One of the reasons I was keen to start this blog was to be able to feature immensely talented people like Northern Ireland’s Daveit Ferris. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, Ferris set himself the task of releasing a song a day for the entire year of 2015. To put this into perspective, even the highly productive Beatles only penned 250 songs over an eight-year period! The back story to this project is that a few years ago Ferris was struck with a life threatening illness.  Upon recovery he vowed to waste no more time and dedicate himself to his creative arts, which includes music and poetry. His 365 Sparks project – presently up to song 214 – is the result.

This is the Turning PointBlues for Blue EyesCounting Sheep

This post draws from the first six months of the project, focusing on songs that are strong on catchy melody and surprising arrangements. As sole producer, writer and performer, Ferris has to be inventive and he delivers with interesting vocal arrangements, surprising instrument choices, and unconventional song structures. A lot of the songs rely on a strong acoustic guitar backing; indeed, most could survive a solo acoustic treatment with none of their charm diminished. The acoustic guitar anchors “This is the Turning Point” and provides the pock rock swing to “Blues for Blue Eyes,” “Counting Sheep,” and “Your Teeth.” Meanwhile “Don’t” is a beautiful acoustic guitar ballad. “White Lies” channels a 1950s vibe with a toy-sounding piano riff while “Immeasurable” utilizes a magnetic banjo drone in the chorus to completely alter the mood of the song (and the listener).

Your TeethDon’tWhite Lies

The songs are available from iTunes, Bandcamp, and Ferris’s own site (the latter at a great package rate) or Facebook page.  I’ve enjoyed checking in regularly with Ferris’ site this summer to see what his most recent effort is like: Daveit Ferris website.

Immeasurable