Playing tonight at the Gypsy Tea Room in Deep Ellum, straight from the west coast comes another acoustic singer-songwriter in the vein of Jack Johnson to grace the background mood of coffee shops and dorm rooms.
Tristan Prettyman, a 23-year-old surfer from California, is poised to break through following the release of her album “twentythree” last August.
Since that time, Prettyman has toured heavily, opening for artists such as James Blunt, John Butler, Howie Day and Jason Mraz, who is, incidentally, her boyfriend.
Prettyman has already achieved critical acclaim both at home and abroad. In 2005, Prettyman won “Best Acoustic” award at the San Diego Music Awards after previously winning “Best New Artist” in 2004. In Japan, her first single, “Love, Love, Love,” a lively clear-sailing song which floats off the fret board with appropriate energy, was No. 1 for five straight weeks.
Prettyman’s music is great because of how easy it is to feel connected to the artist. She’s down to earth and very modest, but also very devoted to her craft. With her fans, she freely discusses her adventures traveling through other countries, how she feels about her record label and even her uncluttered past.
“I think the harder you are to reach, the crazier people get,” said Prettyman in press release. “I have nothing to hide. I’m very honest with my writing, and I’m going to be the same way with my fans.” Her attitude comes not from a desire of shameless self-promotion, but from an openness which exudes itself throughout her music.
Her lyrics, which are all about love, come out easily and sweetly. Prettyman writes them simply, just scribbling out what she feels.
Everything about her music proves she just does what she feels, and the honesty of the lyrics is very refreshing. It almost seems like Prettyman could be one of your close friends, playing for you and a few others on a Saturday afternoon – that is, if one of your friends was dating Jason Mraz and had a record deal.
The truth and heart of Prettyman’s music, however, come through her throaty vocals and the engaging fluidity with which her chords glide through the air.
This heart is preserved by Prettyman’s own refusal to compromise her sound for the record company. She initially refused to sign on until they promised not to change anything, and the result is a fantastically acoustic folk record, which doesn’t overwhelm the listener.
Most of the tracks on the album were also recorded in just one take, making it somewhat of a live record. The honesty of the moment is preserved, and Prettyman’s ability to play is obvious.
Prettyman may not be the next Bob Dylan, but her mellow, enjoyable sound and carefree craft for song writing make her incredibly hard not to like.
Chris Simpson is a first-year history major. He can be reached at [email protected].
