Dawes

“And in my constant quest for truth
I am condemned to facts alone
And though my dreams all lead me nowhere
I won’t forget my way back home”

Dawes, led by brothers Taylor (guitar, vocals) and Griffin Goldsmith (drums) has a great thing going for them.  Taking the best from their local forebears, Dawes brings to mind the close harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young as well as the simple rock instrumentation of The Eagles, coalescing into a tight-knit roots rock group who are unabashed in their love of Americana. If you haven’t heard their debut North Hills yet, I suggest you do because their new LP, Nothing Is Wrong is as much of a partner to it as it is a counterpoint. “My Way Back Home” is a song written about the road, something the ever-touring Dawes has a lot to contribute to.  Yet it’s to Goldsmith’s credit that the songs here sound incredibly intimate despite their new fuller sound.  Ever the modest man, Goldsmith claims its due to writing on a typewriter, an instrument he feels makes every word have to count, no emotions out of place.  And a powerful feeling it is.

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My Way Back Home- Dawes

Special Bonus Download:

Coming Back To A Man- Dawes 

Davy- Coconut Records

Jason Schwartzman has been an extraordinarily busy man. Yes, he’s the Jason Schwartzman from the likes of Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, and more recently Bored To Death, one of the funniest and most quirky shows to come out of HBO’s programming.  Despite his heavy acting schedule, he’s also managed to put the time together for two albums, Nighttiming and Davy. In no way is music the lesser of his talents either, putting together gorgeously textured melodies and contributing most of the instruments himself, he is easily comparable to the likes of Paul McCartney and Elliott Smith.  This song, “Courtyard” builds from a simple acoustic production to something more beautiful and ornate, something Elliott Smith might have written had he not passed away.

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Courtyard- Coconut Records 

Blitzen Trapper- Destroyer of the Void

This little ditty is “Evening Star” by Blitzen Trapper off of their critically maligned Destroyer of the Void which actually stands up well to repeated listens.  "Evening Star" continues along the best of Blitzen Trapper’s songwriting traditions, a compelling narrative of things gone wrong and a compelling sequel to great classics like The Grateful Dead’s “Ramblin Rose” and Tom Petty’s “Last Dance With Mary Jane”.

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Evening Star- Blitzen Trapper