By now, hopefully everyone has heard of Dawes. If you haven’t, I feel really guilty for not letting you know about them sooner. This is a band I was first exposed to last year at SXSW, when they played a great set right after The Love Language and right before The Felice Brothers. And I saw them play again when they opened up for Langhorne Slim at Lincoln Hall in Chicago. Their album, North Hills, has been getting more and more airplay in my household over the past year. Yet somehow all of us at HearYa have neglected to let you know about them. Whoops.
Dawes is led by frontman Taylor Goldsmith, a guy who sings with a ton of heart. If you’ve seen him play live, you’ll notice the facial contortions he employs to get the most out of each and every word. And sometimes he growls into that microphone so fiercely that it looks like the veins in his neck are about to explode. I’ve always had a soft spot for lead singers that sing with passion. So Dawes has that going for them, which is nice.
And North Hills is filled with great songs and great songwriting. “When My Time Comes” is the universal instant classic, but you’ll find the entire album is excellent. It’s evenly mixed with alt-country fare, southernesque rock, and slower folky songs. They’ve opened for the likes of Langhorne Slim, Band of Horses, and Cory Chisel, and I’d bet you a dollar that fans of any of these bands will be equal fans of Dawes. I wouldn’t steer you wrong, and again I apologize for not letting you know about them sooner. Luckily there’s still time to hop on board.
It should also be mentioned their drummer has the best head of hair in all of music. It’s majestic.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Once again you guys are right on….thanks for the introduction – these guys sound awesome. I’ve already checked out their myspace and am forwarding along the recommendation….
I’ve been listening to these guys for a few years. They’re a top notch group, and nice guys to boot.
I certainly hope they do a live session for HearYa!
Looking forward to seeing them at the Double Door next month!
These guys are awesome. Western Skyline…what a track! My brother introduced me to Dawes after catching them on the Daytrotter Sessions Barnstormer Tour…speaking of…when is Hear Ya going to have a Smokey Dive Bar Tour? Saw them open for Langhorne in NYC and I’m looking forward to their return voyage at the Bowery Ballroom next month!
These guys are great. They sound awesome on record but everyone should check them out live. Songs pack a lot more intensity and Taylor Goldsmith can rip on lead. Check out video from their show in NYC opening for Langhorne Slim.
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