Amidst the shrill and the shriek, the bombast and the bluster, it has nevertheless also been a time for very soft singers to assume a place in the cultural firmament. If I go so far as to say we need them, it is because I do, and am grateful for their contributions: the Ron Sexsmiths, Elliot Smiths, Sam Beam of Iron and Wine, and among the rest, the fine voice and melodious tunes of Ferraby Lionheart, new to Nettwerk Records.
Born in L.A., he grew up in Nashville, art schooled in Chicago, and ended up back in L.A.'s Silver Lake neighborhood. He did a rock band for a while, then found his softer voice and a body of music came up around that. His eponymous EP (available on iTunes) is a transition between the modes and reveals the bridge. Catch The Brass Ring on Nettwerk is a self-produced, masterful debut.
It's rare enough to find a credible singer songwriter from the Harry Nilsson school, with the showtune sensibility woven into a pop mentality. But he's got the unique voice for it, the way that Rufus does, and is likewise a strong instrumentalist, with a lucid and highly developed vision of how things should go.
Our recent conversation portrays a singular character, but it is essentially in the music that he makes the most striking impression, small wonder. So we bid you go to the audio clips before, during and/or after the interview, to be on the correct channel. We think he's one of the exciting finds of the year.
