DAVE DESMELIK I thought guys like this were a dying breed. Plain-spoken and earnest, Dave Desmelik delivers his high country, coffee-house Americana in a road-weary voice suggesting hard won acceptance and serenity. Introspective lyrics are married to plaintive harmonica and a breezy acoustic guitar shuffle, but there’s a hint of bitter almond in the air. Though his self-effacing delivery can veer dangerously close to Andy and Mayberry, it sits atop a mother lode of raw emotion. Like a campfire storyteller who weighs each word carefully, Desmelik has mastered the art of writing simple songs that resonate long after the guitar is packed away. Free. Common Market.
This article appears in Apr 17-23, 2012.
