Daniel Martin Moore

It’s hard to fathom what motivates a single person with only an acoustic guitar to put themselves out there in this world of impossibly short attention spans, and for that reason alone it’s ironic to say that Daniel Martin Moore demands attention. This debut album from the Kentucky native is a quiet gem in the Nick Drake mould, but with even less frills, if that notion can be grasped. Moore’s approach is, at times, so delicate that it’s hard to believe that any sound stuck to the tape at all. Still, while his guitar playing doesn’t approach Drake’s high standard, Moore has a similar grasp of melody, as well as a resonant, yet unobtrusive, voice. His allegiance to British folk rock is also revealed with a nice cover of Sandy Denny’s "Who Knows Where The Time Goes.” Add all these elements together and Stray Age proves to be endlessly intriguing. However, it is not an album to be listened to while driving.