LITM Singer-songwriter picks tunes featuring Dario Cohen, Paul Louis Villani and Wattmore
Dario Cohen – Your Fan Club
Dario Cohen's song "Your Fan Club," which sounds like a handwritten love letter that has been sealed with velvet and vinyl dust, has a charming old-soul warmth. His Leonard Cohen-like baritone exudes tenderness, and Victor Garcia's flugelhorn entrance and soft backing vocals add a warm, late-night coziness. The song's slow-burning, sensual charm stems from its percussion rhythm and slick, gliding nylon-string blues riffs, which are evocative of "50 Ways." While being romantic without getting too sentimental, the song exhibits a very subtle passion and emotional authenticity. You feel personally serenaded by the music, as if you've just been admitted into a very special and genuine fan club. It's disarmingly direct, soulful, and private.
2. Paul Louis Villani – Makes Me Happy
Paul Louis Villani's "Makes Me Happy" is like walking into a private jam session that you were never supposed to listen to. The song, which was recorded completely alone, thrives on warmth, soulful imperfection, and unadulterated honesty. Villani's thoughts on friendship and self-discovery are grounded by a recurring riff that combines acoustic funk and blues. Here, there's an unadulterated intimacy-just feeling, without any polish or stage presence. Without sacrificing emotional depth, even the usage of AI in the vocals provides an intriguing, contemporary edge. It's a song that exudes serenity, freedom, and peaceful confidence rather than seeking approval. It really lives up to its name-it is unpretentious, human, and incredibly reassuring.
3. Wattmore – It’s Called Love… It’s Called The Blues
In addition to "It's Called Love," Wattmore collaborates with renowned composer Allan Caswell on the melancholic blues meditation "It's Called The Blues." Caswell's spoken-word vocals, replete with life lessons, begin with a wide guitar riff. Without using overt production or modern gloss, the song progressively gets rougher and more intense. Rather, it is usually emotionally controlled, allowing space and silence to speak as loudly as words. The outcome is sincere, captivating, and deeply poignant. It is a song that aches, breathes, and lingers—evidence that eternal music can be produced when authenticity is given top priority.