometimes, the way Chicagoan Jill O'Sullivan warbles over Packer's guitar and Donaldson's drums reminds us of the Fairports when Sandy Denny sang with them, but also of Grace Slick and her psych-folk crew Jefferson Airplane. Other times, she sings with a twang and suddenly Sparrow and the Hawk are a country band. Marketed right, they could grab some of the commercial glory currently being enjoyed by Fleet Foxes. They've got a similar modern-band-invokes-ancient-times feel to their music.
They've even got the requisite intriguing backstory and daft anecdotes to see them through their first few interviews. The singer – the Sparrow? – used to perform solo as Dead Sparrow and the band, who regularly tour in a customised camper van, apparently organise something called the Sing Ye from the Hillsides alternative music festival in Yorkshire. They met each other by chance after Chicagoan O'Sullivan and Welshman Packer both decided to move to Glasgow from London and ended up living in the drummer's girlfriend's flat. Daft anecdotes? Donaldson once played drums to the Star Wars theme on Blue Peter, while O'Sullivan was interviewed on cable TV about her amazing sledding abilities and recently came third in the world female stone skimming championships. We like the fact that she came third – anything higher and it would have seemed unbelievable.
But enough about their extracurricular activities. They're here because of their music. The Devil Song gallops along like a runaway train in a western as Packer's guitar reaches a frenzied peak, O'Sullivan haunting the melody like a siren-ghost, climaxing with her wailing: "Take away my heart so I can be free!" They specialise in tales of gothic romance, unfulfilled desire and revenge with titles like Last Chance, The Gun, I Will Break You, My Crime and Broken Heart, Broken Home. They can do gentle reveries, and they can do corrosive and harsh, often within the same song. Radio 2 – the new Radio 2, the station that loves alt-folk and new country – will love them, and so will you. And if you don't, they can always go back to accompanying sci-fi soundtracks and skimming stones.
The buzz: "Jill's bittersweet twang flies dramatically over Gregor's rollicking, flaring rhythms."
The truth: They're ethereal and electric.
Most likely to: Be challenged by stone-skimming men.
Least likely to: Drum along to the Blue Peter theme.
What to buy: Debut single Devil Song/The Cold-Hearted Twist is released on 11 May by Distiller, followed by the Sleight of Hand EP on 25 May.
File next to: Fairport Convention, Jefferson Airplane, Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, the Loose Salute.
Links: www.myspace.com/sparrowandtheworkshop
Tomorrow's new band: Arthur and Martha.
