Here's your fill: Aaron Schroeder MP3s

One of the best things about being a blogger while also attempting to write a book is the constant kicks in the ass I receive. Every day, my inbox fills with news of bands from Ottawa or Glasgow or Kyoto I've never heard of. So I'll do some research on them (read: browse their MySpace profile) and instantly get that onset of a quarterlife crisis. So many of them are younger than me (at twenty-four) and already have their shit together. They're putting out albums, touring, getting the word out, making a go at it. Meanwhile, I'm waking up post-noon and hoping the lights stay on. After about five of these profiles, I suddenly summon up the will to edit another chapter, envisioning the gold sheen of a Pulitzer medal around my neck again. Aaron Schroeder, currently based in Kennewick, Washington, is one such inspiration. At twenty-three, he's already produced a nine song LP, Southern Heart In Western Skin, that's worth taking note of. It's a album that blends country, folk and pop and accomplished instrumentation that encompasses everything from lap-steel guitars to harmonicas to accordions. His lyrics are smart, his music is winning, and his talent is all too apparent. The songs almost seem designed for a dive bar jukebox, where the fun, laidback mood could complement his sunny melodies. Schroeder counts many impressive musicians and writers among his influences (Leadbelly, Belle and Sebastian, Minor Threat, Haruki Marukami, Henry Miller), but the closest parallel I hear in his sound is Lifted-era Bright Eyes. There's that same willingness to branch out and modernize the possibilities of folk, the same pretty female background vocals, the same focus on songcraft. And like Conor Oberst, he's got a whole lot of time to show us all that he's capable of. So if you're in need of inspiration, look no further than Aaron Schroeder. It should do the trick whether or not you're surrounded by strewn-about pages with full paragraphs furiously crossed out. * MP3: "Antlers" - Aaron Schroeder from Southern Heart In Western Skin * MP3: "A Movin' Movin' Train" - Aaron Schroeder from Southern Heart In Western Skin * MP3: "The Real World" - Aaron Schroeder from Southern Heart In Western Skin [Buy it] * Artist MySpace: Aaron Schroeder