Every once in a while I stumble on an artist that I just can't believe hasn't hit the big time yet. Shawn Fisher, and his band, Son of a Bad Man (named after an old 1949 movie), is my latest discovery falling into that category.
The son of a classic rock-fan dad and a country-loving mom, Fisher started in his teens as a solo acoustic artist, working the clubs and coffeehouses of his native Jacksonville, Florida. From the local rock scene, he assembled Son of a Bad Man — guitarists Casey King and Robbie Vanosdol, bassist Scraggle, and drummer Brad Moxey — who quickly became one of Jacksonville’s top-drawing acts, appearing with Bryan Adams, Foreigner, Gavin DeGraw, Hinder, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and others. In 2008 the band recorded a self-titled independent EP that went on to sell 5,000 copies and attracted some big names to his music.
“Shawn is that rare breed of singer that makes you believe every word he says, just by his opening up the throttle and letting loose,” says Semisonic’s Dan Wilson, who collaborated with Son of a Bad Man on the album, along with Chris Henderson (3 Doors Down), Mike Viola, Chris DeStefano (Carly Smithson), and the Norwegian duo Espionage (Beyoncé, Train, Chris Brown).
The tunes I heard embody everything that a fan of guitar-driven pop rock could want - they are as close to perfection as you can get. Explosive guitars, arena-ready choruses, radio-friendly hooks, and an outstanding rock vocalist. "Open Your Eyes" is the current single, and it features an acoustic opening that quietly builds into terrific melodic rocker - very Goo Goo Dolls. The sparser opening allows Fisher to show off his amazing pipes. Other fantastic tunes I've had the privilege to hear include "Let Me In", which reminds me of the best song Ryan Cabrera never recorded and the mid-tempo "This Is Me", where his modest country influence can be heard. The EP closed with "You Got Me", which is another winner that calls to mind Gavin DeGraw.
Fans of Butch Walker, Augustana, and Goo Goo Dolls will love Shawn Fisher. For now, you can grab the single, "Open Your Eyes" from iTUNES or Amazon. We'll let you know when more becomes available!
Shawn Fisher on MySpace.
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