Preferably Peasant

Time spent in Doylestown, PA led Damien DeRose to hone and develop the twist and turns of his alter ego, Peasant, and his unmistakable songs. In February 2008, Peasant put out his third release, On The Ground, on Paper Garden Records. This is an album that is filled with quiet, catchy folk pop whispers of songs. DeRose's song writing ability is magnificent and the production only adds to it. In the corners of each song you find distant notes and cadences that energize his melodious voice and rhythmic guitar. The greatest achievement is it doesn't leave me half asleep after listening to it (as much of today's folkish music does for me). Certainly this is some of the more hummable and memorable folk music that I've heard in a long time.

mp3: Peasant - Fine Is Fine --> website --> buy
mp3: Peasant - Birds

The Run Down - Saturday February 16, 2008

Well if you live in or are traveling to Philadelphia tonight you will have a multitude of great shows to choose from. At Johnny Brenda's you can catch some great indie hip hop with Food For Animals, Mi Ami, and Pissed Jeans. If that doesn't satisfy your hip hop quota then, swing over to the Tritone to see the Alien Architect. If you like indie rock, I mean really good indie rock, the North Star has you covered with Drug Rug, The Bye Byes, Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, and Movable Type. Finally the Fire has the last day of the Northern Liberties Winter Music Festival and it has a super sweet line up. Illinois, Drink Up Buttercup, Cheers Elephant, Peasant, Crooked Looks, East Hundred, and Creaky Boards will all be performing,

mp3: Food For Animals - Swampy Sumer Jam --> website --> buy
mp3: The Alien Architect - Extracting Easthetics --> website
mp3: Drug Rug - Tiny People --> website --> buy
mp3: The Bye Byes - Leftover Lois --> website
mp3: Ezra Furman - Moses --> website --> buy
mp3: Illinois - Headphones --> website --> buy
mp3: Drink Up Buttercup - Seasickness Pills --> website
mp3: Cheers Elephant - Wide Eyed --> website
mp3: Peasant - The Wind --> website --> buy
mp3: Creaky Boards - Brooklyn (Will You Love Me Forever? Will You Kill Me Now?) --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Thursday January 17 ,2008

Holy Crap! There are a ridiculous amount of good shows tonight. Starting things off in Baltimore, Wye Oak plays the Talking Head with Hands and Knees and Small Sur. In DC, the Rock & Roll Hotel hosts The Rosebuds, Drug Rug, and Carol Bui. Finally in Philly, Johnny Brenda's has a good one in Aderbat, Bon Savants, An American Chinese, and Peasant. Go Music!

mp3: Wye Oak - Obituary --> website --> buy
mp3: Hands and Knees - The Day I Was A Horse --> website --> buy
mp3: Small Sur - Yosemite --> website --> buy
mp3: The Rosebuds - Unwind --> website --> buy
mp3: Drug Rug - Day I Die --> website --> buy
mp3: Aderbat - Come Love --> website --> buy
mp3: Bon Savants - Between The Moon & The Ocean --> website --> buy
mp3: An American Chinese - Panic Pilgrim, Quick Grab Your Suitcase --> website --> buy
mp3: Peasant - The Wind --> website --> buy