ACL Preview – A.A. Bondy
Posted: August 3rd, 2008 | Author: Nathan | Filed under: Articles About Music | Tags: a.a. bondy, austin city limits, blind willie mctell, bob dylan, daytrotter, fionn regan, ray lamontagne, ryan adams, Verbena | Comments Off
He’s just another name on the never-ending list of acoustic folk singer-songwriters. Or is he? Scott Bondy, like my last ACL highlight, has totally reinvented himself for his newest release. The former frontman of the 90′s grunge-rock outfit Verbena, who now performs under the moniker A.A. Bondy, has just released his first solo effort, American Hearts. And I am here to tell you that this musical transformation is worth your attention, especially if you are planning on attending the Austin City Limits music festival. I am having a hard time putting into words why this guy stands out among the ever-growing mass of aspiring musicians armed with nothing but an acoustic guitar. How about this. His music sort of exudes a similar sense of honesty and sincerity you get from guys like Ray Lamontagne, Ryan Adams, and Bob Dylan. Not really sure what that means, except for that I think that he deserves some of the respect that these guys are getting.
In all seriousness I think one of the easiest ways for me to describe him would be an American version of Fionn Regan. I can’t believe that it took me this long to hear one of the best alt-country albums of the past decade. Had I heard it just a couple months earlier, it would have had a real good shot of making my top ten list. So please check it out. I have here for your listening pleasure, the title track from American Hearts and then a traditional track he recorded for Daytrotter that he heard from a guy named Blind Willie McTell. I have no doubt that after hearing these songs that A.A. Bondy will end up on your must-see list for ACL.
A.A. Bondy – American Hearts (removed 2/13/09)
A.A. Bondy – You Got To Die (Daytrotter Session) (removed 2/13/09)
“When you hear this song, I hope your ears bleed.”
