But the core of the band – principal songwriter Neil Halstead, Rachel Goswell and Ian McCutcheon – hail from England and a climate about as different from the Mojave Desert as you can get. The trio formed Mojave 3 out of the ashes of Slowdive, a band notable for atmospheric post-punk, not American twang.

After three albums – including the recent Excuses for Travelers – the band’s music is only somewhat easier to define as laconic pop, garnering comparisons to Mazzy Star and Cowboy Junkies. With the addition of two new members in 1998, Mojave 3 gained a fuller sound.

Without much in the way of radio airplay, the band has developed a sizeable cult following and hopes to expand its audience with a month-long national headlining tour.

The outing kicks off February 8 in Athens, Ga.; and hits clubs in both large and secondary markets, including two-night stands in Chicago, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.