Dave Murphy - A Heart So Rare (2025)

This new effort by the fine Madison, NJ Americana artist Dave Murphy touches upon the typical topics that appeal to & relate to listeners. Love lost, transitions with a heartfelt reflection on human fallibility & while Murphy has had his challenges & he writes from experience. And unlike many artists who mirror many past artists Murphy has developed a distinctive style with an approach consistent & sincere.

There are 10 pieces recorded in Brooklyn, NY that color A Heart So Rare produced by Dave (vocals/acoustic guitar) & Chris Tarrow (electric, resonator, pedal & lap steel guitars/6-string banjo/mandolin).

While others will cross reference Dave Murphy’s music & invite comparisons to Alejandro Escovedo & Steve Earle (which are complimentary) Murphy has a dedicated ardent following. His songs are refined. It’s easy to write two or three great songs per album & then dilute the balance. However, Dave treats each song with a deft hand. Good music doesn’t have to make the walls shake – what stimulates the ear often settles in the brain. Delicacy & poignancy can be subliminally as exhilarating as a fiery solo.

I’m familiar with backup singer James Maddock (an excellent similar artist with solo albums). He accompanies Dave on 2 beginning with “October Skies.” Excellent story songs. They are well thought out & with help from someone like Maddock, bring out the hidden flavors. Murphy & Maddock complement one another as much as the duo Lowen & Navarro did (“Cry”).

Murphy’s a troubadour (“If I Could Fly” is in a John Prine tradition) who inhales the same musical air as many talented light-hearted singer-songwriters who sing beautifully without fanfare – Eric Andersen, Loudon Wainwright, James Taylor, Peter Himmelman & the late David Blue, David McWilliams & Clifford T. Ward.

Murphy has a cool demeanor as compact as his understated style (“Red”). His approach & words aren’t like Dylan, Neil Young, Nick Drake, John Martyn or Graham Parker. He’s simply Dave Murphy. His handiwork comes from skill & experience. Many singers write their songs but that isn’t as easy as it sounds. It’s as complicated as being an accomplished lead guitarist, a polished pianist, or a vocalist who knows how to navigate the poignancy of a melody as much as its upper registers.

If you want loud guitars. Look elsewhere. Drum solos? Not in this neighborhood. Want someone to tell you a story? Make yourself at home with Dave Murphy. Bring your own beverages. I did.