Asheville’s Jangling Sparrows fly into Blowing Rock with their Roots-y, Americana-flavored Rock, to perform locally atTown Tavern, 1182 Main St., on Sunday, April 28. Showtime is at 4 p.m. for the free show. Guests must be 21 or over to get in. This will be a solo show featuring ‘Sparrow’s front-person, guitarist-vocalist, Paul Edelman.
The Mountain Xpress picked the ‘Sparrow’s recent Mid-December Asheville show as a ‘Smart Bet,’ noting, “the duo (also featuring Dave Baker) are putting some lush, tight harmonies and moody, pulsing bass drops on new, unreleased music and choice cuts from all three (Jangling Sparrows) releases.”
Fronted by eclectic guitarist-vocalist, Paul Edelman, the band’s most recent release 140 Nickels was voted a “Best Indie Album” selection by the L.A. Music Critic Awards, who added, “Watch for these guys near the top of the Americana music scene!”. 140 Nickels has received stellar reviews from national publications No Depression, The Alternate Root, Music Connection and more, plus extended national/international airplay.
The group’s latest single “Highway Jawn” was described by Indie Pulse Music as “fun, rich and dynamic…Paul Edelman and Jangling Sparrows take their sound to the limit and bring you into their world, with a country, blues, rock and folk-inspired sound that captures the listener and takes them on a wild hayride.” Read the review, here.
About 140 Nickels and Songwriter-Guitarist, Paul Edelman
Paul Edelman, singer, songwriter, guitarist, poet and performer, fronts Asheville, North Carolina-based group, Jangling Sparrows. 140 Nickels, Edelman’s fourth release and the second with Jangling Sparrows, comes with exciting new influences that he has coli9ned, “Zyde-Folk”. While staying firmly grounded in Roots Rock/Americana, there are some distinct flirtations with second-line feels on several tracks. From the songwriter that says, “style is just another tool for expression.”, Edelman still wears his songwriter badge on his sleeve with poignant lyrics and emotional delivery. On 140 Nickels he adds big, fun rhythms and high caliber guitar chops.
The album’s title is a reference to the days of being a struggling artist, to “scraping enough money out of one’s couch in order to get a can of dinner or a cheap six pack,” says Edelman, “a call to “bottle that feeling, that earnest drive and integrity of expression that we had for our craft in those days that sometimes gets lost as we grow.”
140 Nickels is also “a love letter to our former selves. It attempts to bridge the gap between then and now, both in the approach to the songs and the songs themselves,” explains Edelman. Building on his last release, North American and Susquehanna, Paul continues his exploration of the theme of travel as a metaphor for emotional distance, time and reflection. This album, however, forgoes the more moody interpretation of songs for a distinct punch of presence.
Edelman can be found sitting comfortably in Roots Rock, Country, Folk, Soul or Storyteller. His lyrics have a way of making people feel understood and his emotional vocal delivery underscores that ability. Edgy and misty, his vocals often go from a holler to a whisper seamlessly and with crisp intention. He has been compared to John Prine, Townes Van Zandt and Jay Farrar for his ability not just to create a picture with words but a whole movie with the music.
You must be logged in to post a comment.