The first time I heard David Garza I was about 12. The Great Expectations soundtrack had just come out. You know, that Gwyneth Paltrow/Ethan Hawke modern-day version? And yes, I’m well aware that I just hinted at my puny age. Deal with it. Back to the Texan at hand, I couldn’t stop playing the 14th track, his uber ’90s pop-rock anthem, “Slave.” Sure, he’s not characteristically Latin sounding in that song like in some of his other spanglish productions (Cesaria Evora’s “Bésame mucho” was the obvious Latin dose on the album). But Garza’s voice has a way of bringing you into his world with its deep, musky, trembling delivery. He has Tom Waits and Jeff Buckley in his throat and pop and poetry on his tongue. Plus, if you check out his Wikipedia page, the guy’s done over 30 solo recordings (he turns 40 this week!). Prime time for retirement? Not quite. He’s still chugging.
Case in point: “Oversea.” A decidedly less intense song than say “2 Sinners in the Garden” or anything on This Euphoria, “Oversea” (off his upcoming summer-release album) is more lo-fi and lounge-friendly than anything he’s ever done before, but Garza’s usual wordplay is still strong here. Good stuff, but I’m still partial to his older work, so I’ll cling to my copy of Dream Delay while I doze off to his sweet sweet melodies quivering into my ear lobes ever so gently and hug the pillow to the rhythm of…um…sorry. Awkward.
Happy birthday, David Garza! Download “Oversea” below and join me in my general Garza-related longing.