photos by Jim Bennett
Title Tracks closed out the first day of KEXP’s broadcast from Gibson Showroom in Austin during SXSW. Formed as a solo project of Washington D.C.’s John Davis, the former drummer/vocalist of Q and not U and one half of Georgie James, Title Tracks has become a new vehicle for Davis’ love of 50′s, 60′s and 70′s pop. With each new group, Davis has become more independent and capable a songwriter, culminating in Title Tracks’ debut, It Was Easy. The nine original songs stand confidently up to the two covers by Springsteen and The Byrds.
And their session on KEXP was exactly what you’d expect from this self-described “obsessed… student of music”: three covers, including The Mersey Beats’ “I Stand Accused,” 20/20′s “Remember the Lightning,” and Otis Redding’s “Security” peppered between their own solid pop tunes. Joined by Nick Anderson on guitar, Michael Cotterman on bass, and Andrew Black on drums, Davis whipped out one great tune after another. As one KEXP DJ said, the songs were all so good, it seemed as if even the Title Tracks’ original songs were more covers of great past classics.
