Sorry for the absence of updates, folks. I’ve had a real shit storm of a week. Good thing I’ve had some angsty white dude music to feed my fury and general resentment against The Man.
Hold on a sec — Americana doesn’t have to be that way?
Bhi Bhiman is a gent I’ve been meaning to post on here for a while now. You can get his first album, Bhiman, for free on Noisetrade.
Not only is Bhi Bhiman not your average white dude, he’s not your average songwriter. When I first heard “Guttersnipe” on WFUV (our public radio/NPR affiliate) my initial reaction was to roll my eyes — just another hipster who fancies himself a folksinger. At first it sounded a little too slick, a little too overproduced.
But then the album surfaced on Noisetrade and I was like “eh. Whatever. Free music, right?” and “Guttersnipe” had grown on me by that point.
What I found in Bhiman was nothing less than an inventive interpretation of folk music. “Kimchee Line” is a fun little foot-tapper about America’s favorite Korean condiment. Songs like “Take What I’m Given” and “Crime of Passion” tread familiar folk territory deftly. “Ballerina” provides some soulful indie pop with an imaginative storyline and folkie instrumentation. Bhiman’s poetry adds true depth to these songs.
But the real stand-out feature here is Bhi Bhiman’s voice: at times high and lonesome, warm, and sardonic, Bhiman truly lives his songs.
So hop on board the Kimchee Line. I’m looking forward to being surprised and delighted by his further pursuits.