Heartbreaking folk-informed singer songwriter action. Emotive and naked male vox. A little Middle Americana. Unbelievably, this is the brother of Cody Votolato (of the Blood Brothers). I’m new to his solo stuff, but apparently he’s been on this tack for a while now. Solid and sad. Sigh.

RIYL: Elliott Smith, Bright Eyes, Brent DeBoer, Okkervil River, Matt Pryor, Sea Wolf’s “Leaves In The River”

try: 3, 4, 1
no FCCs

*1. heavy slow strings give way to folky sad acoustic guitar.
2. uptempo, gnashy. shakers and hard strumming.
*3. country-lick vox. great drums (+ machine), tight beat. down home lyrics. road trippin’ through sherwood forest, etc.
*4. needle-in-the-hay style guitar, full sound, striking and bare vox.
5. quick fingerpicked loop line. lilty nighttime vibe. very elliott smith.
6. slow, deliberate strummed beat. wailing harmonica. ends with a vamp: “i just wanna be free.”
7. dark, melancholy, slow. downcycling acoustic guitar melody.
8. midtempo uplift. shakers, easy kit, piano. nostalgic, longing, sweet.
9. stripped down guitar, strained vox. moves into even strums and near-choral doubled vox. shakers, tambourine, etc.
10. sailing, fluff clouds lullaby in 3/4. “you can be free if you decide to be.” ends with 40 seconds of strings & warbling.