Damien Jurado...

It wasn't so long ago that I posted about Jurado. It was after he opened up for Richard Buckner at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall, a show that was basically redeemed by Jurado's presence. Buckner's headliner set was at best uninspired. For me the revelation that night was Jurado. I had one of his albums but it was an early one and i'd no idea how far his sound had progressed. So lately I've been listening to his newest album On My Way To Absence and I'm fairly enchanted. I think that the word "enchanted" recalls the world of Dungeon & Dragons, Hobbitts and poorly groomed teenaged boys, but for some reason it seems to fit. Jurado's baritone fits his story/songs well and the music feels more fully realized here than on past efforts. The percussion is fuller, the guitar a bit louder. Jurado may be from a folk tradition but it's a sound that's starting to lean more towards the best parts of Bruce Springsteen's early catalog than Woody Guthrie or acoustic Dylan. Check out Damien here

2 songs from On My Way To Absence:

Lion Tamer

Fuel