Originally from Charlottesville, Va., the Hackensaw Boys expand the notion of what it means to be a string band, not only in their big, inclusive approach (expect at least half a dozen members) but also in their collaborations with acts such as Modest Mouse and Dave Matthews. They're excellent, but Curtis Eller, a banjo player obsessed with incorporating dated tales into his instantly memorable songs, is the highlight. A mustached man with a dramatic storyteller's heart, Eller—who recently relocated from New York to Durham—takes a simple approach to complex times that should satisfy weary minds. —Grayson Currin