“Stray Age“
from the album Stray Age
2008
iTunes
Fans of sleepy songwriters like Nick Drake, Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), and Damien Rice will surely latch on to the understated acoustic stylings of Daniel Martin Moore’s Stray Age.
The release on much-ballyhooed Sub Pop qualifies as an unlikely one. A resident of Cold Spring, Kentucky (population 3,800, at last count), Moore sent an unsolicited package with a demo to the label’s headquarters. Despite Sub Pop’s policy against unsolicited demos, the right hands in Seattle happened upon it and, fatefully, its modest charm pleased the ears of just about all who heard it.
The allure of Stray Age is in its simplicity. Right out in front of gently strummed acoustic guitar and muted (or, in many cases, absent) percussion, Moore’s soft, whispered tone creates. His ditties are keen on observation — on “We Know Where the Time Goes,” Moore implores, “Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving. But how can they know it’s time to go?” — but lean on instrumentation.
“Restoration Sketches,” one of the most striking tracks on the entire album, spurns lyricism altogether, opting instead for the power of an extended two-part harmony.
Much like a tide-pool, Stray Age isn’t very deep, but it sure is soothing.