Derren Raser
These two lines from the artists own Web site might be enough to draw a significant number of listeners who have not experienced Derren Raser.
• One of Music Connection Magazine’s “Top Unsigned Artists of the Year”
• Award winner at this year’s John Lennon Songwriting Contest
He moved out west to try the California music scene, starting from a suburban base in Kansas. Some magazine reviews insist that he hasn’t lost his focus or his Midwestern roots in making such a change.
Listening to the featured song on his Web site will certainly convince a few listeners that he has heard The Beatles “Eleanor Rigby.” If not, the style of “Warn The World” must have come to him through the ages. Raser certainly isn’t old enough to have lived the Fab Four experience. (Or the Paul Simon experience.) This is an updated version of 60s folk rock.
As the Web information states, the music is “just Derren, mostly.” But he gets help from Daniel Rhine on upright bass; Kelly Bennett on violin (this is a prominent part of many Raser tunes); Josh Hersmeier, drums; Cole Petersen, Cajon. Raser lists as influences: James Taylor, Paul Simon, Indigo Girls, Billy Joel, Radiohead, John Stewart, John Mayer, Blur.
He will be playing in a California location near you. But he is stretching out, with a planned gig in Denver at the Colorado Music Summit.
Tags: independent music, indie music, Derren Raser, music, indie
I’m a big radiohead fan and when I heard Raser’s “Out of Luck” I was so sure radiohead’s one of this guy’s music influences. It’s just too similar for any radiohead fan not to notice. Strangely enough, some of his songs reminds me of James Taylor, one reminds me of Simon’s songs… Perhaps if he can find his own music he can better make a name for himself.
Well, the guy does list Radiohead as an influence; it says so in the blog entry and on Derren’s MySpace page, so that’s not surprising.
The one thing I can’t quite see is the Billy Joel influence….Maybe it’s hidden in all the James Taylor/Paul Simon-sounding songs?
Though there is a bit of influence and it can’t be denied .But the numbers are quite nice ones.The guitar has been struck very well.The song Warn the World is nice to listen to, then Crazy Crazy again is a good song.I do like this kind of music and audible lyrics and I found the voice also impressive.
Just because they list a band/musician as an influence, doesn’t mean you are going to readily and blatantly hear the similarities. With these guys though, I can definitely hear a bit of Beatles influence in there, which is nothing new. The Beatles have influenced many for decades. I would however, rather go in and listen to the band for them, and not try to find every artist that they may sound like.
Well, the Beatles, are, after all, THE Beatles!
I know that if I were going to be a songwriter/singer/artist, I’d have to list the Fab Four as influences in my music. (This, after all, comes from a guy who attempts to sing “Eleanor Rigby” in the shower at least once a week…Those high notes, though, get me every time!)
I don’t know what to say. Quite frankly, I’ve never been a fan of The Beatles. I’ll take Pink Floyd over The Beatles any time. That being said, I didn’t feel the Radiohead influence in the guy’s music. But then again, I didn’t really listen his music all that much, since I’m not a fan of the genre. Maybe I should give him another chance?
The influence is there, the song ‘Out of Luck.’
Nothing wrong with it of course. Lots of great bands tend to sound like older famous bands. The thing is, with over five decades of music artists and bands that came out, you can’t help but compare these singers. You can hardly read any music reviews now that doesn’t compare artists to some other artist.
Nice work with the guitars in “When Enters Love”. It is a very inspiring song. Derren Raser has a very soothing voice. But the way he pronounce his words were sometimes inaudible or muffled. I also like “Crazy, crazy”. I agree that sometimes there is no time to slow down. I can connect with the song. It is a very nice song.