Megan Jean and the KFB: Press

There’s a touch of old, weird America in all of us, I think, and Megan Jean’s voice betrays a marked familiarity with the odd side of life in these United States. Like The Handsome Family, Jean and the Klay Family Band can get down to some serious, rootsy Americana sounds while still channeling a little of the off-the-midway, creepy sideshow mentality on songs such as “Big Bad Wolf.” Jean’s great big, sultry voice is the star of the show, with a smoky, burnt timbre befitting a much more well-traveled soul than she.

"superb songs and intimate sound..."

"...the intriguing combination of Jean’s literate lyricism (and almost theatrical approach to vocals) and Klay’s highly disciplined composition as the backbone of their sparse, but emotionally satisfying style. Those attributes are front and center on their debut DIY debut Autumn."

"...[Megan Jean's] vocals, reminiscent of Allison Kraus or Judy Collins, are strong and soulful, and the duet is tight."

"...terrific pipes...if you’re a big fan of vocalists, Megan Jean deserves your attention."

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Normally, one doesn't hear much mention of grunge bands when speaking with folk singers, but, true to her unorthodox spirit, Megan Jean Glemboski crosses that line. "I grew up in Seattle during the whole grunge thing, and for me, Nirvana is as traditionally American as Hank Williams," she says.

Megan Jean is one-half of the Charleston-based Megan Jean & The Klay Family Band (or KFB for short). Together, she and her husband Byrne Klay (rhymes with "learn fly") make up this self-described avant-garde Americana duo that has made a name for itself touring the country, DIY-style.

"It's 'Americana' in the sense that our music draws from the full American music spectrum," Megan Jean says of their original music. "Folk, country, rockabilly, surf music, punk ... all of it. And it's avant-garde in the sense that we seek out unorthodox elements to add to the sound."

Megan Jean and Byrne first met in 2004 in New York City, where she was attending N.Y.U., and he was attending New School University. Based in Brooklyn, they decided to start a serious band together. The duo soon became frustrated, however.

"New York is such a black hole for up-and-coming bands. It's so over-saturated and no one seems to care about anyone's music but their own," Megan Jean says.

So what was the logical next step for this musically motivated duo? Pack up everything and hit the road. They initially booked 12 shows in the Southeast.

"We were playing once or twice a month and felt we weren't getting anywhere," remembers Megan Jean. "It was like screaming into the wind. Then one day, I said to Byrne, 'Let's just get out of here.' We left our jobs, our apartment, and pretty much got rid of everything to play the first 12 shows in the Southeast."

A short tour gradually extended into a 200-gig trek covering a span of 50,000 miles. The two tasted life on the road and they liked it.

Touring around in a red/green Suzuki Sidekick, the trio eventually began to wear down — and spending Thanksgiving at a Hooters wasn't exactly their ideal lifestyle. They soon happened upon Charleston, and fell in love with the city.

"We ended up playing some last-minute gigs, which got us back in the game," says the singer. "After another year on the road and many more trips to Charleston we decided to call it home.

The couple settled down in Chucktown and released their debut album, Autumn.

"We found that Charleston is special musically. The talent level is so high, especially among female musicians," says Megan Jean.

Neither of them had ever been to Charleston before, but it the small clubs and tight-knit scene enticed them.

"We found an open mic gig at The Mill in North Charleston, and they welcomed us with open arms," remembers Megan Jean.

"There are so many places to play here, and it's so central to a lot of good music in the Southeast," she adds. "Trust me, we've been all over this country and when it comes to music, there's no place like the Carolinas. People really listen to music here. They care about how it sounds more than whether it's trendy or cool. It was a breath of fresh air for us. That's why we live here."

Two years ago, musicians Megan Jean and Byrne Klay quit their day jobs, sold everything they owned, and abandoned Brooklyn to live and tour in a 1998 Suzuki Sidekick, cherry red with one green door, nicknamed the “Touch of Class.” While on the road, Jean dreamt of a man who approached her and said “Hello, I am record deal,” before sprouting wings and flying away. “I thought, ‘That’s so not what it’s about,’” says the soulful singer. “Today, you can do everything yourself—record, tour, and promote—if you have patience. It’s really important for musicians to work outside the stranglehold of commercial music and record labels.”

Following more than 200 U.S. shows, the duo settled here on election day 2009, finding a city hungry for live music and brimming with songwriters. Calling their former New York scene all style and no substance, Jean says, “The music in the Southeast is the opposite—all substance and real talent. I’ve found Charleston very refreshing.”

Hard-core DIY advocates for two years and counting, she and Klay are dreamers now fashioning their own wings. Through a grassroots network of musicians, venues, and promoters, they’ve helped other fledgling bands take flight. And the pair plans to release their own full-length album, Welcome to the Big Top, next spring. Naturally self-recorded, the material tends toward the shadowy side of blues, folk, and alt-country, with characters often in search of redemption. “The lyrics are dark, and I try to keep a defiant streak,” says Jean.