[mp3] DM Stith // Pity Dance

Twitter has established itself as a powerful tool for sharing and obtaining information about a wide range of subjects. Since my interests are fairly limited, I have mostly elected to use this emerging medium as a channel through which to locate interesting new music. The ability to publish short, informal messages to a user created social web has enhanced the ability for artists, labels, venues and media outlets to inform and communicate with music lovers across the globe. Conversely, music consumers now have direct visibility to aspects of their favorite artists that were previously revealed only through profiles, articles, and interviews released by the music media. With Twitter, it is often possible to directly observe tours, recording sessions, collaborations, and the current listening habits of favorite musicians while they happen. Keeping tabs on the tweeting activity for a list of favorite artists has been one of the most effective methods of music discovery for me in recent years. Once again everyone’s favorite 140 character social network has led me to musical gold, and ironically this time the musical gold in question was buried in my own backyard.

I have known the name DM Stith for some time now, but it wasn’t until I heard of his involvement in the recording of the new Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) LP that I was motivated to have a closer look. There is a certain standard of quality to everything that Mrs. Worden has done that makes anyone who comes into contact with her a person of interest. When I investigated further and found out the artist in question was a Buffalo native who now resides in the fine city of Rochester, this Western New Yorker had to know more. I was not disappointed by what I found.

DM (short for David Michael) Stith makes haunting, layered psych-folk  with a challenging, eclectic approach that manages to also be highly accessible and inviting. In his 2009 his debut, Heavy Ghost, Stith has made a difficult record that is easy to get into. His family background is in Church music, and its easy to hear his past service in various church choirs in the beautiful vocal melodies and multi-tracked harmonies. The instrumentation is generally centered around a spare piano or acoustic guitar with layers upon layers of strings, percussion and electronics constantly building upon and pealing away from the central melody in a pulsating ebb and flow. The only close musical relative this blogger can come up with is Department of Eagles, but even that comparison seems insufficient. The best way to familiarize yourself with the work of DM Stith is to have a listen to “Pity Dance” – the sample track below. In the very likely event you find yourself wanting more, head over to the official DM Stith website or the Asthmatic Kitty label page, where a wide range of tracks are available to taste.

DM Stith // Pity Dance [mp3] from Heavy Ghost

In addition to participating in the creation of the new Shara Worden record, Stith is touring with Asthmatic Kitty label mate, Sufjan Stevens. He is both a performing member of Sufjan’s neon clad traveling circus, and the opening act. The European leg of the tour will be kicking off the end of this month in Oslo, Norway. The follow-up to Heavy Ghost is currently in progress, and is being recorded in between Stith’s other pursuits right here in Rochester, NY.

DM Stith // Site | Label | Twitter | Facebook

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