REDUX '11: Pete Lawrie

On each of the next 19 days, we're going to revisit one of our DC faves of 2011...

Welsh singer/songwriter Pete Lawrie brings a world of varied influences and musical shades to his music, but you can be guaranteed that there will always be something new he'll want to toss into the mix at some point. "Some days I want and try to write songs," he says. "Some days, some instrumental noise with computers. I love traditional Malian folk as much as I love dubstep as much as I love opera. It's my parents fault." Exploring songs from his debut full-length A Little Brighter, released May 2 in the U.K. via Island, it's evident that Lawrie's disparate musical persona brings a fresh, adventurous aspect to his own oft-shifting sound. DC regulars know we've been following his rise through a series of singles, videos and EP's for well over a year -- and A Little Brighter proves mightily to have been well worth the wait.

With a voice that at times recalls Ray Lamontagne's husky rasp, Lawrie shifts seamlessly from frayed, comfortably amiable folk ("Paperthin"), propelled folk rock ("Fell Into the River" -- video after the jump) rippling, gritty, black-and-blue pop melodies ("All That We Keep") to the occasional finespun piano ballad ("Jimmy and the Birds on Fire"). "It's taken me a long long time trying to find a sound, a style that suited me. A place I wanted to stop at creatively," he says. "More importantly I hope I never really do. I suppose if I had to give my current sound a name, I would call it Southern blues country rock skiffle hop tronica, whilst cringing at my own pretension."

Pete Lawrie - "All That We Keep" (from the album A Little Brighter)

Pete Lawrie - "Paperthin" (from the album A Little Brighter)