In Part 1 of this post I pointed to a few of my new favorite Canadian singer-songwriters. Now to south of the 49th parallel... and beyond.
Some months back I subscribed to some NPR music podcasts, from which I draw my sources for this post. But first, you need to know about Danny Schmidt.
A Floridian friend of mine who currently lives and works in China put me on to Danny. Danny comes out of the Austin, Texas music scene - long known as a hotbed of really fine songwriters who consistently resonate to my polarity. Geographically, hearing about Danny from Florida via China to Canada is a long way, but in cyberspace it's no surprise for the word to travel.
Danny's one of my absolutely favourite songwriters of this decade. With melodies that unfailingly complement his layered lyrics, Danny's songs stand up well to repeated listening. You can wallow again and again in this guy's metaphors. His descriptive analogies feature a beautiful simplicity. Danny has a natural gift for the songwriter's "show me, don't tell me" mantra.
I met Danny in person at a recent concert. He said people call his lyrics complex; I'd call them rich stories. Danny can turn a phrase that will twist your heart and make you smile at the same time. If you Google Danny, you'll find all kinds poetic comparisons to other artists - but I won't repeat them here. I believe Danny thinks everything in pictures - perhaps that's why he also has a great eye with a camera. This guy's an original artist musically and visually - the real deal. Check him out.
Now, on to musicians and songwriters I'd recommend via NPR - some with an already sizable profile:
The Swell Season: Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova are the powerhouse pair behind a band that have featured a bunch of excellent musicians. The amazing thing about this European pair is that I don't need to hear all the lyrics (though I want to). It's their melodies, arrangements, and soaring vocal contrasts that capture my ear and heart. Listening to Swell Season with my eyes closed takes me away to another place that is helpfully far away from whatever is on my mind at the moment. They are simply captivating.
Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore: Strong lyrical hooks in the first line of this pair's songs will suck you in immediately and take you for a terrifically rhythmic ride on their percussive, harmony laden roller coaster. Give these guys from Kentucky a listen. It's worth it.
Jim James: Perhaps more famously known by the My Morning Jacket moniker, I may be among the more unusual fans who would rather enjoy Jim James solo. With amazing vocal range, each of James' songs is infused with passion many artists lose after having performed as much as he has. I especially enjoy him with sparse accompaniment, and in particular when he strums the much maligned Omni-chord, a digital Suzuki instrument (now called the Q-Chord). James has an amazing capacity to re-invent his songs over and over again by refreshing their arrangements. That's the kind of variety I can love. Instead of the usual artist web site link, I've provided a YouTube video link to the Jim James peace that drew me into finding out more about him.
There are many more great singer-songwriters to be discovered in cyber-space. It just takes some patience and time to find them if you're not in the direct word-of-mouth or concert loop.
-dan silas
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