Bryn Oldfield : Raspy, Crunchy & Addictive

Well, I was thinking about doing a cover of the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Dani California" today. I'd seen a good deal of covers of the song on Youtube before but, once again I took off on a search of covers. And, in doing so I came across the incredibly talented Bryn Oldfield. Hailing from Redruth, Cornwall, this guy's approach to covering songs and writing originals is great. His cover of "Dani California" is different from most in that he doesn't really spit out the lyrics the way Anthony Kiedis does. It's almost as if the lyrics spill from his mouth, leaving a hint of smoothness in the air. With his raspy, and gentle approach, the song takes on a whole new life. Have a listen and see for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBJybkcIWlI

Great isn't it? As much as I love the song incorporated with Frusciante mind-blowing guitar playing techniques, the way Bryn strips it down to the simple chords, underneath his deeply raspy vocals gives it a different edge. I would say it reminds me of Jeff Buckley and Damien Rice a little, but it's not the sound, it's the feeling. He's definitely one of those artists you'd like to see live.

He gives me that feeling even more so in a very recent cover of Stereophonics' "Maybe Tomorrow". I'm always reminded what a great song this is, and now I'm leaning towards covering that, instead of "Dani California" today. It's the sort of song that you can stand in front of a massive crowd with one guitar and feel confident. I'm certain that Bryn could pull it off. His cover of the song truly resembles the original but is once altered to his very particular vocals. I can't quite put my finger on what it reminds me of, but all I can say, is that it works, and I like it. I think you'll dig this cover too. Check it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WT_GfH3Pw0

Great sound. He's certainly got an aura about him. and his song choices are just right for that sort of sound. He seems to be one of those artists you want to see doing an intimate unplugged gig. Nevertheless, I'm sure he'd be great in front of a massive audience too. Let's hope he manages that someday, because he's got some great originals too.

One of the originals that grew on me is called "More Than Self". I'm a massive Pearl Jam fan, and something about that song reminded me of the band's earlier works. Maybe it's the bouncy bass line, Bryn's crunchy voice or the whole feel of it. After listening to it a few times, I can definitely see Bryn fronting a band some day. There's truly not much I can say except it's a great song, and Bryn's certainly got a good deal of "tricks" up his sleeve. Looking forward to hearing more of him in the future. Don't forget to subscribe to his channel and check out his Facebook page for updates. Check back tomorrow for another fantastic artist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reRdzjTHdDQ

Alex Hamel