a playlist : ballads from the new school

oneway : drew o'doherty

click here to listen

listening time: 4m 07s

don't i hold you : wheat

click here to listen

listening time: 3m 50s

this is a playlist i made to give a name to this new set of male artists who make personal, intimate pop ballads sans fromage. the music is uncluttered and the words are expressive, not effusive. they're boys who grew up to be boys, fell in love, broke their hearts, and mope with their guitars. there is a trifle sense of immaturity in their stories, and they're not afraid to expose their vulnerability, but the sincerity shines through. you get the feeling they've been through exactly what they're narrating. others:

collide : howie day

back to you : john mayer

chemical : rockwell church

sleeping to dream : jason mraz

loud : matt nathanson

caught up in your love : ari hest

hold on tight : christopher jak

the wanderer : marc broussard

you can download o'doherty's song from his page in myspace, which is an excellent resource for independent music.

update. i e-mailed drew to let him know i blogged about his song, and he replied saying he's currently at work on a full-length album that's coming out soon, which should be something to look forward to. he is currently on tour in cambridge, where he will perform with tom thumb at zuzu on thursday. follow drew's progress in his website.