RILEY DOWNING, KASSI VALAZZA, TOMMY ALEXANDER AT THE GROVE HOUSE

4993 5TH Street,Mariposa CA 95338

25 October, 2021

Description

Triple bill of heat at The Grove House. $15 / All Ages You may know Riley Downing from his work with acclaimed New Orleans combo the Deslondes, or perhaps from his similarly rootsy and wide-ranging catalog of songs with the Tumbleweeds – indeed, the Missouri-based singer-songwriter’s ability to set gripping, evocative narratives within soundscapes that weave together country, blues, folk, r&b, bluegrass, rock, soul and whatever else catches his ear is something that, once you hear it, is hard to shake free from. Same goes for that voice – deep, dusty and drawling, it’s an instrument that can stop you in your tracks with its character and expressiveness, as well as through Downing’s knack for laying out complex emotions in plainspoken, direct language. Kassi Valazza has a viscous, light gold voice. It swirls around in your head like whiskey in a snifter; vaporous, and intoxicating. Her lyrics drip down the inside of your skull. Musicians with Southwest origins dependably bring a languorous relaxation – the slow pace, a defense against the oppressive heat of the high desert– and a grim sense of gravitas, having walked among the bleached bones and arid landscapes. After self-releasing his brilliant alt-Country LP Waves in 2020, Tommy Alexander found his record on numerous end of the year lists, including nods from KEXP and Magnet Magazine. By this point it is clear that Alexander has established himself as a facet of the indie music world from his impressive and burgeoning booking agency, Pilot Light Booking, to his own musical outpouring. Alexander pens timeless songs with a powerful and dynamic voice and an evolved grasp on dense and concise lyrical design.