Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes Much like the man himself, Sean Hayes musical sensibilities defy easy categorization. Just because there's a banjo feature din a track, don't expect it to sound Appalachian ­ and definitely don't expect the tuba to have anything to do with Sousa and his severely metered marches. With his new album "Big Black Hole and the Little Baby Star" the North Carolina-bred and San Francisco-rooted artist continues to embrace the multifarious, channeling Billy Holliday in her melancholy moments or hitting the pavement with broken-hearted wild-eyed friends who take strength in numbers. With subject matter that ranges from Polka-dot panties to innocent death row inmates, it's best to keep an ear cocked to sort out Hayes' lyrics. A masterful songwriter and fingerpicker, the singer plays guitar, mandolin, and banjo.