Ben + Vesper

by James Christopher Monger New Jersey-based husband-and-wife indie folk duo Ben + Vesper craft gentle guitar- and accordion-fueled pop oddities that echo the work of the Handsome Family, Half-Handed Cloud, and Ida. After solidifying their sound on both the stage and in the studio, the former art school students sent a demo to Danielson Famile mastermind Daniel Smith, resulting in the 2006 EP More Questions, released on Smith's own Sounds Familyre label. The duo's first full-length offering, All This Could Kill You, featured appearances by frequent Smith collaborators Elin and David Smith, as well as Sufjan Stevens. It was released in 2007.