There are times when I search my own blog and come away amazed that I’ve never posted about a certain artist. Jon McLaughlin is one of those artists and it’s odd because I’ve seen him play live sets countless times. And I’m not talking about the live sets for which he {or his publicist} posts pictures on his myspace. I remember Jon as he is in this photograph. The non air brushed, slightly unpolished, boisterous kid from Anderson who played countless little shows around East Central Indiana all through my days of being an undergrad. Those were the days to see Jon play set. Back when it was just Jon and a piano and a packed house of one hundred eager coeds hoping he would tear through Industry and hold us all enthralled as this small town kid, one of us, played with a talent and charisma we all dreamed of.
I knew it would happen sooner or later. We all knew Jon would make it big. Even before I was an all powerful trend setting bourgueois blogger I had at least some sense as to what was talent and what was simple enthusiasm. Luckily for me, all air brushed buffoonery aside {see his latest photo on his myspace or his website}, I will always remember Jon as he was before he played the Oscar’s or before he signed a multiple record deal with Island. I will remember him as the sweet guy who captured our imaginations with just a piano and his crystal clear voice. Who sold out venues that held around one hundred people and he came back month after month just because he loved to play.
mp3 : Jon McLaughlin - Human
mp3 : Jon McLaughlin - Indiana
These two tracks hail from his latest effort {which some PR guru decided it was his debut even though my record collection begs to differ - I have his eponymous proper debut}. Anyway, his latest album, Indiana (amazon) (itunes), is a great example of Jon’s talent and these two tracks are quite solid. You might recognize Human from the multiple television appearances it has made {including being played during a brilliant episode of Scrubs}. The track Indiana is simply brilliant. If you’re from the rural Midwest then you’ll know everything he talks about in this song. The following track is largely his most well known track to date, Industry, and although it is available on his first record issued by Island I prefer this version from his more independent days.
mp3 : Jon McLaughlin - Industry
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