Introducing Joshua James
June 1st, 2008
Well over a year ago, I remember stumbling upon a gorgeous voice while perusing Itunes. Yes, evil Itunes, who charge a reasonable fare for music, though punish buyers by locking it to 5 computers. Usually, scouring for artists under the ‘Listeners Also Bought’ feature is a hopeless venture and ends in a futile waste of a couple of hours. However, during one specific Itunes journey, I distinctively remember finding folky singer-songwriter Joshua James.
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James was born to sing. His voice has a unique tone and once you hear it, you won’t forget it. It’s gentle, airy, calming, sometimes ghostly, sometimes somber, but all in all distinctively his. His music is comparable to Damien Rice and David Gray in terms of its charming and catchy quality. He provides pleasurable guitar and piano-based songs, often layered with various other acoustics. Beautiful full-bodied harmonies resonate throughout the length of his debut album The Sun Is Always Brighter, which will be released on June 3rd. His ballads are perfect rainy day and/or mellow evening sonic stimulus.
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Nebraska-based James, now 24, apparently first picked up a guitar four years ago. A surprising fact given the caliber of his disc. Naturally, one would assume he’s been writing, singing and strumming for years. He is currently touring with popular duo The Swell Season. It’s nice to see James receive attention and exposure in the broader music community. I had first heard this same album (The Sun Is Always Brighter) in early 2007, and was confused when I heard the upcoming June release pitched as his debut. As it turns out, the same songs were remixed/remastered for re-release.
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James’ captivating and unique vocals surely make him a worthy contender for commercial radio play. However, regardless of whether he’s launched into commercial airwaves or whether he hovers the indie-music plane, equal respect are due.
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Check out his stuff here. My favorites are Commodore, Tell My Pa, and Lord, Devil and Him, though the entire album is solid front to back. James’ current tour does not include a stop in Seattle. We will keep you posted when he ventures this way.
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