Today, the dull grey spring morning in London was brightened up for me by an email waiting in my inbox when I got into work. It was from occasional Daily Growl contributor Reverend War Character, with news about Phosphorescent who he’s been "mildly obsessed" with ever since seeing him plug in a fairy light-bedecked jacket at a gig at Barden's Boudoir at the end of last year and proceed to play a set of what he described as “a twilight zone illuminated by Matthew Houck’s plug-in jacket and iridescent songs”
You see, Phosphorescent is really just one guy – the same Matthew Houck - formerly of Athens, Georgia, now of Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn, where he hangs out with other people in bands like Castanets and Dirty Projectors. Sometimes he has some people who play as his band. Sometimes he’s solo. He’s actually released three albums, as far as I can work out, but he’s only recently crossed my radar.
Anyway, the news was of a new Phosphorescent session recorded by the ever-excellent Daytrotter. There are four songs, and since Daytrotter don't like other people posting their tracks, I'm not going to. Here's the link to the songs. Follow it and you won't be disappointed. What you'll hear is lovely, warm Americana, enough bring a ray of light to the gloomiest day. Sean from Daytrotter describes the feel of the music in an evocative way, better than I ever could. Or maybe as the Reverend described him: "the spirit of Mississippi John Hurt channelled through the soul of a hairy NYC hipster". He's probably right as well.
You can also listen to three more (different) songs at Phosphorescent's myspace.
All of this inspired me to download his latest album Aw Come Aw Wry as soon as I got home. I’ve listened to it already. It's very good. I may become mildly obsessed too. Here are a couple of tracks.
Download: Phosphorescent - I am a Full Grown Man (I Will Lay in the Grass All Day)
You can buy this album and his previous two at Amazon.
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