Vagabond Underground
British singer/songwriter Alex Vargas sweeps us along his unrelenting journey in the video for "Don't Wanna Run No More". Opening with Vargas venturing across white sand dunes, then wandering through lush fields and later forests, streams and mountains, the video lives up to the band's name: Vagabond. It's a visual gift basket for the wandering soul. But what about the music on Vagabond's debut album, You Don't Know the Half of It
"Vargas can come across like a mellower David Clayton-Thomas, from Blood Sweat & Tear. But Vagabond's epic, questing songs also have a lot in common with U2 and the Verve." The Guardian
There is a longing soul/R&B feel to the songs, more compelling than the description suggests. The Sunday Times describes the sound as "rocked-up pop-soul, their songs recalling Hall & Oates, Simply Red, Robert Palmer and Maroon 5." The Guardian suggests that You Don't Know the Half of It
This amateur recording of "Sweat (Until the Morning)", uploaded to YouTube on August 25, 2009 after an impromptu Vagabond performance at the Hammersmith underpass captures this folky feeling nicely. Maybe it's the archetypal wandering musician evoked by busking or possibly the fact that everyone is singing along. I'll post anl update if and when I figure out the chemistry that seems to work so nicely in You Don't Know the Half of It
"Their music is the pinnacle of guitar-based pop perfection, where the full range of armaments - dynamics, orchestration, affectingly whole-hearted songs - are deployed with precision in an assault on the listener's heartstrings." The Guardian
About Vagabond:
The members of Vagabond are Alex Vargas (vocals, acoustic guitar), Stephen Carter (backing vocals, guitar), Luke Fitton (backing vocals, guitar), Sam Odiwe (bass) and Karl Penney (drums).
More Information:
Order Vagabond's You Don't Know the Half of It