Will Stratton - What The Night Said

20-year old Will Stratton's MySpace says that he's from "wandering," which, by rule, is where the best folk songs are written. These are no exception. There is a rare warmth to his fingerpicking, strumming, and piano playing, and his voice has that clear, somber quality that you find in Sufjan Stevens and Nick Drake. The arrangements, full with violins, cello, harpsichord, piano, mellotron, and ump organ, are lush, but retain a close intimacy - you hear every acoustic hammer-on, bend, and whisper. His writing is personal and self-searching, and if such wandering makes for better songwriting, then there's a part of me that hopes Will Stratton doesn't find himself for many years.

Will Stratton - mp3s from What the Night Said, out July 24th.

Sonnet
I'd Hate To Leave You
Sunol

Also highly recommended: Katydid, which you can stream on his MySpace.