Biography
When Damien DeRose turned eighteen, he dropped out of school, packed up his guitar, and bought a sailboat in California with a friend. The plan was to sail down the coast, live in the simplest manner possible, and go at the speed of the wind. The ship never left the harbor, and DeRose stayed on land and started traveling and writing. A few years later, now going by the name Peasant, he'd criss-crossed the US and Europe with his guitar, released a captivating home-recorded debut, and begun to introduce himself to fans around the globe. "Fear Not Distant Lover", a collection of stunning lo-fi folk/pop songs, captured the ears of fans and reviewers alike, who were struck by DeRose's distinct vocals, intriguing lyrics, and hypnotic accompaniments.
In 2008, Peasant signed with Paper Garden Records and released his first studio album, "On The Ground". In 2009, the record gained distribution through Team Love and had songs featured on TV shows including Diablo Cody's "The United States of Tara" and the season finale of "Bones". Also in '09, the music video for “We’re Good” premiered on Stereogum.com and was played on MTVU, and Fuse.TV. While touring throughout 2008-09, he performed and recorded live sessions for Daytrotter, WOXY, and LaundroMatinee. Although the street is still as good a place as any to play, Peasant has recently shared the stage with Cursive, Delta Spirit, and Deer Tick, while stopping by South By Southwest and the Montreal Pop Fest as well. Also in 2009, he squeezed in a full European tour, and released "On The Ground" in the UK and Germany, France, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland.
For his new album, Peasant recorded in several locales, but mostly in the attic of a 200 year old farm house. The record, titled "Shady Retreat", puts together the techniques DeRose learned in the studio for On The Ground, while staying true to his DIY beginnings. It's a gorgeous and ambitious collection of Peasant's best, most exciting work. Sixties-esque guitar and pop songs are encircled with layered harmonies and synths, as Peasant sings his dreamy lyrics with his usual conviction. The first single, "The End", was released in May 2009 and was greeted warmly, with more copies sold on itunes than any of Peasant's other songs.
Instrumentation
Damien DeRose: guitar(s) - piano - vocals -
Discography
Peasant
On The Ground
PGR 002
STREET DATE: January 27, 2009
LIST PRICE: $11.99 CD
BARCODE: 6-16892-94502-4
Track Listing
Part 1
01. On The Ground -2:23
02. The Wind -3:17
03. Those Days –3:38
04. We’re Good -2:27
05. Fine Is Fine -2:29
06. Stop For Her -2:33
07. Exposure -2:11
08. Raise Today –3:12
Part 2
09. Missing All Your Are -2:38
10. Be Free -2:15
11. Birds -2:09
12. Not Your Saviour -3:18
13. Impeccable Manners -2:31
14. You Don’t Know -2:45
Links
| Myspace |
| Official website |
| Paper Garden Records |