The Memory Band
Findlay Brown
Marissa Nadler
Ellis Island Sound
Klima
Aril Brikha
Little Dragon
David Alvarado
Dan Bell
Norma Jean Bell
John Beltran
Chris Brann (Wamdue Kids)
Max Brennan
Recloose
Dan Curtin
Roy Davis Jr.
Detroit Escalator Company
Gemini
JosÈ Gonz·lez
Marc Hellner
Robert Hood
Jello
Paul Johnson
Neil Landstrumm
Kenny Larkin
Joe Lewis
Alton Miller
Moodymann
Anthony Nicholson
Lucien - N - Luciano
Ian O'Brien
Theo Parrish
Marco Passarani
Luke Slater
Stasis
Suburban Knight
Ron Trent
Glenn Underground
Underground Evolution
Nouvelle Vague
Readymade FC
Charles Webster
Remix Series
HerbertPlaid
Playgroup
Albums |
Release Date |
|
| 'In Our Nature' | 24/09/07 | |
| SIGNED 'In Our Nature' | 24/09/07 | |
| Veneer | 25/04/05 | |
Singles / EPs |
Release Date |
|
| In Our Nature Remixes | 15/09/08 | |
| Killing For Love | 07/04/08 | |
| Teardrop | 05/11/07 | |
| Down The Line | 10/09/07 | |
| Hand on your Heart | 03/07/06 | |
| Crosses | 10/04/06 | |
| Heartbeats | 09/01/06 | |
| Stay In The Shade | 15/08/05 | |
| Crosses | 14/03/05 | |
Relying simply on his own masterfully eloquent classical guitar and a voice that marries mature assuredness with poignant delicacy, JosÈ creates an inimitable sonic world whose allure is all but irresistible. His achingly emotional melodies and thought-provoking lyrics - all sung in perfect, crystalline English - combine in a manner at once familiar (think Nick Drake, Tim Buckley, Will Oldham) and exotic (shades of Brazilian Tropicalia, flamenco, even the odd vestigial trace of Pampas tango). From these disparate sources JosÈ has conjured a unique and bewitching signature that is all his own.
Born in 1978, JosÈ was bought up in a house that teemed with all kinds of music. His father, is also a singer whose natural taste for Latin American music competed happily with American and UK pop classics; the eclecticism immediately rubbing off on his young son, ìWe had a guitar at home that I toyed withî, JosÈ recalls. ìOne summer dad gave me a thick yellow book filled with Beatlesí chords, and another with bossa nova classics. I spent the entire summer picking out songs. Thatís how I got the basicsî.
After these fledgling dalliances, JosÈ followed his own path, initially playing bass in Big Black inspired punk combo Back Against A Wall, before flirting with hardcore in Gothenburgís Renascence and dipping into indie rock with the unlikely sounding Only If You Call Me JonathonÖ But these rites of passage only led him back to the classical guitar, and, after a series of lessons in flamenco playing, the beginnings of a very personal style. ìI want (the guitar) to be more than an instrument,î he reveals, ìIíve played classical music for some time, as well as flamenco. The flamenco is special in its touch and rhythm, often with a monotonous feel to it. My guitar playing is a mix of all that: bossanova, Beatles, flamenco and classical.
Vocally, JosÈ admits to the influence of some appropriately intimate-toned forebears: Chet Baker, Elliott Smith, Geoff Farina and Songs:Ohiaís Jason Molina among them. Heís also happy to point out the positive effect on his music instilled by listening to such disparate artists as Cat Power, Tortoise and Joy Division.
Although he had a (now highly collectable) limited edition solo single out as long ago as 2001 (and another that year as part of the Gothenburg group Junip) , JosÈís recording career only really began in earnest in 2003 with the aforementioned success of ëCrossesí. That opening gambit was introduced to the UK via the AGENDA label, which followed on to the critically acclaimed debut album, Veneer, released on Peacefrog in May 2005.
Recently, JosÈ has been going from strength to strength- from Sony Bravia bouncing-ball ads to inspirational performances on the Twisted Folk tour, the melancholic tendrils of which have reached as far as Radio One where Zane Lowe and Jo Whiley's radars have picked him up as a definite one to watch.
JosÈ Gonz·lezís story is rare in modern pop ñ a heartening case of the artist resisting the vicissitudes of musical fashion to carve out a unique, intimate style that is all his own, then defiantly following his muse all the way to the top of the charts.
An established star in Scandinavia, JosÈís critically adored album Veneer is currently bedded down in the UK Top Ten while his single ëHeartbeatsí continues to trouble the sharp end of the singles chart ñ and itís a similar story across Europe. Itís uplifting then, in an age of spin, hype and wall-to-wall hyperbole, to note that JosÈís music has required no lavish production (he records on basic equipment, at home), no exotic packaging or gimlet-eyed marketing strategies to make it cherished by thousands. For once even the Sun got it right: ëîIn a world of musical clones, the Argentinean Swede is a thrillingly original new talentî.
In purist rock connoisseur heaven, it should always be thus; but, letís face it, when did the last genuine solo troubadour (as opposed to drippy acoustic balladeer) go so swiftly from critical acclaim and cult adoration to international stardom, while still retaining every inch of credibility? Even Bob Dylan had a few problems with the latter! Ultimately, JosÈís success restores faith in the power of the song and the lone vigil of the singer-songwriter, laying himself bare for our empathetic pleasure. That JosÈ is still in his mid-20s makes his achievement to date doubly impressive - and his future one of appetising prospects.
Relying simply on his own masterfully eloquent classical guitar and a voice that marries mature assuredness with poignant delicacy, JosÈ has been creating his inimitable sonic world since the late ë90s, though his recording career didnít begin in earnest until 2003. His achingly emotional melodies and thought-provoking lyrics - all sung in perfect, crystalline English - combine in a manner at once familiar (think Nick Drake, Tim Buckley, Will Oldham) and subtly exotic (shades of Brazilian Tropicalia -
early Silvio RodrÌguez, Cuban Nueva Trova). His songs are so timeless - you feel like theyíve always been around - yet thereís a clean freshness to JosÈís music that makes repeated listening an endlessly revivifying delight.
Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1978, JosÈ was bought up in a house that teemed with all kinds of music. His Argentine-born fatherís natural taste for Latin American music was only rivalled by a penchant for American and UK pop classics ñ and the eclecticism rubbed off on his young son. After these fledgling dalliances, JosÈ followed his own path, initially playing bass in Black Flag-inspired punk combo Back Against The Wall, before flirting with hardcore in Gothenburgís Renascence and dipping into indie rock with the unlikely sounding Only If You Call Me JonathanÖ But these rites of passage only led him back to the voice and six-string, and, after a series of lessons in classical guitar, the beginnings of a very personal style.
Vocally, JosÈ admits to the influence of some appropriately intimate-toned forebears: Chet Baker, Joao Gilberto, Eliot Smith, Geoff Farina and Songs:Ohiaís Jason Molina among them. Heís also happy to point out the positive effect on his music instilled by listening to such disparate artists as Cat Power, Tortoise and Joy Division.
After these tasteful and diverse influences had done their work, JosÈís rise was meteoric. After untrammelled Scandinavian success in 2004, JosÈ signed to London-based indie Peacefrog, releasing his UK debut, the EP Crosses, in February í05. Press hosannas and some jaw-dropping, heartstring-tugging UK shows set off the proverbial buzz and by the time the debut album Veneer was released in April, word had spread like wildfire. With the press salivating, radio went into meltdown, with more plays on BBC Radio 1 than a play-listed record! Sessions were recorded for everybody from XFMís John Kennedy to Radio 4ís Loose Ends and there was also a rapturous live session for Radio 1ís Zane Lowe that culminated in a wondrously singular reading of Massive Attackís ëTeardropí
Touring in support of the album, Jose reinforced his magnetic qualities, tantalising his live following with another magnificent make-over ñ Kylieís ëHand on your Heartí, which has to be heard to be believed. By the time he embarked on another major UK tour in February í06, Jose had capped twelve months of incredible live shows including a support slot to the Dalai Lama in Sweden - which may just have pipped other bills shared with the likes of Arcade Fire and Juana MolinaÖ
Meanwhile, another cover, ëHeartbeatsí (originally by Swedish band The Knife and a Veneer highlight) was gaining wide currency thanks to its use in the high profile Sony Bravia TV campaign, helping usher it into the upper echelons of the UK chart in January 2006 (it was even a ringtone Number One!). JosÈí played ëHeartbeatsí on Top Of The Pops in January and was the subject of a Channel 4 TV documentary titled Orchestra Of One in early February.
Still full of energy, JosÈ is currently hunkered down with his other project, the band Junip, working with a premier league UK production duo (details to be unveiled in the very near future). The words íworldí, ëhisí and ëoysterí spring to mindÖ
It might sound like hyperbole to say JosÈ Gonz·lez stands poised to seduce the ears of the world, but, as we all know, Swedish musical exports have a habit of doing just thatÖ
jose-gonzalez.com