Preservation New Jersey is thrilled to present the Division Men in the beautiful acoustics of the 1867 Sanctuary. They are currently on a nationwide tour with a new CD in the works!

This Texas bred, Husband / Wife Acoustic Duo originally formed in Berlin, Germany in 2008. They are now based in Austin, TX. The band is made up of founder J. Spencer Portillo (vocals / acoustic guitar) and Caroline Rippy Portillo (vocals / bass guitar). Their style is compared to Leonard Cohen, Mazzy Star, Julee Cruise, Jesus and Mary Chain, and Tom Waits.

The Division Men’s name was derived from the idea of artists collaborating from all over the world despite the their locations. J. Spencer Portillo spent countless days and nights writing in his apartment in Berlin, Germany. He worked, recorded and performed with artists such as Mitch Hertz, Steven Medina Hufsteter and Fredo Ortiz. Although the collaborations dwindled, J. Spencer and his then girlfriend Caroline continued to actively write and perform together under the already established name The Division Men.

Caroline was born in San Antonio, Texas. From 2007 until 2012, she played bass guitar for Tito & Tarantula. J. Spencer Portillo was born in Los Angeles, California but was raised in El Paso, Texas. His El Paso roots offer a huge influence on the lyrics which frequently present atmospheric portraits of love, life in a border town and death.

The Division Men are actively touring and promoting their album Under The Gun which was recorded at their in-home studio in Austin, Texas. The Division Men have a distinctive sound that has been described as dark, romantic, ethereal, and haunting. Under The Gun is haunting, atmospheric and eerily romantic. Listening to this album transports me to another time and place. I really hope they get to do some soundtrack work soon as I could easily picture their music in a western or indie film. This is my album of the month.—Phil Russell (A Little Bit Of Sol)

In November 2016, the band joined Johnette Napolitano (Concrete Blonde, The (Talking) Heads) as her backing band on the West Coast. Along with Gabriel Ramirez (Concrete Blonde, Maria Fatal) the four musicians will be bringing new music to a much larger audience.

During their tour, Caroline and Spencer lost their RV and many of their belongings in a very severe storm and flash flood near Corpus Christi, Texas. They suspended their tour, and delayed recording of their new album. With the help of many good friends, they have resumed their tour with a truck and trailer.