Cracker

Cracker is an American alternative rock band fronted by Camper Van Beethoven singer David Lowery, with guitarist Johnny Hickman. They are best known for their hit songs "Low" and "Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now)". In 1995, Cracker contributed the song "Good Times Bad Times" to the Encomium tribute album to Led Zeppelin (which was recorded after their rendition of "When the Levee Breaks" was deemed "too weird"). The band's website once noted Cracker as "The only band to ever open for both Grateful Dead and Ramones," a unique distinction which is also indicative of the band's sound and style. Cracker comfortably mixes influences and sounds ranging from classic country music, psychedelia, punk and folk into their brand of "americana" style rock. As to personnel, Lowery and Hickman are inalterable constants, but otherwise Cracker underwent numerous personnel changes during the late 90s and early 2000s. The group left Virgin Records in 2003 with the independent release Countrysides. A recent collaboration with Bluegrass band Leftover Salmon, Oh Cracker, Where Art Thou? (2003), contained bluegrass versions of classic Cracker songs. Their newest album, titled "Greenland", was released on Cooking Vinyl on June 6, 2006. The band continue to tour (as a full band, and also as the "Cracker acoustic duo").

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