Kevin Hayes
Wylie Gelber (from left), Griffin Goldsmith, Taylor Goldsmith and Tay Strathairn are Dawes, a Los Angeles-based roots rock band that has toured with a diverse group of bands, including Alison Krauss & Union Station, Jackson Browne and, currently, M. Ward.
Los Angeles-based roots rock band Dawes has a rather unusual audience for a fast-rising, young band. It's a crowd that tends to skew slightly older, filled with more bearded musos than young nubiles. But all that is just fine with singer Taylor Goldsmith.
"I've never felt like we've been the 'cool' band. If a kid goes to school and says he saw Dawes the night before that's not going to win him any points," says Goldsmith, with a laugh.
"Not to say we wouldn't appreciate that kind of attention. But with our fans, I think we have a better chance of them sticking around longer, even if we're not the hip thing of the moment."
On Tuesday, Dawes -- featuring Goldsmith, his brother/drummer Griffin Goldsmith, bassist Wylie Gelber and keyboardist Tay Strathairn -- will make its Memphis debut at Midtown's Minglewood Hall, opening for M. Ward.
Over the past two years, Dawes has made a habit of touring with a remarkably diverse group of acts: from indie outfit Blitzen Trapper to bluegrass giants Alison Krauss & Union Station, singer-songwriter Jackson Browne to hipster favorites like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.
"We feel really lucky for those opportunities," says Goldsmith. "And we've tried to take advantage of playing to different audiences, just to see how many kinds of people our music can appeal to."
Dawes' second and latest album, Nothing is Wrong, was released earlier this summer and makes a case for the group's widening appeal.
Created during and after the the long touring season that accompanied the band's 2009 debut, Nothing is Wrong is a reflective road record of sorts.
"Most of it was written in sound checks and downtime between tours; we were working up to the last minute in terms of us getting the material together," says Goldsmith. "That definitely influenced the way the songs came out."
Unlike their often dynamic live shows, the album evinces a wonderfully ruminative and lived-in feel. "We realize there's something to be left for the stage. If we went to the studio and played with a live intensity, it wouldn't serve the songs," says Goldsmith.
As a singer Goldsmith's voice isn't a virtuosic instrument, but rather evokes the weathered husk of a Warren Zevon, matching the world-weary emotionalism of his songs perfectly.
"There was recently a really nice writeup on one of our shows that basically said, 'You could say that the singer didn't have a great voice... but the songs were great,' and that actually ended up making me really stoked," says Goldsmith. "Not that I want people to think I have a bad voice. But I care most about being a songwriter and that coming across more than anything."
In addition to working with Browne, Dawes have backed other veterans like The Band's Robbie Robertson. Goldsmith says the experience of sharing a creative space with those types of artists has provided a model and motivation.
"If nothing else it's a constant reminder of what it is to be around someone who has a lifelong commitment to their work," says Goldsmith.
"We've made two albums and we're working hard, and sometimes you get a little tired. But then you look at guys like that who've been doing it for 40 years, and it really puts it into perspective; it's a living example of what a real work ethic can be. That's definitely something we aspire to."
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Dawes, M. Ward
Tuesday, 8 p.m. at Minglewood Hall, 1555 Madison Ave. Tickets are $20 in advance, $22 day of show. Available at the box office, minglewoodhall.com or (901) 312-6058.
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Source: http://kwindur.posterous.com/cool-is-good-but-longevity-is-dawes-goal
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