About
Out of Ellensburg, Washington came one of the most underrated acts of the entire grunge movement, the Screaming Trees. Coming together in 1985, the band centered on the imposing presence of vocalist Mark Lanegan alongside brothers Gary Lee Conner and Van Conner on guitar and bass respectively, with drummer Barrett Martin rounding out the classic lineup. What set them apart from their Seattle contemporaries was a sound that stretched far beyond the usual grunge template, pulling in psychedelic rock, blues, and classic 70s influences to create something genuinely singular.
The Trees had been grinding away on indie labels for years before Sweet Oblivion in 1992 brought them wider attention, with the haunting single Nearly Lost You becoming a genuine alternative radio staple thanks in large part to its placement on the Singles soundtrack. Dust followed in 1996 and stands today as arguably their finest work, a rich and atmospheric record that showcased Lanegan's voice at its most commanding. Despite never quite breaking through commercially the way some peers did, the band earned serious respect among musicians and hardcore fans.
Their influence quietly runs deep through alternative rock. Lanegan went on to a distinguished solo career and collaborations with Queens of the Stone Age and countless others, while the Trees catalog has only grown in reputation over the decades. They disbanded in 2000 but reunited briefly, leaving behind a body of work that rewards anyone willing to dig in.
