Vandaveer – Grace & Speed

 

Several months ago I featured These United States, and mentioned how much the DC scene is changing from the punk scene it used to be known for. The new alternative/folk scene emerging is really exciting to witness. Gypsy Eyes Records is among the  best independent labels in DC, and carries many of the artists that are changing the way DC, and the rest of the world, experiences music.

One of their signed musicians, Mark Charles Heidinger, a.k.a Vandaveer, is worth your attention. I’ve been listening to his 2007 release, Grace and Speed, pretty much non-stop recently. It’s great folk music for just sitting back and hanging out. When I’m looking for something a little lighter to listen to than Nick Drake, I put on Vandaveer. Mark has a gift for story telling, and really pleasant vocals. His new sound draws a nice distance from his former rock band, The Apparitions. Tracks like “However Many Times It Takes” are bound to bring Dylan to mind.

Every song on this album, besides “2nd best” which I don’t care for all that much,  is stellar. I can’t even give you a list of my favorites, they are all fantastic. Other album reviews bring to light how the first half of the album has much more solid lyrics than the second half, but I don’t necessarily think that has to be viewed as a flaw with the album. Heidinger shows a lot of song-writing talent, much more than the average musician. Though some songs are better written than others, it doesn’t make his songs bad in any sense, some are just less lyrically based.

Vandaveer is currently on tour with There United States (who he is involved with) in the UK. Go to their site to check out their tour dates.

Grace & Speed (2007)

Vandaveer – However Many Takes It Takes

Vandaveer – Grace & Speed

Live Performances:

Vandaveer – The Streets is Full of Creeps

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJD-io_tgbw[/youtube]

2 thoughts on “Vandaveer – Grace & Speed

  1. lovely! might get to see him in glasgow this week coming. thanks for the recommendation! cheers.

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