Damien Jurado | Artist
Damien Jurado is an American singer-songwriter born 1972 in Seattle, Washington. His solo career began during the mid-1990s, releasing lo-fi folk based recordings on his own cassette-only label, Casa Recordings. Gaining a local cult following in Seattle, he was brought to the attention of Sub Pop Records and after two singles, Sub Pop issued his first full album, Waters Ave S. in 1997. His second album, Rehearsals for Departure (1999), attracted positive reviews, drawing comparisons with musicians like Nick Drake, Elliott Smith and Pete Yorn. His third album Postcards and Audio Letters highlights the artists' fondness for experimentation. The album is built on a collection of audio fragments that he had found from sources such as thrift store tape players and answering machines. Also released in 2000 was Ghost of David, Jurado's bleakest and most personal sounding record to date. I Break Chairs (2002) was produced by long-time friend, David Bazan from Pedro the Lion, and is a much rockier, electric affair than previous works. After signing with Secretly Canadian in 2003, Jurado reverted to his trademark folk ballad-based style, and has released a total of 21 albums (at 2023) of consistently high quality. Many of his later albums are collaborations with fellow artist Richard Swift. Standouts include Rehearsals For Departure (1999), Ghost of David (2000), Where Shall You Take Me? (2003), Caught in the Trees (2008), Maraqopa (2012) and The Horizon Just Laughed (2018). In addition to solo works, Jurado worked with post-hardcore band Raft of Dead Monkeys which released the 2001 album Thoroughlev, plus he teamed with his brother Drake to issue an LP under the name Hoquiam in 2010. Jurado's songs have also featured on many TV shows, including the songs "Everything Trying" (The Blacklist: Season 1, episode 12 and House M.D.: Season 7, Episode 14), "A.M. AM" and "Cloudy Shoes" (Netflix documentary series Wild Wild Country).
Artist Website: damienjurado.com
Featured Albums: Damien Jurado
Related Artists: Richard Swift
