Wow.

When I run across albums like this my greatest challenge is always to avoid mentioning all the other amazing music it should be alongside.  But, screw it:  Elliott Smith, Gary Jules, Damien Rice, Nick Drake, Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine.

Peasant is Damien DeRose.  He is the creator and sole inhabitant of a soft country somewhere beyond or between the gentle charm of "Five Leaves Left" or "The Shepherd's Dog".  Gracefully pensive and enchanting, DeRose's voice dapples the aural landscape with ethereal luminosity and elegance, weaving under and over his hushed acoustic guitar like sunlight through leaves.  And each note, like each leaf on each tree, has a weight and purpose however light or liberated.

"On the Ground" is like an album of hymns giving worship to an abstraction of nature and spirit instead of to any particular deity.  DeRose has discovered a mysticism of melody just beyond the aether and maybe, just maybe, he is here to lead us there.


Track Listing:

Part 1
1) The Wind
2) Fine Is Fine
3) Stop For Her
4) We're Good
5) Raise Today
6) Exposure
7) Those Days
8) On the Ground

Part 2
9) Missing
10)   Birds
11)   Not Your Saviour
12)   You Don't Know
13)   Impeccable Manner