While Darin Murphy hails from Austin, TX, and is the younger brother of country-folk singer/songwriter Trish Murphy (whom Darin has performed with), he creates quirky, hook-ridden music that bears the influence of '60s British pop and draws frequent comparisons to acts like XTC. Murphy grew up in the Houston area and formed a folk-rock duo with his sister called Trish & Darin. Moving to Austin in the mid-'90s to embark on a solo career, he solely wrote, produced, and performed on his debut, 1999's Solitarium. He has also collaborated with Austin artists such as Goudie, Cotton Mather, the Love Supreme, and Shane Bartell and independently released his sophomore effort, Haunted Gardenias, in September 2001. ~ Erik Hage