Not Style Nor Season Nor Hard-Handed Lesson

Sassy vaudeville folk. First release from an adorable queer singer-songwriter originally from Ohio, now based in Seattle. Think self-assured, good-humored, surrealistic queer fairy tales grounded in the down-home goodness of the banjo. Instrumentation is acoustic, mostly banjo with the occasional guitar/harp/piano/vocal accompaniment, ranging from fast country-western style to bluesier tracks. Likewise vocals range from quick, melodic speaking to boyish, almost nursery-rhyme-esque (there's actually a song about blackbirds in a pie), to deeper, darker crooning—sometimes all in one song. The lyrics are consistently funny, clever, and mysterious, but maybe wouldn't be quite so charming if it weren't for his voice's ability to switch between humor, sincerity, wit, and high drama like it ain't no thang. Play this! Picks: 4, 5, 7, 12 (1, 2, 3 also good). FCC Clean.


1. Guitar and banjo, mid-tempo, "She's a sad, seductive old queen..."
2. Light, waltz-y piano, boyish vocals, builds to stronger piano and chorus of la-la-la's
3. Light acoustic guitar, funny song about how stupid fashion is with a girl's incredulous voice asking questions throughout the song
*4. Richer and more varied voice, love song, beautiful
*5. Dark, twangy blues-country style banjo tune about blackbirds baking in a pie and suicide, awesome "mm-mm-mm's" thrown in
6. Country western banjo, low voice, "one night stand romance"
*7. Echo-y banjo and pretty vocals "I know about you"
8. Fast country style banjo, good twist on "you are my sunshine" with girl backup vox
9. More echo-y banjo, song about his hometown, includes album's more sassy moments
10. Whistling and weird guitar intro, sounds like Nick Cave, dark, crooning, baritone backup vox
11. Minimal banjo, sounds a lot like track 4, good lyrics
*12. Quiet, serious, strings and tambourines accompanying, builds to big arrangement sounding a lot like the Decemberists