This Polaroid demonstrates 3 points about me and music:
- I do the best I can.
- It makes me happy.
- I can’t put it down.
After all these years (that was taken c. 1989) I still play music and write songs, and I’m always trying to get better. I’ve never had an easy time identifying the type of music I make–I’ll let it speak for itself–but I use whatever I have to make it.
I spent much of my teens and twenties absorbed in the music of Bright Eyes, Simon and Garfunkel, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Modest Mouse, Cursive, Miles Davis, The Weakerthans, The Eels, Anathallo, Damien Rice, The Dresden Dolls, Nick Drake, Louis Armstrong, Tom Waits, Iron & Wine, and others.
While I still hold all that music dear, these days you’ll often find me listening to artists like Gillian Welch, Josh Ritter, Bill Frisell, Damien Jurado, Father John Misty, Helado Negro, Jeff Tweedy, Leonard Cohen, Randy Newman, Sam Amidon, The Milk Carton Kids, Jeremy Messersmith, Bon Iver, John Prine, and Towns Van Zandt.
My music can’t help but be inspired by all those different sources, but I simply make what I can make with the tools I have around me. My goal is just to write better songs, and make better sounds. I’m fully aware of how much great music is being made these days, so I just thank you for taking the time to listen to what I put out.