Every month we turn the spotlight on a new release from a Texas artist with a series of weekly features that give you a sneak peek at the new music and some insight into the artist behind it. Find the full Artist of the Month feature rundown here.
On Seth Sherman’s solo 2011 debut, When The Moment Is True, the longtime Austin musician found beauty in darkness. Recording and playing every instrument himself, Sherman dove deep into his own struggles with depression, alternating between Lennon-esque rock ballads and a dense fingerpicking style first developed by the ultimate American loners, John Fahey and Leo Kottke. “I like the idea of not having to tell a story,” he told the Statesman, instead allowing his unique guitar style and melodies to do the talking.
The irony, of course, is that Sherman needed a backing band to play these intensely solo songs in the live setting. Recruiting some friends, the group soon took on a more democratic quality and turned into Tinnarose. That all-for-one attitude carries over to the band’s vocal duties, shared between Sherman and the classically-trained Devon McDermott. Together, the pair trade off verses like dueling lead guitarists.
On August 26, Tinnarose will release its self-titled debut, and throughout, Sherman and McDermott shine in the spotlight. The record shows off the band’s freewheeling attitude, shifting between folk, jazz, soul, and pop influences with ease. “When You’re Gone” kicks things off with a swagger, matching a Stones-like riff to a soaring vocal performance. Going it alone can be invigorating, but Tinnarose is proof that a true band dynamic can elevate the music to a completely different level.
