David J. Roch

I first heard David J. Roch play in 100 Club sometime last year. It was about the time that serious questions were being asked about the venue staying open. I'd never been before, and was very excited to go to a place so monumental and steeped in so many artists' history. Needless to stay it hasn't closed, and I've been back several times. David was supporting Andy Burrows, I Am Arrows. It was a great gig and I remember leaving thinking that the supporting acts were a brilliant fit and that I enjoyed them.

I have been on David's email list since and enjoy reading his updates and look forward to opening them when I see he's sent another. Mostly the notes consist of gig dates, which happen, for the main part in London or his homestead of Sheffield. Of late, he has started offering guestlist and free tickets via the email portal too. I can't find a email subscription page, but his Twitter page is just as informative I'm sure. http://twitter.com/#!/davidjroch.

I haven't seen David live since the first time, though I would very much like to. Today I revisited his music and rediscovered how much I like it. Bones, for example, is so dreamy and beautiful. Lyrically, it is stunning, and evokes such vivid imagery, 'these bones held in place with skin'. The pace of the song is such that you can really appreciate the lyrics. There's a clever little bouncy, humming guitar underneath to keep it rhythmic, and at about two minutes in there comes a tinkling glockenspiel which splits the record in two parts, the first observationally emotional Whenever you leave, you pull them tight and choke my heart., the second is questioning and more defensive and sad, 'Why can't you be kind, once in a while to me?'.

   

Here is him on Soundcloud. http://soundcloud.com/david-j-roch/tracks