​The band's music has its roots planted firmly in the American South, with lead singer Britt Strickland bringing the soulful, weighty music history of his home state of North Carolina to the City of Dreaming Spires. The southern storytelling tradition made famous by the likes of Dylan and Johnny Cash is very much alive in the Saints' music, with tales of hurricanes sweeping through the Appalachian Mountains and encounters with the devil at the crossroads unravelling in each song.

​The British influence in the band, though, is also unmistakeable. The melodic, ethereal guitar lines that float and weave through the songs create the sort of atmospheric depth that British indie groups have always done so well. Both David Ireland (guitar) and Martin Gallagher (drums) bring their own musical influences to the sound, from the shuffling rhythms and counter-rhythms of groups like the Stone Roses to the twisting, choppy guitar licks of Wilko Johnson. Nick Bennett (Hammond Organ, lapsteel and harmonies) brings vivid roots flavour to the mix.