The Austin 100: David Keenan
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Courtesy of the artist
Hometown: Dundalk, Ireland
Genre: Folk
Why We're Excited: Irish singer-songwriter David Keenan plays majestic folk music that unfolds with a kind of weary gentility, conjuring the string-swept gentle grace of a Damien Rice, a Glen Hansard or, before them, a Van Morrison. A former busker (no surprise there), Keenan possesses the lung power necessary to seize attention and the dedication to dramatic pacing necessary to hold it. In "Two Kids," he pairs up with another terrific singer (Laura Quirke) to embark on a nearly seven-minute journey of poetic longing.