Esmé Patterson: One-lady Song Machine

The gifted singer from Paper Bird gives you a look inside her brain

Paper Bird is something of a Denver institution, bringing folk at its rootsiest to center stage in the local music scene. But with too much creativity to be contained, talent from Paper Bird regularly spill over into side projects. This proves true for the voice in the mic, Esmé Patterson, who released her new solo album to the area at Twist and Shout earlier this week.

The album itself is a focused, strong composition that throttles back the folk a bit and slides in the blues—not to mention some really fantastic late-80′s alt touches. It’s a graceful melange in just the right mixture that allows the album to come out warm and fantastic. Interesting but comforting. Homey but foreign. It’s wonderful to hear Patterson let her voice go on center stage. The  slightest and most wonderful screeches and scratches brought by playing a place where she doesn’t feel she needs to be so delicate.

Tomorrow night, Patterson will be playing her release show at the L2 Arts and Culture Center at 8pm. The album doesn’t go national until November 20th, so take this chance to rub elbows with great new from a very talented local artist. Not to mention, it’s going to be fun. And can prove to your date that you really are “sensitive” after all.