John Paul Davis
My name is John Paul Davis. I write poetry, build things on the web with code, make music and visual art. I love making things. This website is mostly about the things I make and do.
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Best foot forward -
Gritty & groovy, boisterous & bluesy, lively & funky, showcasing Saadiq's tight songwriting & ear for a great hook.
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Repetition is a kind of change -
This quartet interact flawlessly, almost telepathically. Melodic, effortless solos, impeccable timing. The art that hides the art. A pure delight.
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The multiverse -
Shapeshifting arrangements of acoustic guitars over warm synths bloom into magnificence just as it seems they'll fall apart, much like the album's meditations on love, anxiety & loss.
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Anticipation -
More melodic, sometimes anthemic, the band are cohesive, expressive & exquisite on every track. More reflective in places, while sacrificing none of their fire.
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Reaching -
Working class stories, probing protest songs & contemplations of faith & the American dream set to smoky, bluesy, rocking tunes by a tight, world-class band. Still timely, 40 years later.
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Graceful evocative piano, perfect chord progressions, luxurious horns, cadent, swaying melodies.
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Who says trees can't be friends? -
Spring insists -
Silhouettes on sunlight -
First Day Of Spring, 2025 -
Endlessly inventive arrangements, operatic in scope, these songs celebrate the birth of a child & new love with idiosyncratic brainy lyrics.
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Rainy, psychedelic, haunted, questioning, questing songs, lushly-arranged, tenderly sung.
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Vibrant arrangements & spectacular melodies support the reflective, pastoral lyrics that meditate on aging, longing & love.
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The band cements their longevity with these finely-crafted, mature tunes that retain all their early-career energy. Searing guitars, spidery bass, thundering drums & a whole lot of heart.
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Hassell defies expectations of what sounds a trumpet can make, gliding, soaring, soothing over polyrhythms, synth pads & stuttering pulsing bass lines. Brian Eno & Michael Brook sit in on some songs.
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His first with a full band, exploring themes central to his 55 year career: spirituality, love, progressive politics. Lush arrangements, tender melodies & his intricate guitar picking abound.
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Adroit & lively lyricism set to compelling, dynamic melodies over mostly solo acoustic guitar played energetically.
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Without deviating from their warm melange of soul, R&B, disco & hip-hop Jungle expand their sonic palette for a richer, more spacious sound.
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Groovy, skittery percussion & funky basslines over string ensembles as Byrne's quirky, metaphoric lyrics capture the paranoias & anxieties of post-9/11 America.
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Washington's spacious, glimmering electric funk never looses its way, thanks in large part to bassist Louis Johnson's nimble grooves & Washington's always-ascending soprano sax.
