CRITTERS was a scaled-down spinoff of Three Times Bad, featuring Sam Caine (guitar/banjo/vox) and Aaliyah Nitoto (vox/washboard), that mined the rich history of the folk, blues, bluegrass, honkytonk, gospel, early jazz, and pre-“genre” Americana traditions. The duo brought a dynamic, intimate approach to its wide-ranging repertoire of original and old-school "dirty American roots" (the Register-Guard) tunes. Channeling the irrepressible good times of the Devil Makes Three, the communal music-making of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, and the innovative/traditional songcraft of Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons, CRITTERS aimed to marry the way back with the way forward. Live shows often featured guest artists, including fiddlers Joan Wilson-Rueter or Jean-Pierre Duboucheron and vocalist/kazoo specialist Tricia Patterson.