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Richard Dawson, "Sings Songs and Plays Guitar"
From this debut’s title, the simple typeface and ‘take me as Iam’ earthy tones of the artwork a pretty good picture can be drawn ofwhat Richard Dawson is all about; simplicity. Dawson manages to mergethe territories of traditional English music, Nick Drake miserablismsand a tipsy Daniel Johnston into an Autumn Folk collection of songsabout everyday life. Downbeat Records
More often than not the lyrics stick to undemanding rhymes aboutdaily existence with sundry peculiar tales and close to the bonedomestic stories from childhood thrown into the mix. Sounding a gooddeal wearier than his 23 years Dawson sounds like he’slooking back over a lifetime of memories.
Playingup some diverse vocal styles (and sounding not unlike Adem at points)he manages to keep the whole affair interesting dipping between croakygrowls, wavering full voiced singing and soft whispered lullaby tones.There’s even a touch of Tom Waits rumble on the broom handle bassjazziness of “Jane” and his Swordfishtrombonesnarratives on “Between the long Grass”. Recorded, again simply, in hisbedroom the sound is surprisingly warm, unmuddied and clear of thebedlam that is hinted at on the album’s insert. But when harmonica andthin servings of slide guitar appear on “I Have Walked for Many Days”its obvious that as charming and strong as Dawson’s performances are,it definitely helps when he fleshes those melodies out with otherinstrumentation than his acoustic and spots of percussion.
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