New Folk/Pop Discovery: k.s. Rhoads - "Orphaned" from The Wilderness EP

I've really been enjoying the music of Nashville's k.s. Rhoads - he's got a big sound and a good voice. And though I don't usually get too concerned with the lyrics, he can sure turn a phrase. Sample lyric:

We work ourselves wretched for one old wood coffin,
if life doesn't get you, love will finish you off

Though the voice is not the same, he reminds me a bit of Billy Bragg. Some very pleasing music combined with some very serious, maybe subversive lyrics. Here's the video for "Orphaned":





Here's another track from the album, "Harvest":




It's creative stuff - the beats, the string interlude, the whistling all combine with his vocals to make a sound that is both catchy and lasting. On other tracks, the piano and vocal are accented, and his songcraft and voice carry those, too. The EP is The Wilderness, and it's available now (released Mar. 8). A couple of free song downloads are available at his website, as well as more info about previous releases.

k.s. Rhoads Website