It’s unlikely that you’ll find me in the Christian section of the record store. Its not that I’m anti-Christian. To the contrary, I’m quite comfortable and proud of my faith. Its more a case of my lack of knowledge in Christian music. Unlike my friend Stephen over at Fishtones.net (shameless plug) I haven’t been exposed to enough artists that resonated with me in that category. Enter Nashville musician Kevin Lawson, who seems to have found a way to rock Jesus-style in a way that will convert any non-believer found walking the dirt roads of Twangville.
Lawson’s influences are probably best described by Tommy Housworth on his bio:
a man equally influenced by Paul of Tarsus and Paul of Liverpool, John the Baptist and Johnny Cash, The Clash and The Cross
The secret to Lawson’s allure seems to be a wide range of influences and sound. From the rockin’ tune “Couldn’t Find The Words” to the rain soaked ballad “Little One” to the crackling distortions of the stripped down “Choices You Made” the album is chock full of rock and soul. The last song on the album, “Tell You Somethin'”, is an excellent example of his soulful side and does a good job of boasting a full range of sound. Check it out here:
“Tell You Somethin'” (MP3)
[audio:http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/11/2/343660/Kevin_Lawson-Tell_You_Somethin.mp3]
On a personal note, I first ran across Lawson on MySpace where I found “Once Upon a Dream” a song about St. Augustine that struck a special chord in my heart. The town that boasts Ponce de Leon’s fabled “Fountain of Youth” and the oldest schoolhouse in the US is an annual retreat for my family and the place where I proposed to my wife. I know… barf! But its true, what can I say. I heard this song and fell in love all over again.
Another thing that drew me to this record was the influence of a Twangville favorite artist, Butch Walker. Walker, who is perhaps best known for his work with Avril Lavigne on her hit record Under My Skin, is a multi-talented musician on his own rights. It’s great to see him lend a hand here.
Other folks lending a hand on the record are Andrew Osenga (Electric, Acoustic and Baritone guitars, Keyboards, Banjo, Trombone handclaps and backing vocals), Aaron Sands (Bass guitar, French horn and acoustic guitar), Paul Eckberg (Drums, percussion and acoustic guitar) and of course you’ll hear Lawson whom wrote all songs on the record also on guitar and lead vocals. The songs were recorded in Nashville, TN from May 29th to July 28th of 2006.
Nashville to Jesus earns a high recommendation from me. There’s truly not a bad song on the album and it deserves much credit for a well thought out playlist. Look for the album on CDFreedom or iTunes. For more, be sure and visit the official Kevin Lawson web site and be a friend on MySpace.
Upcoming Shows
Apr 5 2007, 8:00P @ Vinyl in Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 7 2007, 9:00P @ 12th Avenue Tap Room in Nashville, Tennessee
Apr 8 2007, 6:30P @ Rock Point Community Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee
“Tell You Somethin'” made available for download on Twangville with permission from Kevin Lawson.
About the author: Washington, D.C. area creative by day. Music is my muse. I host Twangville’s weekly Readers‘ Pick.