I can't sleep…
Sylvan Esso is a 2-person band from Durham, N.C., lead by Amelia Meath (vocals) and Nick Sanborn (electronic producer). (Love the beat. No comment on the facial adornments and hand movements.)
“Rugged, raspy, and roaring with charisma, Halifax’s Ben Caplan is to folklore what smoke is to bourbon. Perfectly coupled. Ben’s songwriting is as bold in range as it is in ferocity. Fueled by a quality of melodrama and powerful lyricism, it’s the romance and the manhood crashing with his voice that gives Caplan a truly innovative and experimental artistry. A sound that bridges the gap between controlled composition and unruly passion. Striding in pace with gypsy-inspired strings amid the sultry tones of clarinet and saxophone, Caplan has marked his place in the Canadian music landscape with a growling spirit similar to that of Tom Waits. Breaking between guitar, banjo, piano, and melodica, Caplan’s stage show is almost reminiscent of a burly and bearded Freddy Mercury; a raging, strong, and exploratory songwriter, it’s the blues in his soul, and the heart in your chest pounding as one that makes Ben Caplan & The Casual Smokers an act not to be missed.” (Source: Audioblood)
Liked this? Check out Ben Caplan’s Under Control.
Find Caplan’s Album on iTunes here.
“Taking a cue from earnest, pastoral folk-rockers like Mumford & Sons and the Avett Brothers, London alt-country/indie folk trio Bear’s Den formed around the talents of Joey Haynes, Andrew Davie and Kev Jones. Bear’s Den honed their chops on tours with contemporaries like Of Monsters and Men, the Smoke Fairies, and Matt Corby before securing the opening slot for the Mumford Boys’ 2012 performance at London’s massive O2 Arena.” (Source: iTunes)
Kishi Bashi is the pseudonym of singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter Kaoru Ishibashi. Ishibashi, 38, was born in Seattle, Washington. He grew up in Norfolk, Virginia where both of his parents were professors at Old Dominion University. He went on to study classical music becoming a renowned violinist. Ishibashi has recorded with and toured internationally as a violinist with diverse artists such as Regina Spektor, Sondre, Of Montreal and Alexi Murdoch. (Source: Wiki)
“NPR’s Stephen Thompson called the Virginia native’s “one-man orchestra” of violin, beatboxing and English and Japanese vocals one of a few standouts from South By Southwest. The Washington Post reported at least one woman openly weeping at a Kishi Bashi concert, and Andrew Bird comparisons are already piling on like so many violin loops.” Read more @ Huffington Post.
Find his album on iTunes here.
“Damien Jurado is an American indie rock singer/songwriter from Seattle, Washington. He quietly built up one of the strongest catalogs on the indie scene, earning high critical praise yet somehow never quite getting his proper due. Nick Drake had a definite impact on much of his work, but Jurado modeled his career on more idiosyncratic, unpredictable figures like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, or Randy Newman — songwriters who followed their own muse wherever it took them, whether fans and critics agreed or not. Many of Jurado’s best songs spun concise, literate tales of quiet everyday despair, which often earned him comparisons to short story writer Raymond Carver.”
His website can be found here: damienjurado.com
Liked this? Check out Jurado singing Sheets.