The Paramount Theater, March 21
Wistful and moving, José González’s soft voice and intricate finger-picking guitar elevate an otherwise indie rock formula with cavernous echoes of folk, classical, and quiet reflections of pop music. Originally finding some success with the outfit Junip, he has performed and recorded with a steady stream of collaborators ranging from British electro group Zero 7 to his own backing band, The Brite Lites. Yet González’s specialty is serving himself up with mic in face, guitar in lap. Eschewing the potential pitfalls of having to deal with other instruments and egos, he’ll have the stage all to himself at his upcoming date at The Paramount Theater.
While on his own, he has garnered fame for a notably stripped-down cover of The Knife’s synthy “Heartbeats,” which has been streamed upwards of 580 million times (surpassing the original version by leaps and bounds). “Stay Alive,” along with more of his music, rounded out The Secret Life of Walter Mitty movie soundtrack, bringing further attention his way.
Born to Argentinian parents in Gothenburg, Sweden, where he has long been a staple of the city’s condensed music scene, González’s songs surprise beyond his melodic vocals and acoustic dexterity. For a third-language English speaker (he sometimes writes lyrics in Spanish and Swedish, too), his words evoke an honest poetic sensibility that the best intentions can’t ape and money can’t buy. Simple, straightforward, and with a plain beauty, he manages to construct worlds that are easy to dream yourself into without first being forced to complete a master’s degree in English lit.
Take this “Crosses” excerpt from his debut solo album Veneer (2003): “Crosses all over the boulevard / The streets outside your window / Over-flooded / People staring / They know you’ve been broken / Repeatedly reminded / By the looks on their faces / Ignore them tonight and you’ll be alright.”
While his own bio name-checks fellow deep songsmith dreamers Nick Drake, Paul Simon, and Elliot Smith, González’s approach to his instrument and voice produce a stunning resonance that bears little resemblance to anyone else.
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