Sunday Evening with Stewart Lewis

On March 15, 2012, I was lucky enough to go to the MilkBoy Coffee in Ardmore, PA, to see Stewart Lewis, playing a show with Tom Goss. I haven't seen Stewart in a couple of years, when I saw him play with Goss and Jake Walden in the Rock The Folk Out Tour. I loved him then, and have continued to love his music. His recent EP, Stumbling For Truth, is just exceptional, proving he can move effortlessly between Pop and Folk, making both adjust to his deft touch. I will start off with Stewart's Pop nugget, Not A Love Song. I love this song, one of many gems off the 2008 album, In Formation. I am blown away by Stewart's ability to bring his textured and layered music to a live performance, as you can see here.



Stewart's Stumbling For Truth is a beautiful gift from the storyteller, balancing Lewis' sweet voice with the sparse production to make music that has both power and a delicate touch. There is also a haunted feel on House On A Hill, the final track on the EP.



Since the first time I heard the next song, I thought it had a interesting sexy feel to it. There was just something so playful in Stewart's vocals, and sultry in the music, from the bluesy guitar to the undulating rhythms. And since he played the song for me that night, there was an added layer of thrilling. So just sit back and enjoy Leave Me, off Stumbling For Truth.



For the final song in the post, I offer up Supertramps Or Superstars, a song written by Stewart that has yet to make it to a recording. I have my fingers crossed that Stewart is already storing up music for a next release. This one reminds me of the great songs written by some of the great folk poets of the past, like Lou Reed, artists who have perfectly captures stories and told them with just the right amount of honesty balanced with flavor to capture the tale.



As much as I loved the new EP when I got it, hearing it played live made me love it even more. There is something about the intimacy of hearing the music live that gives the songs a more tangible edge. I don't think it is possible to beat hearing your favorite artists play the music live, and allowing your senses to fill up with the experience. But if you can't get to the live show, then certainly pick up the music that you like. You can find Stumbling For Truth on iTunes, CD Baby, and Amazon. You can find In Formation on iTunes and purchase the physical CD from Amazon and CD Baby. For more about Stewart, visit him on his official website.

Stewart Lewis EP Stumbling For Truth

It has been a while since I featured the music of the smart and handsome Stewart Lewis, so I am twice as happy to say not only am I covering him, but it is due to a new release! Somehow or another, I missed the official release for Stumbling For Truth, but once Stewart told me about it on Twitter, I had to race over to iTunes to buy it! You see, I've been a fan of Lewis' work for a couple of years now, since I first purchased In Formation, and saw him performing live with Jake Walden and Tom Goss on the Rock The Folk Out tour. There I bought the rest of his music, and also his novel, Rockstar!



The first thing I notice when I start with the 5-song collection was the intimate, more personal arrangement of Four Lanes To Pittsburgh, the opening song. While his previous music was rock-flavored Pop, the latest has a more acoustic folk feel. At the core of it, the song has a personal feeling, like Lewis is sharing a slice of his life with me. And then Leave Me kicks in, with the bluesy feel that has a real sexy feel to it. And only Stewart can fill a love song with 'you cannon fuel a dying star.' I have to say, I am loving this song. The third track is Rags And Bones, which has this odd retro feel, like it was a folk song with a strong acoustic take that makes it timeless. The fourth cut is another strong folk song, only with an airier feel, a bit more billowy. Careful Out There is the fourth cut, which melds the folk with a Pop feel to offer a slightly ethereal movement. The chorus is just so lovely. We are come to the last cut, House On A Hill, with a rootsy feel set with the opening strains of the guitar. The feeling on this one runs deep, and there are moments when the arrangement offers a Country appeal. When the song if over, I realize all five songs have been heard, and it seems like no time has passed, and I want to hear more.



So far, there is no video for any of the songs from the EP, so I can't help you out there. You'll just have to trust me, and buy this. For less than $5.00, you get an excellent album. For more about Stewart Lewis, check out his FaceBook page here or his official page here. You can find it on iTunes here and on Amazon here and you can either download or purchase a physical CD at CD Baby here. You can preview the songs there. But what I can leave you with is an acoustic version of Shine, a song from his last album, In Formation.