Listener (musician)
Encyclopedia
Listener is an experimental spoken word
project of Dan Smith, described by Smith as "talk music."
, Arkansas
, and is now located in Atlanta, Georgia
. Listener has been touring the world for the past nine years developing a unique style of “Talk Music.” Vocalist Dan Smith has been the driving creative force of a rotating cast of musicians. Throughout different tours the lineup of Listener might change, but the goal has always been to create honest music with energy from the heart.
Over the past decade the band Listener has toured extensively all over the world, building momentum in small and large cities alike on house show tours in garages or attics to venues and bars opening for large acts and headlining their own tours.
Talk Music is a term coined by Dan to describe his poetry-and-music style of art with band mate Christin Nelson.
, Listener began their first Tour of Homes. This consisted almost entirely of traveling from home to home around the United States
(and later, a European Tour of Homes) in a grassroots
style of touring. They have played in homes, coffee shops, art galleries, empty warehouses, venues, and more. Attendees of house shows are encouraged to bring their own food for potluck
before or after the show.
Listener recently played the Livemusic Social Club. Here they mentioned what the foundation is to their music: "It would be not through any filter that society or this world offers, that's honest and from the heart. Not having any agenda or some kind of ulterior motive or intention, whether it's to be cool, indie or avant-garde, none of that - and to just do it."
Smith has also been a part of the Deepspace 5 collective since their 2001 album, The Night We Called It A Day
. He appeared on that album, as well as Unique, Just Like Everyone Else, Bake Sale and The Future Ain't What It Used To Be.
In 2011 Smith was Featured on The Chariot's Song "David De La Hoz," and is also featured in the music video for the song. Smith played the song live with The Chariot at the 2011 Cornerstone Festival as well as a few subsequent shows.
Listener is currently on tour with The Chariot and Vanna in the US. He is performing the song "David De La Hoz" every night with The Chariot on this tour.
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
project of Dan Smith, described by Smith as "talk music."
Biography
Dan Smith of Listener began in FayettevilleFayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, and is now located in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Listener has been touring the world for the past nine years developing a unique style of “Talk Music.” Vocalist Dan Smith has been the driving creative force of a rotating cast of musicians. Throughout different tours the lineup of Listener might change, but the goal has always been to create honest music with energy from the heart.
Over the past decade the band Listener has toured extensively all over the world, building momentum in small and large cities alike on house show tours in garages or attics to venues and bars opening for large acts and headlining their own tours.
Talk Music is a term coined by Dan to describe his poetry-and-music style of art with band mate Christin Nelson.
Tour of Homes
With the Release of Ozark EmpireOzark Empire
Ozark Empire is the second studio album by The Listener . All of the album's production was done by Nashville's EQ aka Davey Rockit....
, Listener began their first Tour of Homes. This consisted almost entirely of traveling from home to home around the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(and later, a European Tour of Homes) in a grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
style of touring. They have played in homes, coffee shops, art galleries, empty warehouses, venues, and more. Attendees of house shows are encouraged to bring their own food for potluck
Potluck
A potluck is a gathering of people where each person or group of people contributes a dish of food prepared by the person or the group of people, to be shared among the group...
before or after the show.
Listener recently played the Livemusic Social Club. Here they mentioned what the foundation is to their music: "It would be not through any filter that society or this world offers, that's honest and from the heart. Not having any agenda or some kind of ulterior motive or intention, whether it's to be cool, indie or avant-garde, none of that - and to just do it."
Discography
- Wooden Heart (2010) IndependentIndependent record labelAn independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
- Not Waving Drowning (2009) IndependentIndependent record labelAn independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
- Train Songs (2009) IndependentIndependent record labelAn independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
- Return to Struggleville (2009) IndependentIndependent record labelAn independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
- Talk Music (2007) Talk Music Records
- Listener and Dust - Just in Time For Christmas (2005) Deepspace5 Records
- Ozark EmpireOzark EmpireOzark Empire is the second studio album by The Listener . All of the album's production was done by Nashville's EQ aka Davey Rockit....
(2005) Deepspace5 Records - WhispermoonWhispermoonWhispermoon is the first full-length studio album by Listener. It was released on July 29, 2003, on Mush Records.-Track listing:#"Moon Cries Out" - 0:42#"FYI" - 4:42#"You're So Underground" - 4:40#"Emotional" - 3:22#"Winter Life" - 2:01...
(2003) Mush RecordsMush RecordsMush Records is an independent record label that has released albums for many independent artists and was started by Robert Curcio and Cindy Roché.Mush Records is an electronic based record label...
Associated Acts
Dan Smith, before using the name Listener as a band name, used this as his stage name as a hip hop artist. Smith was half of the duo called Labklik with fellow emcee illtripp. The duo had eight releases between 1995 and 2001, including a "greatest hits" release.Smith has also been a part of the Deepspace 5 collective since their 2001 album, The Night We Called It A Day
The Night We Called It a Day (album)
The Night We Called It A Day is the first album by Deepspace5.- Track listing :# The Collective # The Night We Called It a Day# Elementary# Stick This In Your Ear# Winter In Manhattan# Take the Rhythm# Closed Caption# This Curse I Bear...
. He appeared on that album, as well as Unique, Just Like Everyone Else, Bake Sale and The Future Ain't What It Used To Be.
In 2011 Smith was Featured on The Chariot's Song "David De La Hoz," and is also featured in the music video for the song. Smith played the song live with The Chariot at the 2011 Cornerstone Festival as well as a few subsequent shows.
Listener is currently on tour with The Chariot and Vanna in the US. He is performing the song "David De La Hoz" every night with The Chariot on this tour.