Backline’s latest single, “Dark Rolling Deep” (Mountain Fever Records), introduces their forthcoming album with a narrative steeped in maritime lore. Written by bandleader Katelyn Ingardia, the track tells a story set in an age of wooden ships and sailor superstition, tracing the fate of a woman who falls for a sea captain destined never to return.
The song pairs storytelling with tightly constructed acoustic arrangements. Ingardia’s vocals, shaped by restraint and clarity, sit atop a fluid interplay of banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro, and bass. Jacob Carrol, David Heavner, Jeff Partin, and Chris Williamson round out the ensemble.
Based in South Carolina, Backline occupies a space between tradition and evolution. Their catalog, composed primarily of original material, often reimagines bluegrass themes with contemporary sensibility. While their arrangements reflect modern polish, their songwriting remains grounded in rural history and working-class experience.
The band’s name draws from that heritage. Raised near the remnants of textile mill villages, several members trace family ties to the “back line” neighborhoods, once home to mill laborers in contrast to the “boss line” reserved for management.
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central