“His voice has the ring of truth and there’s poetic insight aplenty in these songs. Newberry is an artist to watch.”
–Exclaim Magazine
span class=”Apple-style-span”>David Newberry’s songs provide insight into the remarkably complex world we live in. Never sacraficing hopefulness for truth (or beauty for despair) he coaxes the listener into a conversation about life, art, and the magic of survival in challenging times. Armed with a sharp eye for detail and an ear for pushing the boundaries of what roots music “sounds like,” he has made a tangible impact across a number of musical communities.
Operating in a genre that folks have started to call ‘Critical Canadiana,’ Newberry’s soon-to-be-released EP “Desire Lines,” is proving that he is capable of building on the momentum that he has earned through years of relentless touring, exhilirating recordings, and a steadfast commitment to song-craft as the foundation for his body of work.
In 2010, Newberry released his debut record “When We Learn The Things We Need To Learn”, quickly establishing himself as a legitimate force in Canadian music, while catching the eye of several of Canada’s roots-elite, including Juno winner David Francey, who calls him “absolutely brilliant…,” and EXCLAIM! Magazine, who pegged him way back then as “an artist to watch,” more recently upgrading him to “evidence that Canadian roots music is in good hands.”
His 2012 album “No One Will Remember You,” (Northern Electric) produced by Adam Iredale-Grayof Fiddlehead Studios and featuring significant contributions from members of the Deep Dark Woods, Fish and Bird, and The Gruff, proved that Newberry is able to flawlessly combine his deep connection to timeless roots music with his well-worn understanding of the modern sonic palette.
Newberry came to music via a path that is less than typical. While pursuing a career as a carpenter, a construction accident left him without the use of his left hand. When his physiotherapist suggested that he learn an instrument as a means to rebuild his injured appendage, he dug into the guitar, emerging quickly as a poet with a hankering for noise.
There is a joy in David Newberry’s sometimes somber music that is hard to explain. His live shows are frequently full of storytelling, humour, and a strange celebration of life somehow rooted in his twisted pessimism. Not one to waste words, David Newberry packs each phrase with the kind of thought, meaning, and complexity that is most often associated with singer-songwriters of the 1960s. But don’t get the wrong idea – Newberry’s music is inescapably forward looking, offering something that is equally appealing to lyric-oriented folk purists and fans of textured, contemporary alternative and indie music.
How Do Other People Describe David Newberry’s Music?
“Newberry can be filed alongside the likes of young troubadours like Jerry Leger and Corin Raymond as evidence that Canadian roots music is in good hands.”
–Exclaim Magazine
“Newberry doesn’t sacrifice lyrical creativity even when he’s making noisy, guitar-driven tunes…”
–CBC Music
“David’s music is delivered with passion and intensity such as I have rarely experienced. Each song is like a masterpiece of concise writing, not one wasted word or thought. Each drives home the fact that I am listening to exquisite insights into the human condition. A brilliant blend of heart and mind that is all but missing in most of his contemporaries writing today. He is a brilliant poet and compelling performer. I will be in the audience again as often as I can. I think he is an outstanding writer. Simply outstanding.”
-Three time Juno Award winner David Francey
“While other singer-songwriters talk about their storytelling skills and their ability to draw you into a song, Canadian singer David Newberry delivers. His new album “No One Will Remember You” is packed with beautifully crafted songs, the kind of music that has to be made by hand with great care. Coupled with his beautiful voice, you have quite the package… His songs are gently sad, almost wistful, possibly exhausted: really the only emotions we have anymore in a world on the brink…. a refreshingly ego-less perspective that’s unfortunately very rare.”
–No Depression
“…equal parts ‘The River’ era Springsteen and Neil Young folk rock elements in his music (No One Will Remember You is a) soulful, really impressive sophomore album.”
-Alan Cross
In his spare time, David writes and records educational “kidult” songs for ScratchGarden. He also produced and performed on a spoken word/comedy record ‘Three Paycheque Month’, as a part of the comedic ‘duo’, The Ben Mills Two.