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The last two days have been busy in the Paste Studio. Yesterday, Switchfoot's Jon Foreman and Nickel Creek's Sean Watkins brought their new band Fiction Family in to play a few songs, including a cover of Radiohead's "Idioteque" around a single mic.
New York-by-way-of-L.A.'s Hotel Cafe singer/songwriter Joshua Radin
played a five-song set this morning, including the first song he ever
wrote (at age 30!) and a cover of Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me."
Sharing Radin's band was tourmate Dar Williams, which made for a
symmetrical last day in the office for deputy editor Jason
Killingsworth, who's moving with his lovely bride to Ireland. The first
feature Jason ever did for us was on Ms. Williams. She covered
"Midnight Radio" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I hear it was great, but before her final two songs, I had to leave for Jason's Guiness-drenched send-off at The Brick Store.
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Joshua Radin and Dar Williams New York - Webster Hall, January 23, 2009
From the streets of the Village, Joshua Radin has come a long way from his original passion of screenwriting. I was fortunate enough to have stumbled upon his music - intertwined with pensive lyrics and a melancholy tone - a new genre he calls, "whisper rock". This was my second time seeing him in New York. As he walked to the microphone, Joshua seemed happy, stating, "I just moved back to New York about four days ago..."
The crowd at Webster Hall was diverse in both gender and age - something unusual for his shows. A warm "Winter", the first song Joshua wrote, filled the room with a peaceful quietness that overcame the crowd. "What if You" ponders, and has you harshly relating, falling into his music, as if you were falling in love with someone for the first time. The show presented a surprise guest appearance from Ingrid Michaelson singing "Sky", where anyone who has been in a relationship has probably had "the dream". The whole show was not about breaking up or losing your love, but "Vegetable Car" is fun, hopeful and upbeat although his original formula works best.
Dar Williams followed, with some upbeat tunes and a soft personality. The crowd seemed to shift, but her voice kept you there for more. Her stories, songs and personality revealed a cool, hip woman who was blessed with a tranquil voice. I've never heard Dar before, and did not know any of her songs, but my favorite, "The Babysitter" was cute and witty. A perfect ending to the show.
http://thectrain.blogspot.com/