JIM WHITE.

There is too much to say about Jim White. I first encountered White on a 2004 Uncut compilation and ever since, I have kept an eye on him, as much as I can; not as easy as you’d think. But the one thing I love about White is that he is like a dusty old attic, always finding overlooked treasures in his archives. These treasures include a feature film | Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus (2003), a plethora of interviews & live performances, and half a dozen studio albums. White, despite being on a major record label, flies under the radar at a stealth level. But curiously, almost all who discover him fall in love with his music. I call it “the Velvet Underground Syndrome”, with an influence that runs deeper than their appeal. White’s music floats naturally between a redemptive hopefulness, innocent Southern gothic storytelling and sharp charismatic intellectualism. White’s sound is essentially his personality, and without his personality his music makes no sense. I enjoy listening to Jim White talk as much if not more that I enjoy listening to Jim White play music; his stories are captivating in a way that make you long to be where he is. His appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series is a recent discovery for me, but it is hard to stop listening to: it is 22 minutes long, with about 10 minutes of song and 12 minutes of storytelling. Do yourself a favor and discover Jim White.