Album Notes

“Flint on flint”—you’ll hear David Davis mutter those words if you hang out with him for any length of time. It’s that notion of creating a spark that drives him deeper into his place in the music world.

With both David and his music, one of the sparks he’s creating involves laughter and spontaneous joy. At his concerts, the audience hangs onto every word, every story, usually laughing until the moment he begins playing. And then the songs hit the opposite end of the spectrum: deep, thoughtful, and full of hope.

He’s been writing songs for the past seven years, but something shifted in 2003. Initially, playing guitar was just a fun way to pass the time. But soon after it became clear that music was supposed to be more than a hobby, David worked feverishly to finish the songs he had been writing. And David is nothing if not passionate and dedicated—he immediately began putting together songs for his debut EP, Back Home (2005).

Almost anyone who knows David knows that he is the epicenter of seemingly random blessings: things happen to him, pieces fit together, and those sparks begin to fly. So it’s no surprise that Back Home fell into the hands of producer Ron Diulio, who loved what he heard and agreed to produce David’s follow-up CD for free. In 2006, thanks to Ron’s help, David turned out his first full-length album, Redemption Road.

In typical spontaneous fashion, David found himself opening for Derek Webb at the last minute. Most independent artists spend years trying to acquire a slot like that, but for David, it was his first real concert. Just like that, it was dropped into his lap. And without hesitation, he moved forward with the opportunity.

A lot of things have moved into place since that first concert. David’s music has begun to take on a different shape that suits him more fully. Citing influences like Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Marc Cohn and Eric Clapton, his newer songs have more of a soulful feel. You will also hear echoes of Vertical Horizon and even Caedmon’s Call (mostly the “Derek years”) influence, which is a welcome sound to many of his listeners.

With the help of his new producer Stephen Gause, David keeps churning out songs for those listeners, playing more shows, and amassing an even wider fan base of his peers and heroes. And frankly, it will be no surprise if his music catches on like wildfire.

-- by Tara Leigh Cobble www.taraleighcobble.com