Monday, December 05, 2011

STN Albums Of The Year no.31: Sean Rowe - Magic

New Yorker Sean Rowe is in possession of one of those deep baritone, warm while sonorously expressive voices that can never be put to use in light, carefree songwriting. Guesses as to who it's most resonant of range from Bill Callahan to Gil Scott-Heron; whoever, it adds extra emotional heft to the detailed storytelling with soul, blues and Springsteen echoes that he deals in, produced with a same-room aura and recorded rewardingly close to the strings and voice. Like bar piano lizard era Tom Waits he's wordy and expressively creative even when raking over those old love and displacement chestnuts again. Listening in reveals some bleak scenes being set out (and, true, the odd jarring moment), but it's the wider picture that'll really reach in and tear at the soul.

[iTunes]
[Amazon]
[Spotify]

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