the smoke is rising and we know why

For some reason I feel like finding new music isn't as easy as it used to be. I know that doesn't seem quite right, what with the internetz and all, but I think there is SO MUCH information out there that real gems get lost in the shuffle. They get lost in that recently dropped Pitbull/Flo-Rida/Gym Class Heroes whatever. There is,however, one way to find new music that is my personal favorite: the random Twitter follow. In recent months, I'll check my Twitter connections to find a random band or artist, usually located NOWHERE near small town South Carolina, has started following me. I think "Cool! They must understand my vast musical knowledge and be in awe of my pop culture prowess! The appreciator is appreciated! Time to get that resume to Rolling Stone because I have arrived!" Except I only really ever tweet about being hungry or tired...Anyway, this happens to me every few weeks and I find some low quality music, some spam accounts, and then, a gem.

Carson Henley (or one of his dedicated people or roadies or  his mom or something) started following me on Twitter and in gratitude I gave his stuff the old college try. I think I listened to "Never Coming Home," off of Green Eyed Soul about 1000 times (the catchiness will overcome you, I promise.) I was hooked. If you haven't heard of him (yet), Carson Henley is an independent musician out of Seattle, Washington and I'm pretty late in the game in "discovering" him. I'm not just in love with his rugged good looks or in awe that a man exists with the exact.same.hair.I.have. Really, it's because he's got the chops. He comes from a musical family and it seems like he was born to be that rare musician that writes songs and play instruments and sings. Really sings. Sans auto-tune. I know, my heart stopped too.

His latest release is quite possibly one of the coolest projects I've ever heard of. It definitely made him "stand out in a massive crowd of musicians," to use Henley's words. It's called the 100 Hours Project and here's the concept. Henley wanted to write/record/produce the entirety of his new album in 100 waking hours only. Get locked up in a room, write the songs, record all parts of the songs, get them mixed and the record is born. Those unfamiliar with the recording process (and let's not get crazy, I am no Brian Eno so don't take this for gospel) it takes a long time, with songs that were written over months or years with 100s of hours logged in the studio perfecting the sound. Or editing the ever loving hell out of the sound. Or sweetening the vocals. This record did all that (minus the last two bits,) in 100 hours. It's called 100 Hours. See what he did there? There's a trailer for the project on his YouTube channel if you're further interested in the concept.

This blog is about songs, right? So the first single is called "Fire." I'm not certain that it's my favorite on this record, but that's not because I don't like it. It's because all 7 songs compete for that top spot. Not a bad problem to have, right? It's a classic tale of a damn teasin' woman. She's got the singer all worked up, giving off all this heat in the early part of a relationship only to peace out. He doesn't sound forlorn or whiney at all considering the subject matter. It's more of a  "Listen woman, you get back here and finish this thing." Or in his more eloquent wording The smoke is rising/and we know why/so why how you running/when you're the one that started this fire.  The song starts sexy. It stays sexy throughout. It ends sexy. It's got that bluesy, Memphis thing going for it that was lost in the youth of our parents.Elvis would dig it. The music is good. The music video is cute. The instrumentation is good. You wouldn't know it only took 100 hours to achieve this sound unless I just told you.

However, I think the real star here is Henley's voice. The quality in his voice is excellent and a true rarity in pop music today. Even loves of my life like Katy Perry are at best, mediocre singers with a ton of help from auto-tune and vocal sweetening. And somehow, that's acceptable to us. As a professional appreciator, I want more. I need more than the exact same singer doing the hook on every single hip-hop release. But this guy, has got a fucking voice. I'd compare it to Ray LaMontagne without the sadness and with a little less gravel than a young Joe Cocker. It's smoother than that. What I'd really compare it to is a cup of unaltered coffee. No sugar, no candy flavored creamer, and certainly no Splenda. His voice is robust and full. Flavorful without being watered down or changed to fit weak taste buds. It's hot and satisfying. It really shines on this track and this record. While the 100 Hours project is cool, that voice is what really sets him apart from the massive crowd of musicians out there.

Give 100 Hours a listen. Buy it on iTunes and have it playing in the background when you invite a girl up to your apartment. Blare it in your car. Crank it up when you're cleaning the house. Enjoy that cup of Seattle's best. I'd put my money on Carson Henley being a household name sooner rather than later.