The Fat Angel Sings

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Grass, Branch & Bone is an evocative name for an album, and Simon Joyner’s “You Got Under My Skin” lives up to the album title’s gritty, rootsy insinuations. In the ’90s, Joyner was a contemporary of Midwest lo-fi folk-rock greats like Will Oldham and Bill Callahan, and his music shares traits with both of those artists. “You Got Under My Skin” is plainspoken and graceful, yet both Joyner’s weathered tenor and the barebones arrangement sound as parched and cracked as the pages of an old book. He’s a favorite of fellow Omaha native Conor Oberst, who wrote Joyner’s official bio, and you can definitely hear how Joyner’s quirky, matter-of-fact delivery affected Oberst’s songwriting. Gillian Welch and the Black Swans’ Jerry DeCicca are also big fans. Grass, Branch & Bone is coming out on Woodsist Records, and that makes sense too; like Woods, he plays American roots music at a charmingly off-kilter angle.

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Nebraskan singer-songwriter Simon Joyner has amassed an extensive discography spanning over 12 albums, and which has earned accolade from some of indie’s greats. Both Beck and The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle cite Joyner’s records as some of their favorites. Most notable, however, is his influence on Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, who called Joyner his “favorite lyricist of all time.” The twang and earnest vocals on his latest song, “Nostalgia Blues”, makes the connection especially apparent.

The sparsely arranged track carries on for over seven minutes, showcasing Simon Joyner’s ability for heart-wrenching storytelling. Over an acoustic guitar and ploddingbass, he describes cigarette burns and allusions to the poem “Hey Diddle Diddle”. He drops sobering lines throughout, like, “All those sweet dreams I watched corrode so long ago.” As if it weren’t already sad enough, his quivering voice only heightens the desperation. It’s an elegant ode to loneliness that doesn’t spare the harrowing details.

Simon Joyner will release his 13th album, “Grass, Branch & Bone”, on March 31st via WoodsistRecords. For more from the album, check out his previous single, “You Got Under My Skin”.