Independent's Day Radio

The United States and Great Britain have a long history of circuitous and reciprocal cultural influence. Rural American blues musicians begat an entire generation of British guitar players in the 1960s and the stream continues to flow both ways. Singer-songwriter Dan Korn is part of the newer Internet-native generations to tap into this artistic bonhomie. His songs are hushed and consonant, with no small hat tip to the king of underappreciated British folk singers, Nick Drake. But Korn isn't afraid to fill out his sound with electric guitars and other traditional rock and roll instrumentation in order to provide dynamic contrast. And his songs provide ample opportunities for songwriting and arranging malleability - because inhumed in these lilting melodies and airy fingerpicked acoustic guitar parts are sharp, incisive lyrics that reveal an honesty and a keen sense of detail that Korn wisely uses to help keep the songs from becoming too precious. The ten songs that make up his new album, Of the Sea, provide a