One of my favorite things about going to a concert is the opening act. It's a great opportunity to hear a new artist and sometimes you end up liking them more than the headliner you came to see! That was exactly the case when I went to see Joshua Radin this fall. I had only heard of opener Gary Jules from the movie Donnie Darko. He is the one who does the hauntingly beautiful cover of Tears for Fears "Mad World" at the end of the movie. What I didn't know about Gary Jules is that he is an amazing acoustic songwriter and seeing him live quickly educated me.
My favorite songs that night came from his self titled album so I picked it up and was not disappointed with the album in the least. His voice is not what you would expect from a guy with full sleeve tattoos, it is very relaxed and has a soothing quality to it. He also is very skilled on the acoustic guitar, picking out some nice riffs not just strumming on chords. But what makes a singer/songwriter album is of course the songs and Gary has penned some great ones on this record. One of my favorites is "Wichita" where he perfectly captures the mood of driving across the frozen plains of the Midwest. Another highlight is "Falling Awake", a song about being a first time parent and the fear and joy that brings. I got to meet Gary for a minute after the show and he is a class act, manning his own merch booth in the lobby and signing autographs for fans. For this reason, and also that his music is damn good, I highly encourage you to pick up this album for a very chill acoustic experience.
My favorite songs that night came from his self titled album so I picked it up and was not disappointed with the album in the least. His voice is not what you would expect from a guy with full sleeve tattoos, it is very relaxed and has a soothing quality to it. He also is very skilled on the acoustic guitar, picking out some nice riffs not just strumming on chords. But what makes a singer/songwriter album is of course the songs and Gary has penned some great ones on this record. One of my favorites is "Wichita" where he perfectly captures the mood of driving across the frozen plains of the Midwest. Another highlight is "Falling Awake", a song about being a first time parent and the fear and joy that brings. I got to meet Gary for a minute after the show and he is a class act, manning his own merch booth in the lobby and signing autographs for fans. For this reason, and also that his music is damn good, I highly encourage you to pick up this album for a very chill acoustic experience.
Track Highlights: Falling Awake, The Devil Keeps Grinning, There's A Hole In The Sky, Wichita
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