Folk Bands and Artists
Dusty Stray
Amsterdam
Hailing from Amsterdam, DUSTY STRAY features the alt-folk repertoire of Texan expat Jonathan Brown which delves into universal themes of unrequited love, heartbreak, loneliness and death but (almost) always with a small dose of hope and redemption. The melodic, lightly psychedelic acoustic-based songs are often accompanied by a number of unusual instruments and toys.
Dusty Stray could be described as acoustic-based alternative folk noir. Played on all main stages/venues in the Netherlands supporting such acts as Noah & The Whale, The Be Good Tanyas, Kelley Deal (The Breeders) and Carice van Houten. Has performed around England including live on BBC radio, Bath Fringe Festival, Wimborne Folk Fringe Festival and Shhh Festival. Has toured Germany, Spain and the US and played an official showcase at South By Southwest. Dusty Stray is Texan ex-pat Jonathan Brown (voice, guitar, banjo, ukulele, omnichord, bulbul tarang). Some influences: Leonard Cohen, Bonny “Prince” Billy, Gillian Welch, Bill Calahan, The Handsome Family and Neil Young.
Top Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant listed Dusty Stray’s debut album among the 10 best albums of the year.
Dusty Stray has worked with master producers Ken Stringfellow (REM, The Posies, Big Star) and Kramer (Low, Ween, Galaxie 500) and has had international attention from Simon Raymonde (Bella Union), Tom Robinson (BBC) and Irwin Chusid (WFMU).
“Full of exotic sounds and melodies, a road trip by other lands and other worlds” BBC, FRESH ON THE NET
“It’s all delightfully dark and the trick of allying beautiful and tapalong music to dark words has rarely been performed as well“ AMERICANA.UK
“...he performed a miracle....Brown’s songs about murder and misery sound intimate, almost cozy. The arrangements are ingenious and controlled...beautiful harmony vocals” DE VOLKSKRANT
“Makes the eyes cry not because of sorrow but joy” MAVERICK
“A singer-songwriter with a good eye for the musical heritage of his country, along with a pleasant twist of the mind” OOR
Genre: Alt Folk,Americana,Neofolk
