David Vandervelde's "Someone Like You"

This is my weekly reminder to tune in to Sinking with Sylvia and Todd (and Sometimes Matt Dwyer) on Little Radio Friday from Noon to 2:00 PM PST. Tomorrow their musical guests will be Letting Up Despite Great Faults. I liked their debut record, so I'm curious to hear what they're up to.

Each week, they feature an official You Set the Scene pick. Usually I use the pick to highlight a favorite older song or artist because it gives me a chance to write about something I wouldn't normally have an excuse to write about. But this week, I've gotten so much good new music, that I want to write about a new release....

David Vandervelde's The Moonstation House Band was one of my favorite releases of 2007. While pretty much everybody compared it to Bowie and Bolan, it still sounded really fresh and good to these ears. A lot of people were surprised when Secretly Canadian released the first track, "I Will Be Fine," from his follow up album, Waiting For the Sunrise. The early T. Rex influences had been replaced by a super smooth Ambrosia/ 10cc sound (at least according to Pitchfork). But you know what, it still sounded really fresh and good to these ears.

So I finally got the full album (LA stores couldn't seem to get the vinyl). It turns out that the Ambrosia and 10cc comparisons don't fit for most of the record. While it still has a soft rock, 70's AM radio vibe on a lot of tracks, there's some meat too. Some critics have detected a Neil Young vibe, but I only hear (acoustic) Neil on a couple of tracks. You could just as easily compare it to late-era Big Star, the Band, John Denver, Fleetwood Mac or really whatever you want. To me it just sounds like David Vandervelde.

Vandervelde's a young, soulful guy with immense talent. I recommend you check this out....

David Vandervelde's Myspace page.
Buy tickets to see Vandervelde at the F*** Yeah Fest
Download "I Will Be Fine"