Sixpence None the Richer

Sort

Nashville, Tennessee22 reviews across 6 releases

Sixpence None the Richer is an alternative pop-rock band formed in New Braunfels, Texas, in the early 1990s, after guitarist and songwriter Matt Slocum met singer Leigh Nash at a church retreat. The 1993 debut, The Fatherless and the Widow, used jangly acoustic-leaning guitar pop and reflective Christian lyrics addressing grief and doubt in the life of faith. By 1995, This Beautiful Mess expanded the duo into a five-piece and turned harder, with heavier guitars and a more forceful rhythm section while retaining its melodic core. Tickets for a Prayer Wheel used the EP format for experiments, placing covers and instrumental pieces beside a techno remake. On the 1997 self-titled album, cello became a recurring color and Slocum's arrangements grew more elaborate. The band remained contemplative, but sounded less dour and more accessible.

After a dispute with R.E.X. Records delayed their next move, Steve Taylor signed Sixpence to Squint Entertainment, where the self-titled album was issued in 1997 after a long wait. Its single "Kiss Me" carried the band into mainstream pop, while "There She Goes" extended the run; Squint's collapse then left the completed follow-up stranded. Divine Discontent finally appeared in 2002 through Reprise, Squint, and Curb, with a glossier pop direction and less of the earlier cello-led unease. The band announced a breakup in 2004. Nash and Slocum revived it in 2007, releasing The Dawn of Grace and later Lost in Transition in 2012. They reunited again in 2024 with Dale Baker and Justin Cary for touring and the Rosemary Hill EP, followed by Live at Gruene Hall in 2025.

6 releases reviewed