Thomas Paul
Quick wit is a trait impossible to miss during any conversation with Thomas. That clever quality stings even sharper throughout his lyrics, uniting with haunting riffs to get under your skin and leave your soul trembling if you have a heart at all. His smooth pipes—many compare Mr. Paul to Jeff Buckley—and slick finesse on guitar are deliciously addicting. It is the proficiency you would expect from a musician who has been playing for a solid twenty years and is so devoted to his craft (teaching guitar lessons that encourage a new generation of musicians).
Thomas has an album soon to be released, too, so keep your ear to the ground about his own CD release party. Come see him every Monday and Saturday Brunch at Red Feather and Wednesdays with the Bill Coffey Big Band at Pengilly’s. Continue checking his website for an up-to-date list of new shows every week (including Thomas’ big birthday bash at Pengilly’s on February 27).
James Orr
As the one-man-band starts looping a string of lyrics on two separate mics over an acoustic guitar, the repeated melody stirs up the crowd, packing them in a cluster by the stage. Orr has only just begun, now mixing a series of chords on a set of keys, warping them through a nearby synth and nudging one electronic pedal after another. Having recorded that loop, he moves on to weave in the ping-shwop-bwa echo of a steel drum. Then layering in more beats clicking from a drum pad, he loops in more of his low-to-mid range vocals, guitar chords and keyboard ditties, thereby filling the Linen Building with the thick sound of a full, electronic indie-rock band. Good reason for his CD’s title, Thicker Than Thieves.
James’ looping and layering techniques are well-support by a degree in engineering, and as the musician says himself, “(result) in a live show that is stimulating for both the eyes and the ears.” His mellow sound is soft, intriguing and good fun—the perfect soundtrack material for a traveling scene in an independent movie.
Preview Thicker Than Thieves and buy it at James Orr’s website or The Record Exchange today.
