Second Stage: James Yuill

by Robin Hilton

Download "You Always Do" by James Yuill (Right-click or control-click to save to computer)

Anyone who's paid much attention to this blog, or to All Songs Considered, knows that I'm a shameless sap for lo-fi, softly sung neo-folk songs. Think M. Ward, Sam Beam of Iron & Wine or Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. So when you listen to today's Second Stage track from singer James Yuill, you'll immediately hear the appeal. He's got a fantastic voice, there's some fine acoustic-guitar fingerpicking, and the song has a lovely melody. "You Always Do" is the opening track to Yuill's new album, Turning Down Water for Air, so it's easy to assume it sets the tone for the rest of the record. But it turns out "You Always Do" is the most straightforward, gentlest track of the bunch. Most of the songs that follow feature aggressive, digital club beats and other electronic atmospherics. That's not to say they're less compelling than the opening song; "You Always Do" is just my favorite.

Listen to "You Always Do" by James Yuill:

London-based musician James Yuill

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3:28 PM ET | 05-22-2009 | permalink

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