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James Kasper
Small Town Gods and Devils
By Nereida Fernandes
exclaim! magazine
James Kasper (a self-proclaimed folk noir singer-songwriter from Saskatoon) explores the scary, vulnerable side of love and loss with his sophomore solo release, Small Town Gods and Devil. As the title suggests, a dark, melancholic mood prevails throughout. His verses, which border on the melodramatic, fit perfectly into the overall concept of the album. Kasper turns the heat way up on "Breezy," while begging for relief from the grasp of unfulfilled desire. "I'm a masochist but I like this a lot," he confesses in the song. With the burning wail of his harmonica and his smouldering lyrics, he artfully wrenches empathy from listeners. Small Town Gods and Devils feels more polished and candid than his debut release. Putting greater emphasis on the noir side adds depth of character and individuality to his music, helping to distinguish him from the thousands of other singer-songwriters in the country roots genre. Whether the offerings of his darker alter ego earn him more than a smattering of new fans remains to be seen though. (Independent) - exclaim! magazine
"James Kasper's songwriting skills take the listener on a journey with each phrase turned. Layer upon layer of rootsy goodness." - Rob Pingle, CFUV 101.9FM
"Good lyrics and strong, interesting melodies are hard to find in much of today's music. James Kasper delivers and then some." - Michael Burke, Cordova Bay Records
"Haunting vocals, strong songwriting...Hardest working person in local music in 2008." - Monday Magazine
"Smart, original songs framed by a seductively whimsical sound." - Joseph Blake, Times-Colonist
Discography
coffeehouse whores - Kasper Veil (1996)
Metro Gnome - Kasper Veil (1998)
folk is dead but who's listening - Kasper Veil (2000)
The Old-Fashioned Way - James Kasper (2007)
small town gods & devils - James Kasper (July 2009)
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Bio
James Kasper is an award-winning folk-noir singer-songwriter whose 2009 sophomore solo release "small town gods & devils" shows a darker, edgier Kasper. The record revisits the intimate, rich, dynamic vocals of 2007's "The Old Fashioned Way," but on this new release, a raw, melancholic sound permeates a more conceptual disc, punctuated by the subtle but progressive programming & production of Eric Hogg. Kasper has collaborated with Blue Rodeo's Bob Egan, Toronto's Revival Dear, Bob Wiseman, and opened for the legendary Ray Charles at the Variety Club Telethon in 1998. Kasper's "haunting vocals and strong songwriting" (Monday Magazine), along with his intense live performances, continue to captivate roots music fans across Canada.
2008 - Named Hardest Working Person in Local Music (Monday Magazine's M Awards, Vancouver Island BC)
2008 - Favourite Solo Artist Nominee (Monday Magazine's M Awards, Vancouver Island BC)
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