Murdoch Has The Voice Of Drake, Lyrical Gifts of Chapin and Good Looks of Buckley

By Jason Leopold

The singer-songwriter movement of the new millenium is slowly making a comeback in Los Angeles much in the way the folk music scene dominated Greenwich Village in the 60s and early 70s. Leading the pack is a scrappy European named Alexi Murdoch who has the voice of Nick Drake, the lyrical gifts of Harry Chapin and the good looks of Tim Buckley. At Genghis Cohen Wednesday night, Murdoch performed an intimate 45-minute set of original material that showcased his lyrical gifts not heard since Chapin made a name for himself with "Cats n The Cradle." Murdoch's genuine charm during the performance is a rarity and a refreshing change from the candy-coated pop made famous by so-called singer-songwriters like Dave Matthews. Songwriters in recent years have paid more attention to their music, the sound of the guitar, drums or other instruments, instead of focusing on the craft of lyrics. But Murdoch can tell a story and make a person forget about the music and he recognizes that, albeit by default. He's bound to gain a strong grassroots following, one that is sure to include interest from record companies. Let's just hope the labels don't turn him into a product.