BY YVONNE ZUSEL
Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, the husband-wife duo known as Shovels & Rope, end all of their shows by giving each other a handshake and a nod, as if they're meeting for the first time. It's a funny little motion, considering what a tight performance precedes it.
Such was the case at the Charleston-based group's Thursday night show at the Buckhead Theatre. It was their fourth time in Atlanta in as many years, with their most recent appearance headlining Variety Playhouse in March 2014. They've come a long way from playing shows at The Earl and Star Bar just a few years ago, amassing a fan base who revel in their alt-country sound and lovely harmonies.
The pair kicked things off with the soulful, plaintive "Birmingham" from their excellent 2012 album "O'Be Joyful," with Trent on the drums and Hearst on the guitar. They seamlessly switched places a few songs later on "Keeper" without missing a beat, with Hearst taking on percussion -- sometimes playing the drums with one hand and the keyboard with the other -- and Trent on the guitar and harmonica.
But while their music skills are impressive -- "The Devil Is All Around," the single from their 2014 release, "Swimmin' Time," sounds like it's being played by a five-piece band -- it's Hearst and Trent's vocals that really put them a cut above other Americana-style acts.
"Bridge On Fire" would already be a heartbreaker performed by most musicians, but the tune packs an emotional wallop with the duo's harmonies, Hearst's whiskey-soaked, sandpaper voice perfectly complemented by her husband's clear warble.
It also doesn't hurt that the pair have a painfully adorable onstage chemistry -- Trent introduced Hearst as his "better half and best friend," while Hearst flirtatiously called Trent a "well-dressed Bible salesman."
They're clearly a well-matched team, one that seems to get better every time they play Atlanta. They thrive on writing hooky, genre-defying tunes performed with equal intensity -- and sealed with a cheeky handshake.
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