The Innocence Mission

When the Innocence Mission released their debut record back in '89, they were quickly lumped in with the literate, Mom-friendly work of the 10,000 Maniacs. The stark beauty and isolation conveyed by Karen Peris' vocals in "Wonder of Birds" merited much more than the slight airplay the single received. Her mature, poetic lyrics and the band's fluid acoustic playing were often undermined by the all too crisp production. With each of their four records, the band has managed to become progressively more interesting by stripping away superfluous production elements, drawing full attention to their calm, hazy vocals and simplified instrumentation while garnering mass critical acclaim and minimal public appreciation.