Bellwether

by Jason Ankeny
The Minneapolis-based alternative country-rock quartet Bellwether was led by singer/guitarist Eric Luoma and guitarist Jimmy Peterson, who first collaborated as an acoustic duo before recruiting bassist Phil Tippin and drummer John Crist, a former member of the Athens, Georgia band Dashboard Saviors. Their debut LP Turnstiles was issued on the local Rustbelt label in 1998. An eponymous album followed in 2000 and garnered rave reviews from the alternative country underground. Bellwether's third album, Home Late, was the first to be released on their own label Rust Belt Records. By stripping down their sound and utilizing acoustic instruments more than anything else, the record stood out from their previous efforts and was warmly received by fans.