Kevin Devine's Magical Indie Power-Pop
The prolific and poetic Brooklyn-based songwriter Kevin Devine (without the Goddamn Band) offers up his latest storytelling indie rock in the studio. Devine’s influences are said to range from Elliott Smith to Pavement and feature growly chunky guitars overlaid with sing-along pop melodies, all delivered invitingly, and crafted with sweet vocal harmonies. The songs themselves sometimes address societal issues, like "Freddie Gray Blues," or in others, cover more personal introspective topics.
He was once signed to Capitol Records for a hot minute, but the deal dissolved when EMI and Capitol Records merged some ten years ago. Since then, the non-stop Devine, with his unassailable overachieving work ethic has done more than just fine, thank you, touring extensively and playing most of the big music festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo. He’s also done several split releases, with artists like Meredith Graves (Perfect Pussy), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), and Tiger Jaw.
This is the title track from his latest record, Instigator:
