Artist Discovery Series

Not too long ago, a high-school age Andy Shauf was recording melodies in his bedroom, not even letting his closest friends in on his craft. These days, he plays those once-secret demos for everyone, making his full-length debut with the alt-country confessions of Darker Days. Citing influences like Elliott Smith and Pedro the Lion, the Canadian-bred singer-songwriter combines somber acoustic intimacy with the warmth of twanging banjo, male-female harmonies and hand-claps — plus a little electric jolt, for good measure. Through these understated songs of love and loss, 21-year-old Shauf strides out of the awkwardness of adolescence and into quarter-life quandary. Looks like he’ll be right at home. — Julia Askenase