The Reivers began their existence as Zeitgeist, one of many melodic, jangly pop bands to emerge from the fertile Austin, Texas music community during the 1980s. Led by singers/guitarists John Croslin and Kim Longacre, Zeitgeist debuted in 1985 with the album Translate Slowly, which included their cover of Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain." Shortly after the record's release, the group was slapped with a cease-and-desist order by another band called Zeitgeist, a Minneapolis-based percussion ensemble which had held the name longer; in honor of the William Faulkner novel, they became the Reivers. With Don Dixon producing, the band recorded 1987's Saturday, followed two years later by the assured End of the Day. 1991's Pop Beloved was the Reivers' final record; after their break-up, Croslin went on to produce the band Spoon.