A duo like no other: The Division Men, the Texan couple Caroline Rippy Portillo (vocals, bass) and J. Spencer Portillo (vocals, acoustic guitar), transport you to a world full of mystical ballads, dark romance, and cinematic soundscapes.
Founded in Berlin in 2008 and now based in El Paso, Texas, they have refined their sound into an unmistakable blend of Americana, desert noir, and acoustic folk. Their songs sound like shimmering heat over dusty roads, like mysterious whispers in the desert—dark, atmospheric, and deeply moving.
In their luggage: their upcoming album (Motor Music, 2025), recorded with a line-up of legends such as Rafael Gayol (Leonard Cohen), Rick G. Nelson (Afghan Whigs), Fredo Ortiz (Beastie Boys, Los Lobos), Leah Shapiro & Peter Hayes (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club), Dana Colley (Morphine), Jacob Valenzuela (Calexico), Roscoe Beck (Leonard Cohen, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson) and Alain Johannes (Queens of the Stone Age, PJ Harvey) – to name but a few.
The press describes their music as “both hymnal and haunting,” “a soundtrack for endless nights, permeated by smoke, longing, and stardust.” Comparable to Nick Cave, Johnny Cash's “American Recordings,” or Mark Lanegan – and yet unique.
Live, every concert by The Division Men is a journey: intimate, intense, and imbued with a fragile, beautiful magic. Caroline and Spencer sing of love, life, and death on the border between light and shadow—an experience that lingers long after the show is over.
An evening for everyone who wants to not only hear music, but feel it.
