Johnny Azari makes thick delta blues songs out of Brooklyn. The most obvious comparison is Tom Waits; Azari’s vocals are rough, expressive and fierce, accuratley delivering the grim and depressing messages in his music. "I used to be a contendor/Now I’m just a bummer/I used to be somebody/But now I am no one," he wheezes on "Bitter" off his recent album, Road-Dog’s Teeth. The song is tastefully combined with Jamie Elizabeth’s crispy clean harmonies, adding an extra modern tinge to the elemental roots. You can catch Johnny Azari at The Rockwood Music Hall on August 1st. Stream "Bitter" below. -Jake Saunders
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