The Reivers (band)

The Reivers were a pop band from Austin, Texas formed in 1984 as Zeitgeist. However, they were forced to change their name in 1987 due to another band claiming prior rights to the name. They chose the name "The Reivers" from the title of the William Faulkner novel. The band released four albums, all of which received critical praise but not much commercial success, before disbanding in 1991.

The band included John Croslin, songwriter, vocalist, guitars; Kim Longacre, vocals, guitars; Cindy Toth, bass, violin; and Garrett Williams, drums. They were one of the best-known of a cluster of Austin-based bands sometimes loosely grouped under the name "New Sincerity." Writing for "No Depression" in 2008, critic Peter Blackstock described The Reivers as "a classic pop band . . . They balanced memorable melodies and unstoppable energy with seemingly effortless ease, contrasting the rough and sweet vocals of frontfolks John Croslin and Kim Longacre (respectively) amid an infectious swirl of chiming guitars and the unbelievably lively rhythms of drummer Garrett Williams and bassist Cindy Toth." [Peter Blackstock, [http://www.nodepression.net/blogs/peter/2008/01/_is_it_worth_the_admission.html "'is it worth the admission....'"] , "No Depression" blog post dated January 15, 2008.]

Croslin went on to work as producer and engineer on records for a number of bands, notably Spoon and Guided by Voices. Two Reivers songs, "Almost Home" and "Araby," were covered by Hootie and the Blowfish on their 2000 collection "Scattered, Smothered and Covered". In 1998, Stereophile critic Robert Baird called The Reivers "one of America's great lost bands." [ [http://www.stereophile.com/records2die4/83/index1.html "1998 Records To Die For:"] , "Stereophile", Vol.21, No.2, February, 1998.]

Croslin later co-founded an Austin band called The Fire Marshals of Bethlehem, which in 2005 released one well-received album entitled "Songs For Housework," but Croslin left the band after the one album was released. [Fire Marshals of Bethlehem [http://www.thefmob.com official website] .] The Reivers briefly reunited in 2008 for a few performances around Austin, but no plans have been announced for any new recordings.

On Thursday, August 28, 2008, The Reivers played a benefit concert in Austin and John Croslin announced that the re-formed band would now be called Right Or Happy. [Michael Corcoran, [http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/music/entries/2008/08/28/can_there_be_a_worse_name_than.html "Can there be a worse name than the Reivers?"] , Austin Music Source blog post dated August 28, 2008.]

Discography

*"Translate Slowly" (1985)
*"Saturday" (1987)
*"End Of The Day" (1989)
*"Pop Beloved" (1991)

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.thereivers.net/ Unofficial Reivers website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thereiversofficial Reivers Myspace website]
* Michael Bertin, [http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:85687 Pop Beloved: Revisiting the Reivers] , Austin Chronicle, April 26, 2002