In record time: Building fresh material out of tradition and experience, Hawktail thrives on the combined talents of fiddler Brittany Haas, bassist Paul Kowert, guitarist Jordan Tice, and mandolin player Dominick Leslie. The low-key supergroup (members’ affiliations include the Punch Brothers, David Rawlings, Crooked Still, and “A Prairie Home Companion”) found its groove in the making of its second album. With a tight studio schedule and the clock ticking, the band decided to forgo an album of covers, and work out some fledgling ideas. Hass says they found a new joy in the result, Formations, written in two months and recorded over four days.
Related stories

Soul of Cville Festival
The fourth annual Soul of Cville Festival is a celebration of Black excellence across disciplines. Dance? You know it. Fashion show? For sure. DJ sets? Yup. Live music? Hell yeah. Beyond the performances, dozens of vendors and community partners will be on site. There’s awesome apparel, creative arts and crafts, meaningful mentorship, and a wide […]
C-VILLE Writers | August 14, 2024
Soul of Cville Festival
The fourth annual Soul of Cville Festival is a celebration of Black excellence across disciplines. Dance? You know it. Fashion show? For sure. DJ sets? Yup. Live music? Hell yeah. Beyond the performances, dozens of vendors and community partners will be on site. There’s awesome apparel, creative arts and crafts, meaningful mentorship, and a wide […]
C-VILLE Writers | August 14, 2024

“Pink Floyd—The Wall”
Whether you love it, hate it, or have never heard of it, here’s your chance to see it on the big screen. It’s Pink Floyd—The Wall. Watch a whacked-out superstar musician spiral into an isolated state of paranoia as he relives his childhood traumas. Watch him lapse into episodes of anxious and fantastical thinking as […]
C-VILLE Writers | August 14, 2024
“Pink Floyd—The Wall”
Whether you love it, hate it, or have never heard of it, here’s your chance to see it on the big screen. It’s Pink Floyd—The Wall. Watch a whacked-out superstar musician spiral into an isolated state of paranoia as he relives his childhood traumas. Watch him lapse into episodes of anxious and fantastical thinking as […]
C-VILLE Writers | August 14, 2024

Nathaniel Star
With enough soul-beat samples to make any crate-digger swoon, Nathaniel Star brings heady lyricism with heart to every track he touches. The C’ville local alternates gravel-voiced verses with honey-sweet hooks, moving seamlessly between driving hip-hop and smooth R&B. Writing with verve and witticism, Star celebrates Blackness and sonic expression through rich storytelling and riveting concept […]
C-VILLE Writers | August 14, 2024
Nathaniel Star
With enough soul-beat samples to make any crate-digger swoon, Nathaniel Star brings heady lyricism with heart to every track he touches. The C’ville local alternates gravel-voiced verses with honey-sweet hooks, moving seamlessly between driving hip-hop and smooth R&B. Writing with verve and witticism, Star celebrates Blackness and sonic expression through rich storytelling and riveting concept […]
C-VILLE Writers | August 14, 2024