Music
Press
RoostyBlues singer John Layton has seemingly come out of nowhere over the past few months to make a strong impression on the local acoustic scene. Appearing at various open stages and showcase nights at places such as Renaissance Cafe and the Mon. show at Miguel's Club 329, Layton has steadily developed a league of fans who are captivated by his deep, dangerously gravelly vocals accompanied by his playing on resinator guitars and harmonica. His debut album, Femmes Fatales wonderfully captures the stark beauty and power of his songs and performances and has received good response when I've spun it at various shows over the past month.
He attributes his music to the influence of Memphis-style blues cobined with the sharp-edged philosophy of Scientology and an appreciation of Shakespear. He formally releases the disc at the Renaissance on Fri. Jan. 27. Fellow artists David McLachlan, Allan McKinlay, and Arthur Renwick will warm things up. - Gary17's To-Night magazine
There is a large degree of humanity in the music of John Layton. The tall man with the grey hair, friendly smile and grumbling voice adheres to the principals of beauty, and peace in his music, but also makes us aware that the tragic experiences in our lives can also be beautiful. Reminiscent of Tom Waits, armed only with his wondrous guitar, and the luminescent sound that goes with it, his songs have a wondrously consistant tone and theme. The room turns ceremonially cavernous during one of his sets, and the basic simplicity of the issues and themes within his music are magnificent. Listen to it here.
Review by Valentino Assenza. - Latchkey.com
Discography
CD "Femmes Fatales" 12 original songs, available for purchase or preview (streaming) at
http://cdbaby.com/cd/laytojohn or purchase also at
http://johnlayton.coffeehouse.ca
Photos
Bio
Major influences, 30's blues, Mississippi John Hurt, Robert Johnson, 50's rock n role, Jack Kerouac, Leonard Cohen, Randy Newman, and Father (his antics as a professional wrestler). Musically John plays a three finger, finger style, ranging from syncopated ragtime and base thumping blues on the dobro, to almost baroque on the classical guitar. Admiring the poetry of Cohen, Irving Layton, the songs of Dylan, Lou Reed, Randy Newman , Gary Brooker, John's lyrics create pictures and mood and take you through a labyrinth of common human experience often in a comical self deprecating way. Observing, never preaching. The melodies are simple and carry the word pictures on the back of those syncopated rhythms. All in all the sound is quite unique, something you won't often hear and is best heard in live performance, although his CD, "Femmes Fatales" , by himself in the studio recording 12 songs, captures the idea. John is a different cat, as a sculptor for the past 25 years and now also a songwriter performer.
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