What Are You Listening To?

[Ruby]

Here - have a break from him!

Little Moon ~ Grant Lee Phillips (indie folk/Americana/rock/alt) - can't get pics to load!

History: seven releases spanning the time period 2000 to present. This is his sixth album (as Grant Lee Phillips – had other previous releases as Grant Lee Buffalo).

Grant Lee Phillips is another incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist who is equally at home playing his 12 string acoustic as he is the mandolin or the piano, and he has a wonderful way with his voice – it tells such stories! So too do his words, he is lyrically lyrical, and don’t let the gorgeous melodies fool you. Perhaps that’s the differentiating factor, for me, at least – a something extra about the voice that makes it an instrument in its own right without the player having to try too hard; not just someone who can hold a note. Admittedly, he does range from tenor to falsetto and back again with consummate ease, which probably helps a lot!

He has that indefinable ‘something’ that separates him from a myriad other singer/songwriters out there – a je ne sais quoi. Whether or not that will make him ‘commercially’ successful remains to be seen and frankly, I prefer that he isn’t. Not that I don’t wish him material wealth; of course he deserves reward. I do, however, like the fact that he’s slightly quirky, a tad bit dark (despite a certain superficial jollity), and that he doesn’t conform to a prescribed idea, or an accepted norm. I got to thinking that there are so many lower profile muso’s who abound throughout all our societies; men and women who faithfully plug away over the years, consistently producing quality material without the benefit of big bells and whistles – getting themselves out there, performing wherever they can - people who simply love their craft, or who just don’t have a choice – it’s what they were born to do. They’re approachable, unpretentious, and as faithful to their following as it is to them. I believe we should support them wholeheartedly – they work damned hard.

Back to Phillips! In terms of personal history, he’s a registered member of the Creek Native American tribe and also related to Chief John Ross. Paternally, he is of both Blackfoot and Cherokee ancestry all of which may have some bearing on some of the lovely titles of his work – Walking in the Green Corn, Little Moon, etc., although I am of the impression that he does not play on his origins at all, he’s pretty much his very own man and just gets on with the business of making beautiful sounds. He knows the business intimately well, and dives in unapologetically and head first. This is an accomplished musician who is in full command of the tools at this disposal. Although he is patently serious about his career, he has a well-developed sense of humour, and I like that he clowns around some (‘The Sun Shines on Jupiter’). Generally speaking, I like very much indeed!!

1. Good Morning Happiness*** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQe0ig2NZcQ
   
2. Strangest Thing**** - http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/Strangest+Thing/5aceCb
   
3. Little Moon***** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMc_kP_0_z4
   
4. It Ain’t The Same Old Cold War Harry**** - http://grooveshark.com/#!/s/It+Ain+t+The...rry/3JrT1V
   
5. Seal It With A Kiss*** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArUIJQrXY1k
   
6. Nightbirds**** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc-z4NUkjeQ
   
7. Violet**** - sorry, no links available
   
8. Buried Treasure***** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge7R6SZSBn4
   
9. Blind Tom***** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOrTCuSBaoA
   
10. One Morning*** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClmbCOW73eo
    
11. Older Now***** - see below
    
12. The Sun Shines on Jupiter***** - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZhhADmHNNo
    

Score - 4.2/5
allmusic – 4/5

[video=youtube;gWC6IU0T2Bs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWC6IU0T2Bs[/video]