Donovan Woods

Toronto singer-songwriter Donovan Woods is touring Ontario this month. Woods will be hitting Hamilton, Guelph and London surrounding his two shows during Canadian Music Week. Performing soon-to-be classics from his last two albums, The Hold up and The Widowmaker, Woods will also be playing brand new songs from his upcoming album, Don't Get Too Grand, due out late spring 2012.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for that. In the meantime here is a teaser! Put On, Cologne

"Sparse and intimate, Donovan Woods’ The Hold Up feels like you’ve joined him in a closet full of winter coats so that he can whisper a few anecdotes that belong in your ears only ... Woods airs his neuroses about his shortcomings and wraps them in such a flawlessly charming package that it’s impossible not to root for him. This is an engaging and articulate window into the heart of an extremely unique writer." - Exclaim

"The Widowmaker was worth the wait ... there is something magical about a man and a guitar that doesn’t need tricks to make you keep listening. Donovan Woods has that magic." - HeroHill


Donovan Woods Ontario Dates!:

Tues. Mar. 20: Hamilton, ON @ Homegrown Hamilton
Thu. Mar. 22: Toronto, ON @ Cameron House
Fri. Mar. 23: Toronto, ON @ The Supermarket

Sun. Mar. 25: Guelph, ON @ E Bar
Mon. Mar. 26: London, ON @ Call The Office
- Atrai Cool Kids

taken from his upcoming EP 'Don't Get Too Grand' -check out- Donovan Woods: BandCamp for other tracks and his recent album: goo.gl Facebook: goo.gl 'The Widowmaker' Album on Soundcloud: goo.gl On iTunes: goo.gl Free Download: goo.gl __ - MNE

I’m not sure of many artists that can put out such endearing, acoustically driven music as Donovan Woods. Ever since we stumbled upon his debut LP in 2006, we were caught hook-line-and-sinker but still find ourselves getting reeled in. Woods has a new EP titled Don’t Get Too Grand coming out soon and the lead single from it is ready to enter your ears below:

Donovan Woods – Put On Cologne

With an infectious melody, subtle keys, and rhythmic hand-claps – “Put On Cologne” is a fantastic song perfect for the cold winter air slowly seeping through window panes, doors, and reluctant jackets. Check out his Bandcamp page for more tunes and upcoming info on his new EP - I Guess I'm Floating

It was an absolute pleasure to have Donovan Woods in TheShowTO studios today as he sat down with us to perform a few tracks off his latest album The Widowmaker, as well as a new track “Put On, Cologne”, from his upcoming EP, Don’t Get Too Grand. Donovan discusses life in Toronto, Sarnia, and why the CFL Playoffs are such a busy time for the singer-songwriter.
Woods is a genuinely good guy who knows how to tell a story. When he talked I couldn’t help but listen and his music has the same power to captivate a listener. Donovan Woods is a singer worth checking out live and you can do so by turning up at The Local (396 Roncesvalles Avenue) on December 22 as Woods performs at his only scheduled Toronto show. You can also catch him during TSN’s coverage of the CFL Grey Cup Final on November 27th as the sports network did an interesting piece on the singer and the story behind his song “My Cousin Has A Grey Cup Ring”.
- The Show TO

Monday Links
Posted on November 14, 2011
On Twitter I share links each day to various stuff that I think is great and/or worth people’s time. But not everyone that comes here is on Twitter, so I figured it makes sense to gather up the best of those links each Monday and post them here so that everyone can get in on the fun. Enjoy.

First, just wanted to let you know that this will be the last week to grab the zip file of my fall2011 mix. Click on the link right –> here <– to download the entire mix.

I’m a week plus late on this, but obviously the best invention of the entire year is drinkify.org. You punch in what you’re listening to, it gives you the perfect drink pairing. It is, frankly, genius work.

My friend Natalie over at It’s Too Sunny Out Here put together a mix for October that is just fantastic in every way. While there are a lot of artists I’ve posted about on it, there are also a ton of new faces she features that are excellent. I mean that, but my favorite tune is easily that Okkervil River jam- that’s a good one.

One of the bands I’ve most loved discovering this year has been Milo Greene. They recently stopped by NPR and did a Deskless Concert on the rooftop and it’s absolutely amazing. I absolutely cannot wait to hear their debut full length that’s to come out in the spring of 2012.

Since being introduced to his music a few months ago I’ve been absolutely enamored with the smart, clever songwriting of Tyler Lyle. My buddy Jamie over at Sounds for the Soul did an interview with Lyle that only serves to make me more impressed and more intrigued by him and his work.

Canadian songwriter Donovan Woods has been talking about an EP he’s been working on for the last few months and this last week CBC Radio 3 premiered a track from it titled ‘Put On, Cologne.’ I’ve been eagerly awaiting the EP, which is due sometime this winter, and this small taste only heightens that anticipation.

In other album teaser news, Nathaniel Rateliff dropped a small little nugget of a preview of new music he’s working on via Sounds on 29th’s Facebook page. This is another album I absolutely cannot wait to hear.

Hey Marseilles has a new 7?, Elegy, coming out this week and they stopped by a local Seattle tv station King5 to play the title track. It’s a lovely little tune and they are yet another band I can’t wait to hear an upcoming full length from in 2012. Bonus: the beginning of the video seems sort of like one of those SNL parodies of local morning shows.

The Barr Brothers stopped by The Wild Honey Pie to record a Buzzsession for the site. It’s perfect in about every way, honestly. Head on over to check out the videos and grab the free MP3s.

Room 125 Productions has been slowly releasing videos from their stunning session with Drew Grow & the Pastors’ Wives over the last week or so and now all 5 videos are up. Below is the video for ‘It All Comes Right,’ one of my favorite songs from the last few years, which is brilliant and features a fascinating discussion at the end of it about the selling of songs for use in advertising.


I went digging through the Take Away Show archives last night and uncovered this Stars set from earlier this year that is just wonderful and features my favorite song by them, ‘Your Ex Lover Is Dead.’ It’s been too long since I’ve listened to Stars.

After posting that Basia Bulat song yesterday I went through the backlog of sessions from Yours Truly, which is something I’d encourage everyone to do. ‘In the Stream’ by S.Carey is among the most perfect songs for autumn I know. Enjoy. - Songs for the Day

Sarah Slean in conversation about her classical side. A couple of listener requests in the jazz realm for Kelly Craig Sextet and Dean Pallen. Concerts happening in Ottawa and Thunder Bay tonight from Camp Radio and Alaska Army Band, respectively, plus my favourite folk song of the year from Donovan Woods and another from The Weather Station.

Playlist - Saturday, December 10, 2011
Theme: SHOULD'VE COME OVER - Hilotrons
PUT ON, COLOGNE - Donovan Woods
TRAVELLER - The Weather Station
ITEM #1 - Sarah Slean intvu
NAPOLEON - Sarah Slean
CHEATS ON ME ALL THE TIME - Alaska Army Band
ID: byJessica_Fast_ChrisPage
GIRL WHO STOLE MY MOTORBIKE - Camp Radio
CHILLAXIN' - Kelly Craig Sextet
SONG FOR THE LAST GIRL STANDING - Dean Pallen - CBC

Photo and MP3 Posted - Celar Dork

6am Repeat is a recurring feature here at Folk Hive in which we stream the latest track that plays incessantly in the earbuds when we awake at that hour and imbibe massive amounts of coffee and cigarettes in preparation for the advancing day. Consider it your jam of the day — a sweet, sweet gift from me to you. I love you, dude. Yesterday, it was my brought to my attention that one Mr Donovan Woods, resident of Canada, excellent songwriter, had recorded a [...] - ELBO.WS

6am Repeat is a recurring feature here at Folk Hive in which we stream the latest track that plays incessantly in the earbuds when we awake at that hour and imbibe massive amounts of coffee and cigarettes in preparation for the advancing day. Consider it your jam of the day — a sweet, sweet gift from me to you. I love you, dude.Yesterday, it was my brought to my attention that one Mr Donovan Woods, resident of Canada, excellent songwriter, had... - MP3 Blogger

taken from his upcoming EP 'Don't Get Too Grand' -check out- Donovan Woods_ BandCamp for other tracks and his recent album_ goo.gl Facebook_ goo.gl 'The Widowmaker' Album on Soundcloud_ goo.gl On iTunes_ goo.gl Free Download_ goo.gl - First Post

Sure there’s a hint of acoustic-pop to “Put On Cologne,” there’s also an airy focus hidden within a shell of confident songwriting. This is a very fitting song for colder weather and longing emotions.

Somewhere between The Weepies and Glen Hansard there has been sitting vacant a space for Donovan Woods to fill.
- Hey Cool Kid

Donovan Woods is one of my favourite musicians in all of the Great White North (Canada for you foreigners). He actually has been for a few years now. So when he offered to guest post his list of the 10 tracks that really did something for him this year, it was exciting and I was very interested into what make Woods tick.

Well I have to say I was surprised on a few of them but then sat back and thought to myself that while I might still be “Mr. Slowcoustic” that isn’t my only side, hell, I’m multi-faceted damn it! Turns out, so is Mr. Woods. If nothing else I think I want to know him more now. I mean, look/listen to this guy…don’t you want to know more?

*above image stolen from Tympanogram, just because.

“Put on Cologne” – Donovan Woods
(from his upcoming EP ‘Don’t Get Too Grand’)
((…and if you don’t “get” the song title, you aren’t smart enough for Donovan Woods’ Twitter feed))
Find more of his most recent release, The Widowmaker on his bandcamp page HERE.



~~~

Eleven Songs I Got Big-Time Into This Year (in no meaningful order)
~~~

10. We Owned The Night – Lady Antebellum



This song is completely perfect. I heard it in a coffee shop then sang it to a person I know who likes new country radio stations and they told me what it was. That is not to say that I don’t like new country radio stations; I do, very much. I just hadn’t heard this song yet. Country music stations are one of the most efficient ways to learn about songwriting. Popular country songs are formed perfectly for mass human enjoyment. Their pre-choruses hit and you brain goes, “oh man, here comes the chorus!” It’s like watching American football. Suddenly you care intensely but you have no idea why. I mean, say what you want about “country” content, their delivery is second to none. This song excels beyond most. The verse melody is stupid good, there’s a guitar riff that you can’t possibly not hum, a guy and a girl sing in perfect harmony, and the words aren’t dumb. Don’t be greedy; what more do you want in your life?

9. Crew Love – Drake


The guy says “Cause they’re lovin’ the crew” so much that it starts to not sound like actual words. But I got into that! This song is formed so dumb it’s amazing. Listen to it in good headphones and it feels like you’re having inner-ear problems. I can’t relate to one word in this song. I don’t fly girls in from Poland because they want to hang out with my group of friends. I can’t think of any active haters who’re affecting my life. But it makes me feel cool as hell. It also feels extraordinarily modern and I like that in my ears while I’m leaving work or while riding the subway, pretending I’m too good to be riding the subway.

8. Change the Sheets – Kathleen Edwards


This is what I’m currently big-time into. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a songs person. I will listen to a song over and over on repeat until I can’t stand it. Then I don’t listen to it for months. Then it comes back. That is what my brain asks me to do and that’s what I’m presently doing with this song. I love her singing. I love what she does at the end of lines. She’s tough. She is just the best. I’ve loved all her records and I’m certain I’ll love her new one. I know someone who is in her family and they told me she’s heard my records and thought they were OK. If this is true, I am happy.

7. Behave – Robyn Dell’Unto



This song has been stuck in my head for many months. (side-note: I’ve also had The Odd Couple theme song stuck in my head for a decade, so it’s in good company). This is the only person on this list that I know and can email and I did email her when I first got into this song. She is just an absolute pleasure to listen to. Robyn’s voice is so reassuring and personal and always in a register that my brain likes. The beginning of the 2ndverse is when it becomes my jam. It’s kind of indifferent and wistful and sad, but so sweet sounding. The chorus is so satisfying, the way it trails out. This is a good song.

6. Here and Heaven – Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile


This shit is ridiculous. My Favourite song of the year, hands down. It’s devastating in content and delivery. It’s also devastating in that I’ll never achieve anything quite like it even if I try and try and try… I’ll die and never do it.

5. A Man Don’t Have to Die – Brad Paisley


I read a profile of Brad Paisley in The New Yorker and if you’ve ever read their profiles you know there’s always a point where you learn something vile and hideous about the subject’s life. It turned out though, to just be about how awesome Brad Paisley is. I could not agree more. Not all of his songs do it for me (sometimes the narrative is too sappy or patriarchal or alcohol soaked) but the good ones do it real good. This is a good one. It’s about as close as country radio can get to playing a protest song. That’s my opinion!

4. Rainbow in the Dark – Das Racist


I run on the treadmill to this song and it always refreshes me when it comes on. It’s not especially inspiring or anthemic (which I don’t think is actually a word). There’s just something about it that traps my brain in a good way. I’ve done so much thinking about the lyrics to this song and that’s really something because most of them are near nonsense: “Peep us at the Grammy’s we’d like to thank G-chat, we’d like to thank weed rap. The best rapper is b-real – jokes, it’s us, come on, be real.” About 2 minutes in, the song really plateaus right when the guy raps, “you couldn’t see me like a Cuban playin‘ hockey. Cracker into chocolate, that’s human Pocky”. He gets into a rhythm that’s right on the beat and incredibly satisfying. Songs “plateauing” and becoming suddenly, momentarily, blissfully perfect is one of my favourite subjects to discuss. A great example of a song hitting a perfection plateau is The Band’s “Rag Mama Rag” when Levon sings, “Hail stones beating on the roof, the bourbon is a hundred proof…”. Give that a listen and see what I’m getting at.

3. Anti-Pioneer – Feist


This is the type of song that Feist seems to be able to write at her leisure. I cannot get enough of it. The chorus melody and the way she drags it out even though we know where it’s headed? Come on. It’s beautiful and wistful and sad and reassuring. This woman is the best there is. You hear guitar parts all over her record and think “that’s so awesome, who’s playing that?” Then you see her on TV and she plays them all. All the riffs you were interested in, she plays while singing and being cool as hell. Her new record is just full of great songs, recorded and arranged greatly. Song after song, she is extraordinary.

2. Murder to Excellence – Jay-Z and Kanye West


This is the type of confident, swaggering production that makes Kanye the best. It’s not even really in tune. It doesn’t matter. Try not to nod your head with purpose when this comes on. So many of his tracks are completely undeniable. “Lucifer” off Jay-Z’s Black Album is another of myriad examples. Put them on and boom – you’re into it. They change your mind. He understands what makes people feel cool.

1. Johnny Cash – Fred Eaglesmith


This is a song off Fred Eaglesmith’s forthcoming record “6 Volts”. I’ve only heard it live, once, in Guelph Ontario. It’s essentially just Fred admonishing us for getting so into Johnny Cash while he was dying, then dead. “The radio station plays him all the time, too bad they never played him when he was alive, oh you sure do like Johnny Cash now.” It’s angry, almost uncomfortable and it’s rad. Fred is, I give you my word, one of the best songwriters in the world. His songs have been recorded by huge country stars like Alan Jackson and by whiny folk losers like me. If you’ve never seen him, do so if you can. His band is how I dream my non-existent band will one day sound. - Slowcoustic

Thanks again to IGIF for this one. But anywho, Woods has a new EP titled “Don’t Get Too Grand” coming out soon, and the lead single, “Put on Cologne”, is available for free download. Enjoy.

mp3:Donovan Woods – Put On Cologne - Tell All Your Friends

Having lived in the chilly Northeast my entire life winter simply means one thing: hibernation. The one good thing about the cold and snow though is that folk music and acoustic jams slowly make their way back into my most listened to track list. This newest discovery by Donovan Woods is pure, simple as that. "Put on Cologne" is the lead single off of Woods new EP titled Don’t Get Too Grand coming out soon.

Head on over to I Guess I'm Floating to listen to this gem, I promise you will not be disapointed.

If you are on my level, feelin' this track, check out his 2010 EP Widowmaker down below. - Dual Coast Record Club

Having lived in the chilly Northeast my entire life winter simply means one thing: hibernation. The one good thing about the cold and snow though is that folk music and acoustic jams slowly make their way back into my most listened to track list. This newest discovery by Donovan Woods is pure, simple as that. "Put on Cologne" is the lead single off of Woods new EP titled Don’t Get Too Grand coming out soon.

Head on over to I Guess I'm Floating to listen to this gem, I promise you will not be disapointed.

If you are on my level, feelin' this track, check out his 2010 EP Widowmaker down below.
- Zimbio

There are any number of cliche words I could use to describe the music of Donovan Woods (heartbreaking, sincere, engaging and honest come to mind first, in case you were wondering) but none of then precisely explain why I love what he produces. I don’t have one that does, quite honestly, I just know that there’s something about the songs he writes that strike a chord in me, something about the warm urgency in his voice and the lush sounds he coaxes from the guitar and piano that back him up. That something is on full display during this take of ‘Put On, Cologne’ that he did for the Studio A Sessions.

Donovan Woods is currently putting the finishing touches on the EP from which ‘Put On, Cologne’ comes, Don’t Get Too Grand. You’ll certainly hear about it once it comes out, but until then you should do yourself a huge favor and check out the brilliant album he put out in 2010, The Widowmaker. Enjoy.
- Song For The Day

Donovan Woods | Put On, Cologne

This new track from Donovan’s upcoming Don’t Get Too Grand EP follows last year’s incredible full-length release The Widowmaker, which some of you may recall was my favorite album of 2010. I couldn’t get enough of the guy then, and I certainly can’t get enough of this track now, so it’s looking pretty good for 2012 releases.

Look for a Donovan Woods post sometime later this week over at Slowcoustic. and if you’d like to grab this track, you can head over to Herohill. Or find him at his website. Check out a repost of a vid for Lawren Harris (off The Widowmaker) below. Magic. - 1000x/minute

It seems we’ve been yelling from the mountain top about Donovan Woods, and sadly we’ve only heard our weary voice echo back. I get it; Donovan seems like a reserved, understated guy and his last record, The Widowmaker was delayed and the momentum he built up was engulfed by the blog world’s perpetual energy and need for fresh songs, but it seems like music fans are missing something special.



Thankfully, I think Woods has finally turned the corner. He performed to a National audience during Grey Cup weekend (and was the second most exciting part of the weekend), and we just found out he’s got a new EP slated for early in the new year.



For those new to Woods and his music, he’s a man that doesn’t need tricks. He relies on more straightforward tools like heartfelt emotion, gentle picks of an acoustic, subtle instrumentation and a gruff voice that offers a startling tenderness. Donovan’s music isn’t influenced by trends, hot sounds or crowded arrangements used to mask any imperfections or mediocrity. No, Woods presents his heart clearly, proudly and accompanied by some of the most affecting melodies you’ll hear. Woods is a charming performer and a natural story teller. Basically, if we were still in college and Woods played songs for your girlfriend in the dorm when you weren’t around, you’d probably be single by the time he strummed his last chord.



So, do yourself a service and grab the first taste of his new EP, “Put On, Cologne.” It’s the type of song you hold close and let become a part of you. The gentle piano and acoustic float around the room and set the stage perfectly for Woods tale. Great stuff.
- Herohill

6am repeat :: donovan woods // ‘put on,cologne’ studio a sessions

6am Repeat is a recurring feature here at Folk Hive in which we stream the latest track that plays incessantly in the earbuds when we awake at that hour and imbibe massive amounts of coffee and cigarettes in preparation for the advancing day. Consider it your jam of the day — a sweet, sweet gift from me to you. I love you, dude.



Yesterday, it was my brought to my attention that one Mr Donovan Woods, resident of Canada, excellent songwriter, had recorded a live version of ‘Put On, Cologne’ for Studio A Sessions. It’s a lovely performance. I’ve been listening to it all morning. After a sleepless night, the reasons for which I cannot fathom, this is a bandaid this morning…

** - Folk Hive

6am repeat :: donovan woods // ‘put on,cologne’ studio a sessions

6am Repeat is a recurring feature here at Folk Hive in which we stream the latest track that plays incessantly in the earbuds when we awake at that hour and imbibe massive amounts of coffee and cigarettes in preparation for the advancing day. Consider it your jam of the day — a sweet, sweet gift from me to you. I love you, dude.



Yesterday, it was my brought to my attention that one Mr Donovan Woods, resident of Canada, excellent songwriter, had recorded a live version of ‘Put On, Cologne’ for Studio A Sessions. It’s a lovely performance. I’ve been listening to it all morning. After a sleepless night, the reasons for which I cannot fathom, this is a bandaid this morning…

** - Folk Hive

Haha, if you ever decided to type bestsongwriter.com into your Google bar, you’ll be leaded to the Bandcamp page of Toronto singer-songwriter, Donovan Woods. I don’t know if he’s the best songwriter ever but his songs are honest and endearing. In Put On Cologne there are simple hooks, light guitar and gentle touches of piano.
Donovan Woods- Put On Cologne - Ride The Tempo

An immensely talented songwriter, Donovan Woods, shared a new song a while back as well as news about a new EP that’s on the way. It’s every bit as charming and thoughtful as his debut release (stream The Widowmaker here) and I’m not alone in looking forward to what he’s planning for 2012. This song laments the point at the end of a relationship where it’s hard to admit to yourself that it is the end and that she probably has some “stupid european boyfriend”. We’ve all been there, some more literally than others.

“All your letters deeply in my core, telling me to go and see if there’s anything more.”

Pair With: A beer to drown out all the European boyfriends of the world. Try Stone’s Ruination. It’s big, bold, and bitter.
- BrewerySessions

Rustic Songs written with pristine precision. - The Grid

I’m not sure of many artists that can put out such endearing, acoustically driven music as Donovan Woods. Ever since we stumbled upon his debut LP in 2006, we were caught hook-line-and-sinker but still find ourselves getting reeled in. Woods has a new EP titled Don’t Get Too Grand coming out soon and the lead single from it is ready to enter your ears below.

With an infectious melody, subtle keys, and rhythmic hand-claps – “Put On Cologne” is a fantastic song perfect for the cold winter air slowly seeping through window panes, doors, and reluctant jackets. Check out his Bandcamp page for more tunes and upcoming info on his new EP - IGuessImFloating

An uncommonly gifted folk-pop storyteller. - Toronto Star

Sisterly advice moves in mysterious ways — often in ways that maybe needn’t necessarily be misconstrued on first blush as mean — but it probably bears heeding nonetheless.

It did in the case of Donovan Woods, anyway. At the impressionable age of 14, the Toronto singer/songwriter received a merciless evaluation from his own flesh and blood that, however much it might have stung in the moment, is most likely the reason you’re reading about him right now.

“I started playing the guitar because my sister told me I wasn’t good-looking enough to not have an instrument,” he laughs. “‘You’ve gotta get some sort of tertiary ability, because. . .’ It was a bitchy thing to say, but I’m glad she said it.”

Woods promptly armed himself with a guitar and began writing songs as prolifically as his own ruthless self-editorship would, for at least another decade, dictate their abrupt dismissal.

He wrote, by his own estimation, “probably 5,000 bad songs before I wrote my first good one, and I knew they were sh--y so I hated them.” Four years ago, though, his internal filter relented and Woods finally scraped together nine tunes — one “reasonable” piece of writing short of a personal mark set at 10 — deemed worthy of recording and releasing beyond an encouraging inner circle of friends as his debut album, The Hold Up. And caught a break, quite unintentionally, right away.

“My Cousin Has a Grey Cup Ring,” a succinct, sad acoustic ditty inspired by a cousin of his father who had played defensive tackle for the Montreal Alouettes during the late 1970s, wriggled past a few fortunate gatekeepers during the 2007 CFL playoffs to turn up in a handful of radio and TV broadcasts and has since modestly established itself as a Cup-time perennial. Entirely on its own merits. There might be a dearth of CFL-related material out there for the pillaging, but as CanCon sports anthems go, “Grey Cup Ring” is even more of a downer than “50 Mission Cap” and positively funereal compared to “The Hockey Song”; the song gets played every year because people love it.

“It’s a funny thing to have written a song that everybody knows. That’s very odd to me,” says Woods.

He has subsequently seen enough tangible benefits from having a song that counts as “part of actual Canadian culture” to break even on The Hold Up — “Brand New Gun,” for instance, became the “love theme” for the Matthew Perry opus Numb — and thus scrape together enough piecemeal studio time to complete a follow-up this fall entitled The Widowmaker.

It is, in Woods’s own words, “a push forward but nothing crazy or anything,” allowing a couple of guest vocalists and a smattering of organ or electric guitar or percussion here and there intrusion into his bare-bones aesthetic but mostly leaving his laconic, adroitly sketched human vignettes — a conversation with the father of a fondly remembered old flame on “Your Daughter, John,” for instance, or an unwitting flare-up of envy for another man’s expensive headgear on “How Much is That Hat?” — as unadorned and unfussy and real as he’s always intended them to be.

“One thing I try to do is really make a conscious effort to not say anything in a song that I haven’t said in actual conversation,” says Woods. “I try to make things poetic mostly in the economy of the language. I try not to write anything flowery. If I can’t hear it coming out of my own mouth or somebody else saying to me in relation to the story, I won’t put it in the song. I take things out all the time. There’s a couple of lines on the first album that I hear and I go, ‘Aaw, f---, I wish we didn’t put that in.’ But we were really rushed.

“I try to make sure it’s all conversational. Not necessarily dialogic, but I want it all to be things that you’ve heard people say.”

Woods’ sister’s advice has paid off, by the way. Sort of. His literate sensitivity also has going for it one of those breathy indie-folk-singer voices that lures the ladies en masse to lads with far less to say, such as Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson, to the point that his MySpace following is nearly 60 percent female. Unfortunately, the singer still doesn’t always measure up to the ideal suggested by the song.

“When people do meet me, people who’ve listened to the records, they’re always like, ‘I expected some corduroy-wearing, little skinny guy,’” he says. “Somebody wrote on the Internet: ‘I met him. He looks like a plumber.’ What? That’s terrible. I don’t look like a plumber.” - Toronto Star

The passion that Donovan Woods is able to pack into an acoustic driven track in pretty unbelievable. His vocals are flawless and his attention to detail and minimalism is astounding. - TheMuseInMusic

“Lawren Harris” is a track that cuts to the core. Simple and unassuming. Tender lyrics placed over nothing more than a slightly distorted guitar. I might get shot for this comparison but Donovan Woods has a voice that sounds similar to Rob Thomas during his more solemn songs. A little raspy but with less vibrato.

The odd thing is that I actually know someone named Lauren Harris – married name not maiden name. Maybe he knows her too and wrote the song after the wedding and just changed the U to a W in hopes that no one would figure it out. Oh, I’m on to you Woods!

“Lawren Harris” is from Woods’ forthcoming album The Widowmaker. A release date of which I have yet to find. - TheMuseInMusic

Donovan Woods // The Widowmaker [mp3] Best of 2010: 20 11

While I’m still not sure if the album’s title is a reference to the mountain or the artery, this collection of a dozen tracks by this Canadian artist were some of the most poignant and affecting of the year. I suppose, in that way, the title has to refer to the heart. -A - Tympanogram

Donovan Woods’ “Lawren Harris” is truly a magical tune. I don’t know how he isn’t a bigger artist yet. The power of “Lawren Harris” alone should be enough to propel this man to huge fame and glory. If you need a refresher, here’s the post I did on it.

I just came across this breathtaking version he did for Southern Souls. He sings it live at an empty theater, giving his voice the necessary space to haunt and grow. If this doesn’t convince you that this song is one of the best of 2010, than I give up. - WeAllWantSomeoneToShoutFor

I got quite a talent to share with you guys. Meet Donovan Woods. Get ready to be moved to your emotional core.

Donovan Woods is a Canadian singer-songwriter from Sarnia, Ontario. He sings tender folk songs that are hauntingly beautiful, brought together by the purest human emotions. One listen to “Lawren Harris” is all it takes. It’s already too late, you’re now his newest fan. It’s just honest and endearing in every way. We really do need more music like this.

Donovan Woods may just be the sleeper artist of 2010. He’s about to stand shoulder to shoulder with Bon Iver.

“Lawren Harris” is off his soon to be released new album The Widowmaker. Can’t wait to play the full album tonight. - WeAllWantSomeoneToShoutFor

There isn’t anything overly complex about Canadian singer/songwriter Donovan Woods‘ music other than all the different emotions that pour forth from the speakers allowing his acoustic guitar and tender voice to hit your ears. His voice reminds me a bit of Ben Otwell from Gomez on occasion and the instrumentation and guitar work on his tracks are so mellow that your focus goes immediately back to the honesty in his voice. There’s no tricks here .. just a man pouring it all out for us to enjoy.

Donovan Woods released his latest effort The Widowmaker on September 7th and you can purchase a digital copy through Itunes. - MusicForPerfectPeople

My friend Chris over at Indie Music Filter (one of Canada’s best music blogs. Seriously, I have blog-envy) introduced me to Donovan Woods and I immediately thought of the good and simple days where you could just sing along to John Mayer and no one would think it was perfectly uncool. They would say, dang I love this song. Okay, so he sounds a little John Mayer-ish but there’s something more soulful in him.

Donovan Woods is from Toronto and he needs nothing more than his voice and guitar to entice you, break your heart and keep you listening. You can hear his range stretch farther than the limited singer-songwriter title with the inclusion of female vocal backing, hand claps, and harmonica.

And boy, those narratives are killer. Like the track, ‘Your Daughter, John’ where he sings to the father of his beloved. I also love it when he slips in a few shits and fucks in his beautiful ballads, because I do that when I talk all the time and sometimes I forget who I’m around and whether I’ll offend them or not.

His album Widowmaker is a plain joy to listen to because it’s easy, it’s accessible and it fits the autumn tone of the season. Such a good find. - FriendsWithBothArms

There’s something about Donovan Woods that captivates you as a listener. Although he falls under that simple singer-songwriter realm, Woods has a depth in his voice and to his lyrics that is able to make his music sound so full.

After independently releasing his second record The Widowmaker last year, Toronto’s Donovan Woods immediately caught my eye and earned a spot on my Top 10 Canadian Albums from 2010 list.

With twelve emotionally driven songs, The Widowmaker is continually earning well deserved attention and is now being re-released on Toronto’s Aporia Records.

Right from the opener, “Jail,” a short piano driven track, and transitioning to the second song, “Phone,” the warmth and raspy tone to Woods’ voice is an obvious draw but it’s the intricacy to his songwriting that will get you playing the album over again.

Painting this simple yet poignant scene in “Phone,” Woods sings, “Well my roommate, he bought a coffee press/and that nearly drove me to tears/see, it’s the first thing she’d touch/in the morning of those private school years.”

Not to be looked over is Woods’ skill for creating beautiful melodies. One of the things that I find happens a lot with singer-songwriters, is their lyrics get lost because of their repetitious melodies. With each passing song on The Widowmaker, Woods is able to create a fresh sounding piece.

When I was first listening to the album last year, “Your Daughter, John” and “Lawren Harris” were immediately put on repeat. With its beautiful chorus, a singer telling the father of an ex-girlfriend that he was right about her but that he misses her, “Your Daughter, John” is one of many album highlights.

Like “Your Daughter, John,” “Lawren Harris,” yes, referring to the Canadian Group of Seven painter, has a stunning chorus, outlining my, and maybe your, perfect day – “I could just write all day, love/ You could just paint all day, love/It’s the Lawren Harris way, love.”

Coming back to The Widowmaker now, a different song, “I’m Still Sweet,” was instantly replayed. Again, Woods is able to spin a turn of phrase or a moment in time and captivate you, one of my favourite lines of the song being, “Back at home things are getting weird. My sister fell in love with my old friend.”

Simple in the music style yet complex in the lyrics, Donovan Woods’ The Widowmaker is a fantastic and sadly under recognized release. With each time it draws you in, which it will over and over again, you will discover something new and fall in love with The Widowmaker all over again.

Donovan Woods will be performing “My Cousin Has A Grey Cup Ring” (A fantastic song from his first release, The Hold Up) on TSN’s preview of the 99th Grey Cup, November 26th. (http://greycup.cfl.ca/)

Top Tracks: “Your Daughter, John,” “Lawren Harris,” “Phone,” “I’m Still Sweet”

Rating: Hunting Call (Excellent) + *swoop* - GrayOwlPoint

Toronto singer-songwriter Donovan Woods will be featured on the Nov. 27th TSN national broadcast of the 99th Grey Cup Final taking place in Vancouver, BC. Woods will be interviewed as well as performing his song "My Cousin Has A Grey Cup Ring" which has become synonymous with CBC's Grey Cup coverage over the last two years.

The song, featured on his debut EP The Hold Up and originally released in 2008, was inspired by Woods' father, who is a cousin of former Montreal Alouettes player Glen Weir.

"I remember dad telling me stories about family reunions and everybody oohing and aahing over Glen's Grey Cup ring and my dad feeling a bit left out," says Woods. "He'd always say: 'My cousin has a Grey Cup ring'. He'd brag about it. So I just filled in the details that he would be jealous of his cousin for all eternity."

Donovan Woods recently signed to Aporia Records and released a new full-length album called The Widowmaker. Not quite folk, not quite pop, The Widowmaker showcases Woods masterful storytelling against a sparse musical tapestry which relies on the conflict from combining the happy and the sad, the heavy and the light, and creating an ongoing narrative between the artist and the listener. It's the blending of all of these elements that allows Donovan Woods the versatility to paint a true portrait of life. - Spill Magazine

"Grey Cup Ring Song" – airs during GREY CUP SATURDAY (1-6 p.m. ET)

The CFL ON TSN sits down with Donovan Woods, a folk singer from Toronto, who wrote a song that speaks to what the Grey Cup means to Canadians across the country. Woods explains how his father's cousin, CFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman Glen Weir, inspired his wistful ballad about winning a Grey Cup ring. - TSN

Canadian football fans aren’t really known for opening up about their feelings.

Toronto songwriter Donovan Woods may just be the person to change that.

His folk tune, “My Cousin Has a Grey Cup Ring” was released on 2007’s The Hold Up and has been gaining popularity with the CFL crowd with each passing year.

The wistful song tells the story of a man’s jealousy for the “prestige” of his cousin’s Grey Cup ring and is based on Woods’ father. When Woods' was young, his dad used to talk about his cousin with the piece of famed Grey Cup jewelry.

“Well he’s got a car and a beard and a wife, and he’s not jealous of the way I sing, but I’m jealous of his Grey Cup ring,” the tune goes.

“The song is definitely not going to be a jock jam, but I always thought there was a weird sadness in all these sports guys,” Woods told thedailyplanet.com.

“Sure, there’s a lot of triumph and excitement going on, but part of sports that nobody really talks about is that most professional athletes are probably filled with searing regret and disappointment and heartache,” Woods said.

The unlikely sports anthem has been played during past CBC newscasts of the Grey Cup and will also be featured in this year’s coverage by TSN.

In a 2009 Toronto Star article, Woods told music writer Ben Rayner that the CBC probably played his song because of the network’s commitment to tradition and history, but he didn’t think TSN would ever feature it.

“Nothing against those guys,” he said in 2009, “but their broadcast is all, like, yelling and 'Are you ready for some (expletive) football! So I don't think they'll ever use it."

Woods recently wrapped up filming the interview and performance of the song for the TSN special, which was filmed at the CFL Hall of Fame in Hamilton alongside Hall of Fame inductees.

“They joked around and kind of gave me a hard time for saying they would never play my song,” Woods said.

After it was featured on Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café, Woods knew the song really started taking off, he said.

“As far as weaving a thread in the fabric of Canadian culture, that’s about as good as it gets,” Woods said.

“I feel like maybe I have contributed a little bit to the cannon of Canadiana.”

The song is a favourite amongst retired CFL greats too. Woods said he met the wife of a former Argo who had won the Grey Cup who knew the tune.

“She said the whole family would play it a lot when playoffs were coming up," he said. "it became a little bit of an anthem, she said, because his cousins would play it too."

As for what the future holds for Woods, he said he won't be quitting his day job.

“I don’t think that I’ll ever be a person who wants to be very known for music but I would like to be able to continue releasing records and put out songs and play concerts and have people like it,” he said.

“Nothing too lofty.”

The TSN segment featuring Woods will air during this weekend’s 99th Grey Cup showdown between the B.C. Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Vancouver. - The Daily Planet

2. DONOVAN WOODS

“Put On, Cologne”

For one moment this month, this Toronto singer-songwriter will reach an audience as big as the one his songs deserve when he plays “My Cousin Has a Grey Cup Ring” on the Grey Cup broadcast. In the meantime, we have this new tune on which Woods explores a tone that could be described as fragile bluster. “The song is a sort of amalgam of my own and my friends’ experiences when they and/or their partner's make off to Europe to escape their lives,” Woods explains in an email. “The title is just a nod to both trying to impress someone more than Europe can (impossible) and fooling yourself that you can maintain a relationship across the ocean, I suppose.” (From Don’t Get Too Grand EP, out in January) - Toronto Star

NOW Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Reader's Rating: NNNNN (out of 5)

Two years ago, NOW readers chose singer/songwriter Donovan Woods as best local songwriter, and he proves readers right on his intimate second album, an earnest 12-song ode to loss and heartache.

A fine multi-instrumentalist who moves easily between melancholy piano and acoustic guitar, the Sarnia native keeps his tunes brief and spare, while his husky vocals and smart lyrics pack the emotional punch.

The percussive Let Go Lightly drives a little harder than the rest, while Lord, I’m Tryin’ has a great lo-fi quality. A little bit Dan Mangan, a little bit Ryan Adams, Woods pens and delivers tunes like a pro.

Top track: Let Go Lightly - Now Magazine

There are different genres of music catering to certain nerves in the brain and then there is music, nestled away within those genres, resonating so purely it chills you to the bone. Donovan Woods is one of those musicians, calmly sitting within the realm of folk music but crafting lyrics so honest and singing melodies so unadulterated it’s awe-inspiring. A long time ago in early 2006, when IGIF was still a blossoming idea, Connor stumbled upon Woods’ music and he’s captivated us both since then. After releasing debut LP The Hold Up in 2007, the smooth singing Canadian folk artist is back with sophomore album The Widowmaker.

[MP3] Donovan Woods –
Phone

The biggest difference between the Donovan Woods of 2007 and 2010 is the production, expanding into an atmosphere not limited to just his voice and guitar but including, keys, handclaps, backing vocals, and even some well-used synth. “Phone” is a beautiful song with light banjo, precise keys, and simple shakers. It’s so incredibly solid in structure and delivery, Woods manages to say so much with songs that still utilize very little via over-the-top production. The occupation of acoustic singer/songwriter may be easy to pick-up, but it’s so tough to master.

After the jump you’ll find upbeat, handclap happy track “Let Go Lightly” and a small trailer for his upcoming LP The Widowmaker. You can download the lead single “Your Daughter, John” on iTunes now. - IGuessImFloating

Singer-songwriters can be hit or miss, but when they hit, they provide the kind of emotional connection that is the reason we all return to music again and again. The personal connection from the depths of someone’s soul directly to your headphones is an experience that is hard to match. Donovan Woods’ The Widowmaker is just such an album. The kind that only comes along every so often and sweeps you off your feet.

Hailing from Canada, Woods sounds like a heavenly combination of Continuum John Mayer and Marc Cohn’s first album and from the first track is absolutely enthralling, even with mostly minimal arrangements. The album opens with the half-song “Jail,” which mixes gorgeous piano with some really lonely country tinges in the vocals and accompanying banjo. It doesn’t sound like much else on the record, but eases you into Woods’ fragile voice so that “Phone” can knock you on your ass.

“Phone” is the first indication that Woods is something special. His lyrical style is distinctive, somehow making lines about his coffee pot sit side-by-side with philosophical claims about the human brain in the verses, before launching into the sweeping refrain “I know you’ll come home, or you’ll tell me something on the phone.” The harmonized voices that echo this refrain are gorgeous and almost archaic at this point, but welcome nonetheless. As the song progresses and the piano begins to really strike, the banjo enters and the backing vocals repeat, he sings “Lord, lift me up over all gentlemen” and the chills come.

The next song “Dear John” is lyrically wonderful, addressing the song’s verses to an ex, but the chorus to her father John. Woods wings “Dear John, I know we got along, but I was right, sir. You were wrong.” He then proceeds to tell John that he knows she’ll marry a “self-made man” and he still just writes songs, but he misses his daughter anyway. This subversion of convention is set to absolutely gorgeous harmonies and a lilting acoustic guitar, wringing some serious pathos out of the painful awkwardness after a breakup. The song is also the first instance of Woods’ knack for cutting insults, as he sings to his ex “I was kidding, love, but you just weren’t smart enough to know,” leaving the implication that he’s singing to John because he’s smart enough to understand.

Woods follows with a bit of a darker acoustic number “How Much Is That Hat?” This reviewer likes to hope there’s some symbolic meaning to the lyrics that I’m missing, because otherwise lyrics like “How much does a hat like that cost? If it was mine, I would wear it all the time. It’s a good hat” seem ludicrously silly on such an otherwise lyrically direct record. His vocals are excellent and the guitar playing is arresting, but the lack of substance makes it one of the weakest songs on the record.

This is followed by one of the best songs on the record, the wrenching “Divorcee.” Woods elicits an image of sad naivete “Did you think he was sweet? Did you think he could change? Did you think ‘oh there’s good in him, I can tell” and follows this by saying “So go to hell” portraying the conflicting extremes of feeling upon the dissolution of any union. All this is set against a timelessly beautiful guitar progression evoking the best of Tom Petty and John Mayer together and alternating between piano accompaniment on the verses and a haunting organ in the choruses. As the song builds towards it’s dynamic stop-start climax, Woods brings back the “Lord lift me up” refrain, then adding “Lord lift me up out of these slum tenements,” adding just a bit more despair to up the ante.

Woods evokes the lonely country archetype on the hard-strummed, harmonica-laden number “Let Go Lightly,” where he can’t envision a pleasant end to his relationship even as they are fixing up a new home for themselves saying “I’m gonna lose you either way, if I hold on tightly and I let go lightly.” He also flashes his distinct brand of wit when he says this mundane life might be “a sentence for all the time we killed.”

One of the album’s biggest highlights is “I’m Still Sweet” a song about the paradox in which staying home is equivalent to death but getting away leaves you regretting the things you miss. Woods sings about a man who finds out secondhand that his old friend is dating his sister and dealing with the complications of being a soldier returning from war. The story is less important than Wood’s soft strumming and fragile falsetto intoning “I’m still sweet” though. The song is beautiful and bittersweet.

The next song “Won’t Come Back” is perhaps the most evocative of Marc Cohn’s knack for haunting minor-key piano melodies. This is followed by the wonderful “Lawren Harris” in which Woods sings about the adjustments to living alone after breaking up with a significant other. His eye for detail shines on lines like “I live on my own now. I don’t know where to sit” and then imagines himself filling his time by writing all day. This soft-plucked stunner is also another example of how cutting he can be lyrically when he says “I’m not saying it’s stupid, I’m saying it’s not good. I’m not saying it’s stupid, but most people would.”

The album winds down with two more beautifully-sung songs and completes a jawdropper of a record. With nothing more than a guitar, a piano and a bit of found sound here and there, Woods has crafted a mini-masterpiece that touches on love, loneliness and bitter heartbreak with a distinct and unique voice. If there is any justice, he will find sufficient success to have a long, long career and the chance to try and match the unassuming beauty of The Widowmaker.

Score: [9.0/10] - Nothing Sounds Better

The Album is from Donovan Woods and is called “The Widowmaker” and to dumb it down, it is simply great. It is a blend of melancholy stories brought forth in gorgeous arrangements alongside almost uptempo moments of full sing along (for me at least). Woods provides a mostly acoustic performance backed by some piano and his “real life” look at life. What I mean is Woods not only provides a landscape of music that is soothing and inviting, but he tells it like it is – he will have lyrics that reflect what you might actually be thinking…weird, I know! It’s can take you off guard at times, but it is completely refreshing and makes for such a real collection of stories that span growing up, losing love and calling people on their shit. This album is highly recommended and is now available worldwide, so see below to pick up a copy (and get his previous “The Hold Up” as well, one of 2008's best albums). - Slowcoustic

Honestly, the pain and heartache he offers up on the simple line, “now my roommate he bought a coffee press and that nearly drove me to tears, see it’s the first thing she’d touch in the mornings of those private school years ” on the beautiful, surging Phone is worth more to me than the most emotionally charged fiction. what makes Donovan’s songs work is his refusal to opt for clever wordplay over real emotion. When he drifts into effortless falsetto or adds a casual curse, like the “fuck you too” that sets up the chorus on Won’t Come Back, it isn’t done for shock but simple an extension of who Donovan is and how he thinks. He’s as likely to sing about something as uncool as being a nice guy and harboring grudges for reasons he can’t remember as he is to open himself and his would to anyone willing to listen. I’m not trying to oversell the record – to quote the man himself, “he’s not a genius, I’m saying he’s damn good” – but there is something magical about a man and a guitar that doesn’t need tricks to make you keep listening. Donovan Woods has that magic. - HeroHill

Time to buckle yourself down to your living room’s couches comfort for a slow sing-a-long. Toronto singer/songwriter Donovan Woods has released a song right for just this, “Lawren Harris,” on his sophomore album, The Widowmaker. Woods sings about independence, love and the late famous painter Harris. He creates a halting scene, just him, his guitar and scarce back-up vocals. It’s a tale of motivation, one that comes even more special to a man of Woods’ genre. - AuxTV