"...should this even be a song?" #1

first, there is the mandatory history lesson every pretentious audiophile will give when introducing people of... lesser taste to new indie music.

here's Daniel Smith. he goes to art school. Before he graduates in the early nineties he does his senior thesis. this involves collecting his brothers and sisters, ranging in age from 10 to 23 or so,to all play instruments in Daniel's musical compositions. this evolved from church services, or meeting their family held together in their house, all playing different instruments. his thesis was called "a prayer for every hour", which had, appropriately, 24 songs. after they were picked up by Tooth and Nail Records, it was released as the first c.d.

Daniel's voice is like nothing you've heard, as is his music. with the ability to hit whispery-high notes, then drop back down to something "normal," though not always in tune. the music has been described as "carnival-esqe", but this is only because of the call and response from his single voice to his siblings' repeated chants, combined with the triangles and bells and stops and starts. Oh yeah, they also appear on stage in nurse uniforms, symbolizing the healing power of God's love) but that's not nearly as cool as his "solo" tour in 2004 where he wore a massive tree suit while playing acoustic guitar). So, maybe a little carnival in there somewhere. what people really should jump to first, is his trail blazing indie-folk-punk combination that allowed now-popular bands (modest mouse and sound-alikes) to exist...