Rainy days put me in a chill, mellow mood and no one does chill or mellow like Jose Gonzalez. The Swedish-Argentine folk singer-songwriter is probably best well-known for his remake of The Knife’s “Heartbeats”. He may sound like (insert your favorite 70s folk singer here) but Gonzalez keeps things simple; his only instrument is the guitar, with a few additions here and there. So when he teamed up with Zero 7 on their 2006 release, The Garden, it might have seemed out of place, but his voice lends itself perfectly to Zero 7’s downtempo beats. He is featured on four songs, including a remake of his own hit, “Crosses”.
His latest release, 2007’s In Our Nature, is a wonderful follow up to his debut Veneer and includes a cover of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop” (if you watch the TV show House like I do, “Teardrop” is the theme song of the show) and songs such as “Killing for Love”, a very subtle politically charged tune that transcends even that and can apply to any part of our life. This is not some folky guy you want to sweep under your rug – so don’t!
I’m working my way beyond YouTube and am now imeem-ing for your aural pleasure. Here are two tracks: “Today” by Zero 7 featuring Jose Gonzalez and “Heartbeats” by Jose Gonzalez. Enjoy!
wanting some coconut juice with her rainy day,
bixo do coco