The Low Countries are Nigel Parrington and Els D'hooge. Their third album, 'a brown cafe at 3am' has been nominated for a 'best contemporary folk' Grammy. It contains 12 late night vibe songs about friendship; Boris Karloff's monster; the best music cafe that ever existed; absent friends; winos; aching desire in the modern world; absinthe and death. A late night classic to guide your weary soul into the early hours of the new morning; it's new wave indie folk at its best. The Low Countires signed to Nub Country Records in 2007 and released their debut album 'hypericum perforatum, in the same year, to critical yesness. 'Indie folk at its best' to quote but one review (Folk Radio UK). In 2008, inspired by a love of The Wicker Man, Nigel wrote a concept album. This was to be a soundtrack to an imaginary prequel to The Wicker Man. 'the failing of the strains' garnered even stronger reviews and is already a cult classic. "For a band that quotes fermented hops as their first influence can't be bad in my books...this one, The Low Countries, just keeps growing on me. Indie folk at it's best with a home-grown realism about it...I love it and yes I do recommend drinking fermented hops when you have a listen...just to get you into the mood! There are a lot of influences quoted in reviews I've read but there's no need, they have their own sound and can stand on their own, that's unique these days. We will be hearing more of them, I'm sure of it" folkradio.co.uk "shades of Ryan Adams...Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris...elsewhere Tell Her could be lifted from the Beatles' back catalogue...' folking.com "..The Low Countries: splendid melancholia which sounds like a North Country version of Golden Smog or Josh Rouse. Nigel Parrington is definitely onto something" Howard Byrom, The Guardian 4 05 07 "Really tasty stuff - a little beauty!!" Peter J Brown aka toxic pete (www.toxicpete.co.uk) "Beautiful South meets Richard Thompson...really fine mellow tunes" Fresh Air FM Indie Music Lounge 'Artist of the Month' 'Outstandingly good..' the hairless heart herald From the giddy remains of The High Ones, Nigel Parrington continues to whittle sharp pointy sticks out of the great musical log of life. Magnificent songs...shimmering, blissed out odes to putty, wino strength beer and Roy Orbison (amongst other things). Tunes that wrap your soul in marshmallow and toast it over an open fire. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.