Devin Davis @ Mo Pitkins, November 19, 2005

Lonely People Of The World Unite! ended up being one of my favorite records of 2005. I really can't explain how the soft spoken, non-assuming Devin Davis managed to win me over, but somehow he did. The whole singer/songwriter thing usually doesn't vibe with me. Perhaps his pure heart comes through on the record in ways I simply can't put into words.

I had the opportunity to meet Devin very briefly at CMJ this year. He seemed to want to avoid conversation and didn't have a lot to say. When I ran into him at Mo Pitkins, I was surprised when he remembered my name...my full name (first and last, I don't have an easy last name, folks).

I had seen Devin before with a full band and it's a little better than solo, but this was also a very special show where all the acts were playing sans band, so I sucked it up and enjoyed. Also disappointing was not seeing him use the theremin despite it being set up right next to him on the stage (he might've used it when I snuck away to the bathroom...enough free Red Stripe will do that to you, which is another reason I can't complain too much).

Throughout the set Devin's eyes remain closed, and he seems very focused on the task at hand. In those cases when he needs to muster up some louder vocals, he face looks in pain. There's something moving about the way Devin seems to need to dig deep down into himself to get his music out, yet offers nothing but transparency and honesty in his music and his personality. Despite this diachotomous* nature, or more likely because of it, Devin Davis ends up being one of those singer/songwriters that doesn't annoy the fuck out of me.

*Sometimes we writers use big words just to make ourselves feel smart and stuff.