Led by bassist and songwriter
Josh Haden,
Spain is an alternative rock band that often conjures images of late nights and broken hearts with their low-key but emotionally powerful music inspired by vintage jazz and "bachelor pad" sounds and approached without irony. Leader
Haden comes from a family with a strong musical pedigree: his father is the great jazz bassist and composer
Charlie Haden, and his siblings include violinist
Petra Haden (who led the group
that dog and has worked with
the Foo Fighters,
Mike Watt,
the Decemberists, and
Iggy & the Stooges), vocalist
Rachel Haden (a fellow member of
that dog who has accompanied
Beck,
the Rentals, and
Weezer), and cellist
Tanya Haden (whose credits include sessions with
Silversun Pickups and
Sea Wolf).
Spain's initial lineup included
Haden on vocals and bass, Ken Boudakian on guitar and keyboards,
Merlo Podlewski on guitar, and Evan Hartzell on drums. This edition of the group made their recorded debut in 1995 with the album
The Blue Moods of Spain, released by Reckless Records; the album featured the song "Spiritual," which was covered by
Johnny Cash on his album
Unchained. In 1999,
Spain returned with their second album,
She Haunts My Dreams, and while the band developed a loyal following in Europe, their unusual approach made them a tough sell in the United States. After 2001's
I Believe,
Spain went on hiatus, and a collection of highlights from the three albums, Spirituals: The Best of Spain, appeared in 2003. For several years,
Haden pursued a solo career, releasing the album Devoted in 2007, but after touring in support of the project, he opted to resurrect
Spain with a new lineup, including Randy Kirk on guitars and keys and
Matt Mayhall on drums. By 2012, the group had expanded to a quartet with the addition of guitarist
Daniel Brummel, and
Spain released a new album, The Soul of Spain, through the European label Glitterhouse. Acoustic guitarist Dylan McKenzie expanded
Spain to a five-piece, and the band's live-in-studio appearance on Santa Monica, California's KCRW-FM (with
Haden's three sisters joining as guests) was issued on an EP titled The Morning Becomes Eclectic Session. In 2013,
Spain joined producer
Gus Seyffert in his studio to begin work on their next album; the material was released by Glitterhouse in 2014 as
Sargent Place. In 2016,
Haden debuted yet another
Spain lineup on the blues-infused set Carolina. The album featured
Haden on vocals, bass, and acoustic guitar,
Danny Frankel on drums and percussion,
Petra Haden on violin and vocals, and Kenny Lyon on various guitars, banjo, and keyboards. Lyon also co-produced the album with
Josh Haden. ~ Mark Deming