What makes a decent singer songwriter stand out from the rest? That was the question running through my mind running up to the Aqualung show last night at the Fillmore... Let me take a step back and say that I didn't go to the show as a big fan of Aqualung -- I got a last-minute invite from a friend who got stuck with an extra ticket, so I jumped at the chance to catch a show since's it's been a few weeks since seeing Dredg (see review below!). When asked, I'll admit that I was vaguely familiar with Aqualung -- although I was initially thinking Aqualung was a full band; turns out that Aqualung is one guy, Matt Hales of England, and tours with a full band, but goes by the studio name of Aqualung when he releases CDs.I checked out his MySpace page (here) to get a little more familiar with his material before heading to the show and got myself ready for a nice batch of catchy piano-rock ballads... That brings me back to my initial question -- just what makes a decent singer songwriter stand out from the pack?
There's John Mayer with his bluesy guitar and unique voice, and a few years back David Gray was big with his catchy Babylon song. Back then, it was Gray's unique voice, catchy riffs and an extra little spice with some electronic beats in the background that he'd throw-in.
But in today's landscape, who really stands out from the pack? You need to be featured on Scrubs or The OC if you're trying to make a name for yourself as a singer songwriter!
I'm not trying to take anything away from Aqualung. Overall, he and his band were decent! Definitely a talented bunch. Listen for yourself with these videos from the show below. The video is crap due to the fact that the Fillmore was only about a third full, so the staff could easily see my camera recording with the display turned on... Anyway, the audio's excellent and should give you a taste of what Aqualung sounded like last night!
If you like what you hear, be sure to check out the rest of Aqualung's stuff! I'd also recommend two other singer songwriters who deserve more attention if you're into Aqualung. They are:
Matt Nathanson & Cary Brothers -- take a listen to these guys too.
Enjoy!
