SONG OF THE DAY: "I Could Be With Anyone" by Kevin Devine

I don't know a whole lot about Kevin Devine. Apparently he has a pretty large, loyal following in the indie community, but I had never heard of him until a few months ago. He is largely a solo artist, though he plays and records albums with The Goddamn Band providing support and volume. He is also good buds with Jesse Lacey and Andy Hull, and he has gotten some exposure through touring and collaborating with those artists and their respective bands.

Kevin Devine has been incredibly prolific since he began his recording career a little over ten years ago. Wikipedia tells me he has released eight studio albums, seven EPs, five live albums, a complete cover of Nirvana's Nevermind album, and two albums with members of Manchester Orchestra. His last two albums, one solo and one with The Goddamn Band, were both released last year after an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign.

After discovering this redheaded guy, I soon learned that, though several of his songs simply floored me when I heard them, his albums did not do much for me. I will admit that I have only listened to two albums, 2011's Between the Concrete and the Clouds and 2003's Make the Clock Moves, which was the album that first drew him widespread attention. But I just can't seem to get into his music for a full album, even though there are about ten songs of his that I could listen to on repeat for a week.

"I Could Be With Anyone" is actually somewhat atypical for Devine.  This song was the first of his I heard, which led to some disappointment upon exploring his music further. Much of his work, especially when solo, is somber, melancholy, soft indie music. Luckily, he manages to write highly intelligent, creative, emotive music with fantastic lyrics and crescendos that pull you in. But "I Could Be With Anyone" is the side of Kevin I wish he would pursue more. It's short, loud, a little angsty, but still remains unique, creative, and true to his style of songwriting. The video also reminds me of Bright Eyes' "First Day of My Life" video, but obviously with a very different tone. Check it out!