Crow Greenspun is a singer and songwriter based out
of Ithaca, New York who plays some of the finest roots-based rock being
made right now. His music encompasses both the folk tradition of Woody
Guthrie and the horn-drenched soulfulness of Van Morrison. But Crow
Greenspun is certainly no old relic or throwback artist; his vision
is far more expansive. He includes elements of modern hip-hop in his
sound as well. In essence, Crow Greenspun is truly a musician's musician,
that rare breed who has the ability to take seemingly disparate styles
and forge them into something that is eclectic and original, yet also
satisfyingly familiar.
That Greenspun is able to combine folk, country, blues, soul, rock,
and rap into something coherent of his own is no small feat. Even more
impressive is that in no way does he ever sound forced, as if he is
trying to be trendy. His music always feels like it is drawn from the
natural rhythms of life. Greenspun can move from a tender, poignant
love song about the complexities of marriage right into a hard-hitting,
in-your-face rap about the crumbling state of the world without blinking
an eye. He sings in a high, soft tenor, almost a mumble, straight from
the gut, with an unstudied style. As a rapper, his skills on the mic
and his passion for the genre are undeniable. He booms out at you like
a hungry firebrand.
In his lyrics, Crow Greenspun isn't afraid to address life's big
questions. He takes such traditional subjects as death, loss, heartbreak,
and true love, and looks at them with fresh insight. He deals equally
well with political themes. His best songs often tell autobiographical
stories that are both harrowing and redemptive. Greenspun's writing
cuts to the core of whatever issues he is addressing, with a sense
of humor and wordplay that is sharp and profound.
Greenspun's band plays with a loose, easy joy that is similar in
feel to the work Dylan did with The Band. You get the sense that a
song can take off in another direction at any moment. Acoustic guitars
and horns coexist on his records with turntables. Organ notes come
wafting in over a solid rhythm section laying down a groove that makes
you want to get up and dance. Unfortunately, there is no genre description
adequate enough to describe Crow Greenspun's style. His tastes are
so varied, his talent so broad. But ultimately, it is that very scope,
the merging of sounds old and contemporary, which gives his music its
raw emotional power. It is in many ways the sound of the past meeting
the future.
