Visit this artist's website: http://www.jose-gonzalez.com

Born and raised in Gothenburg, Sweden, of Argentinean parents, 25-year-old JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ is a top-ten chart artist and revered troubadour figure in Sweden, where he is cherished equally by the musical cognoscenti, seriously besotted critics, and hordes of regular Nordic punters. Using just his own dexterously finger-picked classical guitar and a captivating voice - part João Gilberto, part Nick Drake - González' music is as economical as it is seductive; stark but effortlessly melodious songwriting whose confessional, gently provocative lyrics (all sung in perfect English) are, by turns, poignant, intriguing and life-affirming.

"Veneer displays an intense yet hushed talent, equally in thrall to the floating drone of post rock as to the elegant finger picking of Bert Jansch..." (Time Out London)

"Mentioning a new artist in the same breath as Nick Drake has become shorthand for anyone with an acoustic guitar who favors melancholy restraint. Such a comparison, however, only hints at the talents of José González. The Swedish singer-songwriter marries Drake's mournful minimalism to deftly picked, Latino guitar. The results - melodic purity, a mesmeric rhythmic drive and stark emotionalism - are extraordinary." (Uncut Magazine)

"It's not just the dreamily introspective vocal and minor key melodies, the 11 songs of Veneer are all powered by González' mazily intricate guitar picking. He cites a mix of Beatles, flamenco, bossa nova, and classical as his influences, but it's old Nick who springs to mind...[a] melancholy mood leavened by a very Drake-like fondness for playing cat and mouse with the beat." (Telegraph)

"Dark, still, yet oddly powerful elliptical folk songs that suggest Paul Simon's 'Duncan' or John Martyn's 'Solid Air' adrift in Arthur Russell's 'World of Echo'." (Mojo Magazine)

07/06