Calling David Kitt a singer-songwriter is like calling Nick Cave a piano player: the description just doesn't cover the scope of this young Dubliner's musical vision. Recently signed to Warners, the son of TD Tom Kitt performed his first headliner last Tuesday at Whelans, drawing an impressive gathering of fans, friends and kindred spirits.
Kitt's music is rooted in gentle, finger-picking acoustic folk, but branches off into weird and often wonderful musical shapes, veering close to the ambient sound-scapes of Eno and John Cale, and deftly dodging the usual cliches which bog down many a would-be folk guru.
Hushed attention was necessary to fully appreciate the subtleties of Another Love Song, You Know what I Want to Know and Song from Hope Street, and an open mind was needed to assimilate the avant-garde approach.
Drum machines, electronic improvisations, glockenspiel and clarinet gave a rough, unfinished sheen to the music, but hinted at a reservoir of ideas which have yet to be realised. It's no coincidence that many of Kitt's song titles sound like paintings - Whispers Return the Sun, Sound Fades with Distance and Strange Light in the Evening are opaque watercolours from a fine artist in the making.
