José González - Veneer

Twenty-six-year-old Gothenburg resident José González makes a little go a long way. Armed with just a dexterously plucked Spanish guitar and his own warm but clipped vocals he paints intimate portraits that sound like classics from a golden singer/songwriting yesteryear. Of Argentinean descent, González counts bossa nova and Joy Division among his influences, and sure enough, stately, quietly expansive songs like Heartbeats and Hints are equal parts Latin passion and gothic introspection. The lilting Stay in the Shade, meanwhile, sounds like a luminous Nick Drake outtake. No mean achievement.

Tracklist:

A1 Trees Come Down
A2 Back In Gehenna
A3 Darkçell
A1 Slow Moves
A2 Remain
A3 Lovestain
A4 Heartbeats
A5 Crosses
B1 Deadweight on Velveteen
B2 All You Deliver
B3 Stay In The Shade
B4 Hints
B5 Save Your Day
B6 Broken Arrows
C1 Deadweight On Velveteen (Live)
C2 Save Your Day (Live)
C3 Storm (Live)
C4 Crosses (Live)
C5 Hints (Live)
C6 Suggestions (Live)
C7 Heartbeats (Live)
D1 Love Will Tear Us Apart (Live)
D2 All You Deliver (Live)
D3 Stay In The Shade (Live)
D4 Remain (Live)
D5 Hand On Your Heart (Live)
D6 Cello Song (Live)