David Ford, singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters might be two-a-penny these days, but if the buzz that's building up around David Ford is anything to go by, he's a name to watch. He cites Tom Waits and Ryan Adams as influences, but the British songster has also been compared to Neil Young, Damien Rice, David Gray, Mike Scott and Jeff Buckley. As a bitter romantic, however, his angst-ridden lyrics are darker and edgier than Rice's, and his soaring voice and pared down instrumentation make for a very original sound. The anthemic single, State of the Union, is due to be released ahead of his album, I sincerely apologise for all the trouble I've caused, which will be available here in February. Catch him tonight, supporting Dave Couse, at Róisín Dubh in Galway, and tomorrow with Aine Duffy in Cyprus Avenue, Cork. Then in Dublin, he's playing with José González on Monday in Whelan's, and with Damien Dempsey at the Olympia on Wednesday and Thursday. He also has a solo gig in Doyle's on Tuesday as part of the Ruby Session series. www.david-ford.com. Eimear McKeith