Horse Feathers is the creation of Justin Ringle, who grew up in Lewiston, Idaho. The space, beauty, and nonconformist orientation of the West seem to be reflected in his spare, completely original sound that mixes minimalist economy with hints of classic country music and "Nebraska"-era Springsteen. Moving to Portland, Justin joined forces with other musicians to create one of the most talked-about groups in the Northwest. He named the band after a grandfather's favorite expression because it seemed to describe his music: things that seemingly can't exist together are spun into a magical fusion. Says Matt Fink of Paste: "Horse Feathers constructs music out of fragile whispers and half-remembered dreams, eagerly filling in the gaps between Sufjan Stevens and Iron & Wine on the American indie-folk continuum."