Bio

Millbranch String Theory pushes the acoustic genre into nearly undefinable territory. With fiery improvisation, head nodding, groove-based progressions, a touch of bop, latin, prog rock, and even classical and world music influence, MST reinterprets the expectations of acoustic music while passing through, between, in, and around the traditions and traditional. The Duo of Jason McCulley (mandolin, mandola, guitar, dobro) and Stephen Harms (double bass, cello, guitar, vibes) partnered with banjoist Nick Einterz to record the debut album “New World Orphan” for Roots Capacitor Records in a dizzying week long session in April 2011 at Arkbarn Studio in Indianapolis, IN with engineer Rya Koch. The album included group compositions born out of early jams including the title track New World Orphan, the searching opener “Ethos, Pathos, Logos”, and the twisted mash-up of bluegrass romp and avant diminished mayhem “Ol’ Bill Monet”. The album also included Harms’ penned originals including the ever-so-funky slow jam “Smell of Evil” and the far-flung Americana trilogy (broken into three parts for this recording) of “Slime – Flux – Blossom”. Following a summer of festival appearances, MST released the album in August of 2011.