If Billy Bragg, God forbid, decided to finally put his guitar back in his case and call it a day, rest assured Damion Suomi would be ready to pick up the slack. Playing the role of folksy, rock-tinged singer songwriter, Florida-based Suomi has turned in a fantastic debut. Comprised of just 10 songs, there is little filler on the self-titled record and plenty to leave the listener wanting more. Songs like the album opener “Archer Woman†and “What a Wonderful Game,†an ode to drinking and hooking up, best show off Suomi’s stripped down sound.
Drinking, in fact, is a reoccurring theme throughout the record, making Damion a prime contender for America’s answer to Ireland’s barroom poets. Filled with acoustic guitars and the occasional pedal steel, Suomi’s songs play a tug of war between alt country (“One More Timeâ€) and traditional Irish sing alongs (“San Franciscoâ€). One of the first singings to the recently-launched label P is for Panda, Suomi is clearly destined for big things.
Top Tracks: “Archer Woman,†“What a Wonderful Game,†“Sunday Morning†and “San Franciscoâ€
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Damion Suomi / CD / 2008 / P is for Pandas and Hopeless / 10 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/damionsuomi
