Country music duo The Handsome Family sounded like a band from the Thirties - before they even played a note.

As well as the old-fashioned name, husband and wife Brett and Rennie Sparks dusted the sweet harmonies of The Carter Family over the hurled-from-heaven desolation blues of Hank Williams.

Their sixth and current album, Singing Bones, is expected to feature strongly in album-of-the-year polls next month. But they were almost upstaged by support act Blanche, a dapper and deadpan band from Detroit.

They played unhinged rootsy country like a Kentucky house band misbehaving after being told this gig would be their last.

Mellower, though no less dark and compelling, were The Handsome Family, with creepily beautiful songs about grave-digging, murder, twisted folklore and killing poodles.

Brett's sonorous lead vocals threatened to rumble out of the door, keep heading south and roll along the bottom of the sea.

While Rennie, appearing like a chirpier, flirtier version of Morticia from The Addams Family, provided eerie, ethereal accompaniment.

Highlights were hangover hymn So Much Wine and a tribute to another illustrious married country couple, Johnny Cash and June Carter.

With country music having recently lost both Johnny and June to that Grand Ole Opry in the sky, thank Hank for The Handsome Family.

Another up-and-coming performer who made her presence known at The Old Market a few nights previously was Thea Gilmore.

Misleadingly described as "the female Bob Dylan" her support act seemed keen to upstage her by becoming the, er, male version.

Talkin'-blues-rappin', harmonica-totin', floppy-mop-topped Adam Masterson had some pretty tunes and a warm way with an acoustic but the effect was marred by his voice which was irritatingly reminiscent of Stereophonics singer Kelly Jones first thing in the morning after a heavy night on the cigarettes.

Thea Gilmore really did have a cold, which perhaps explained a disappointing opening when her voice sounded too stern and monotonous, lost amid two swampy, bluesy stompalongs.

But, just like her initially-static stance, her voice gradually became more limber and expressive.

Despite claiming her songs offered only "blood and guts and A-minors and dark things", this prolific performer is not such an unhappy Gilmore as she makes out.

Her saddest songs are tinged with joy and when they finally cut loose, like a dove escaping a conjurer's cupped hands, they soar with infectious exuberance.

Thea's Thames Valley tones became seductive on Holding Your Hand, soulful on covers of Bad Moon Rising and Buddy Can You Spare A Dime.

She sounded playful on the borderline-bitchy Juliet and buoyant on encore folk-rockers Saviours And All and Heart String Blues. Chatty and jovial between songs, she even demanded the audience join in panto-style to a tongue-in-cheek "ten-bar-blues".

Highlight was a spiky version of should-have-been-a-hit single Mainstream, featuring the chorus: "Are you gonna swim the mainstream?"

She just could, you know.