The Damnwells - Golden Days

With the documentary on the Damnwells finally at festivals, I figure it's time to talk about it. I can really only speak on the trailer, which is really amazing, and the band itself. I'm glad we're at a point where I can say "The Damnwells" and at least a few people will know what I'm talking about, but without major airplay their only real exposure has been opening for the Fray and word of mouth. Right now they're preparing to sweep the nation with Ari Hest.

The Damnwells are love in liquid form. The music flows like honey, sticky sweet and with deliberate movement. Unfortunately, they straddle an interesting fence: They write incredible ballads...and pretty much have stopped trying to do much of anything else, it seems. It's hard to pull that off commercially unless you're more folk-influenced (see Iron and Wine, Ida, a hundred others). Every one of their songs belongs on a soundtrack, where it can take a film to the next level. Any mixtape would be lucky to include a Damnwells song, regardless of theme. They've got it covered from the making to the breaking of a heart. Maybe this documentary will be another break for them. I know I'll be buying it.

The film, a full two years in the making, just won "Best Documentary" at the Phoenix Film Festival and will be screened again at the Maryland Film Festival (May 3-6).


more info: myspace.com/goldendaysmovie

05/10 - Seattle, WA
05/11 - Portland, OR (Berbati's Pan)
05/12 - Ashland, OR
05/13 - San Francisco, CA
05/14 - Los Angeles, CA
05/15 - San Diego, CA
05/16 - Tucson, AZ
05/18 - Dallas, TX
05/19 - Austin, TX
05/21 - Mobile, AL
05/22 - Birmingham, AL
05/23 - Nashville, TN
05/24 - Atlanta, GA
05/25 - Charleston, SC
05/26 - Charlotte, NC
05/27 - Kill Devil Hills, NC
05/29 - Virginia Beach, VA (Jewish Mother)
05/30 - Alexandria, VA
05/31 - New York, NY
06/01 - Cambridge, MA
06/02 - Northampton, MA
06/03 - Philadelphia, PA
06/05 - Pittsburgh, PA
06/06 - Cleveland, OH
06/08 - Louisville, KY
06/09 - Chicago, IL
06/10 - Ann Arbor, MI

Listen:
Golden Days (acoustic version)
I am a Leaver (alternate, stripped version)

Ari Hest - Strangers Again - "Long before we ever kissed, long before I ever missed you, I wish we were strangers again." [from Someone to Tell|buy]

[shout out to Heather at I am Fuel, You are Friends, the only other blogger I ever see mentioning this great band.]