Piers Faccini was an accidental discovery for me. Invited to a night of music and poetry by a good friend with a lineup that was a mystery to both of us, the handsome looking and sounding folk-poet took us completely by surprise, first silencing the nattering crowd with an unannounced blast of Gaelic song before enveloping us in the embracing warmth of his own work. More than anything, it was his voice that impressed: eyes shut, I could have been listening to Nick Drake which, since Drake only ever released three records, one of which isn’t even half an hour long, is no bad thing if you ask me.
Imagine my excitement, then, at discovering that Faccini already has three albums to his name, two of which are available to stream on Grooveshark. And, while there are plenty of tracks which justify the comparison, most obviously the gorgeous “Time Of Nought”, there’s more to Faccini on record than Drake mimicry: “Your Name No More” has some rock ‘n’ roll spunk to it, “Sharpening Bone” and “Strangers” show hints of bluesy funk, and at times his percussion exhibits a definite West African influence. Songs and touches like these bring some variety to the otherwise gentle, rambling proceedings, though a pick and mix approach is probably still for the best here.
Faccini is coming to the US this week, and I can’t recommend seeing him live enough. Details of the tour can be found here, do check him out if you’re nearby. To hear more, swing by the Diary section of Faccini’s website to download a series of covers of songs beloved to him, ranging from Billy Bragg’s “The Only One” to The Velvet Underground’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror”, and look forward to his new album coming next month.
