With the exception of an occasional instrument here or there, Peasant is entirely the work of one man: Damien DeRose. The small town of Doylestown, PA is the base of Peasant's operations, which is a fitting origin for DeRose's intimate and earthy neo-folk songs. On his second album, On the Ground, DeRose sings of the hopes and fears associated with life and love like a more optimistic version of Elliott Smith.
But don't be fooled by the seeming simplicity of On the Ground. Though his music is unassuming and acoustic, when armed with a guitar, DeRose makes music that beckons and calls out, as if demanding to be heard. DeRose also has a secret weapon: a voice that seems to expose his very soul. When he sings, "We're going to be alright" on "Stop for Her," we believe him, even though he clearly has a specific audience in mind.
Due to the brevity of the track lengths, On the Ground may have a short run-time, but it is packed with sincerity and raw talent.
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