Thursday, November 5, 2009

Flavah Of The Month


Okay, well first off let me correct that title...it should really read 'Flavahs', as I'm going to be covering more than one this time.
In fact, think of this months entry as the flavour, Neapolitan. Three flavours so good that you can't choose just one.
The reason for this change is the odd fact that for once in my life, my 'Rain Man' listening habits have been slightly altered. This change is a result of some personal stuff that I'm currently going through, it seems that with my thoughts being pulled in so many directions it has also left my listening skills a bit jumbled. Normally I'll play a certain artist to death before adding another to the mix, well for the past several months, I keep going back and forth between many artists. So in my new, current state of listening, I've decided to share with you three of the artists that I keep coming back to.
Between the three of these men, I can always find something to fit in with my mood of the moment.
Let's start things off with William Fitzsimmons, or the Mighty Bearded One as I like to call him. When I first read in his bio the line, 'that he is one of the oddest people you'll ever meet', well, I just knew I'd like him! Being of the misfit variety myself, someone being odd, has always been more interesting to me. How can you not love a Charlie-in-the-box?? That's for those of you who remember The Island of Misfit Toys in the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie.
William not only sports a wicked beard but he also writes some incredibly beautiful music too. He weaves together rich layers of music with lyrics that give you a glimpse into his heart and the result for me is gorgeous songs that draw you in and wrap you up in his story. My favourite song of his is 'Funeral Dress', for me, there is just something extra special about this song. 'You Still Hurt Me', is another song that gets a lot of play time from me. Parts of it remind me (vocally), of John Mayer, I especially like how he mixes his sad lyrics with some upbeat music - must be a fellow optimist. 'It's Not True', is another superb song that also has a great video to go along with. 'If You Come Back Home' and 'Find It In Me' are another couple that are on my regulars list. I don't think you can go far wrong with anything by this great storyteller.


Moving to curtain number two, we have Justin Nozuka. At the age of only 21, Justin seems to have lived more than a few lives, I'm basing this on the fact that he is definitely of the old soul variety. Within this one talented man lies the ability to pull off a soul number, a blues tune, a pop gem, or a folk story all with equal conviction and also on par with some of the greats in each of those categories.
As a person who grew up exposed to so much fantastic music from just about every genre, it's great for me to hear so many of those influences in his songs.
What I especially love about him is the fact that he sounds so authentic, the influences are clear to my ears, but the way they play out is all his own.
Some of my faves are 'Golden Train', a beautiful soul filled song, and 'After Tonight', which is one of those songs that I play over and over, such a smooth tone to his voice. 'Be Back Soon' delivers a nice shot of the blues, a porch-style gritty little ditty - fantastic! 'Mr. Therapy Man' and 'Save Him' are another two songs that he sings with such conviction, it keeps bringing me back to them again and again.



Last but not least of the flavahs is Matt Hires. When he sings there is a great sense of someone who is completely at ease with what he's doing. A genuineness that I find really appealing, you somehow feel like he's skipped the big 'edit' button and just sings from his gut. His style reminds me a lot of Luke Concannon from the UK band Nizlopi, I've always loved him for that same kind of raw vibe.
'Honey, Let Me Sing You A Song' and 'A Perfect Day' both fall into this category for me, still both catchy pop-ish tunes, but there is an honest quality about them that I love. 'State Lines' is another addictive little number, while the song 'You In The End', is a gorgeous offering that shows off Matt's beautiful tone. Oh how the real deal musicians make my heart sing and that's what you'll find in each of these lovely men.

Here's a few video links for you to check out -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8_86DCD_Ks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2IoMOQkBx4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jmzoiqNSGI&feature=related