David Poe – When I Fly from David Poe on Vimeo

I’m really excited about this week’s clip, “When I Fly” by singer/songwriter David Poe, an artist I first wrote about way back in 1996. Poe’s music reminded me then of serious 1970s-era performers like James Taylor but also Art Garfunkel and the great Tim Moore (who, as far as I know is still alive, but hasn’t recorded an album in almost 30 years, WTF?). Anyway, “When I Fly” reveals evidence of those same types of seventies-ish influences. This says two things to me: 1. That, musically, David Poe knows his shit, and 2. Poe understands that if it works, don’t fix it.

Thematically, “When I Fly” is a 2014 version of Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky.” If you know what that means, great. If not, it doesn’t matter. Aurally, the song is an acoustic guitar accompanying pristine word economy in a song that anyone who has lived a life will be able to relate to. Visually, this clip looks like the home movies of someone who has had an awesome life. I know that “Lyric Videos” are all the rage these day and usually they put me off, but I like this one. Pay special attention towards the end for a montage of subliminal images that includes Ronnie James Dio. Excellent

“When I Fly” is from the not yet released album God & The Girl, which David calls “a quiet record of new songs I recorded last year in Los Angeles.” The full album will not be generally available online or in stores until much later this year, but for now, it’s available exclusively through his website, accessible by clicking This Link. Purchase, Download, Listen and Enjoy!