“Dashing singer-songwriter David Berkeley delivers his warm, thoughtful songs, along with a reliably hilarious line in onstage banter.” — Time Out New York

David Berkeley is a romantic realist, known for his ability to look at the human condition in all its complexity and give us luminous songs full of sunshine and anguish, melancholy and delight. He brings the people and situations he sings about to vibrant life with a warm, rich tenor that often slips into an aching falsetto to underline the overwhelming emotions that can move us to tears or laughter. On Some Kind of Cure, his fourth studio album, Berkeley delivers some of his most heartfelt tunes blending folk, rock, and classic pop to create timeless expressions of love and longing.

The majority of songs on Some Kind of Cure were written while Berkeley and his family were living in a remote 35-person village in the mountains of Corsica. The silence and wild island landscapes seeped into Berkeley’s soul, bringing forth a collection of lingering beauty. “There were no stores in our tiny town,” Berkeley explained. “No cafes. No post office. No Internet. It was silent. I had very few distractions, which was quite different from life in a big city. Because no one spoke English, I could sing rough drafts of lyrics without being embarrassed. When I played songs for the villagers, I had to make sure the emotion came through in the music, as well as the words. That had a big effect on the way I wrote my songs.”

Berkeley recorded the album after returning to the States, working in Atlanta with producer Will Robertson. The project was entirely funded by Berkeley’s fans. “We took our time making this record. We went through the lyrics, almost line by line, translating words into music and emotion.” The core band for the project was Robertson on piano and bass; drummer Kevin O’Donnell (Andrew Bird); Kim Taylor (Over the Rhine) on background vocals; Jordan Katz (De La Soul, Sara Bareilles) on banjo and horns; and Lex Price (Mindy Smith) on mandolin and guitars. Most tracks were cut in the studio with Berkeley singing and playing guitar live while Will played piano or bass. “The recording has a lot of breadth and a natural, relaxed feel,” Berkeley explains. “It sounds more like I do in concert than my previous recordings.’

As you might expect from his witty and erudite stage patter, Berkeley is a talented prose writer. He kept a diary of his stay on Corsica, which became the basis of his accompanying book, 140 Goats and A Guitar: The Stories Behind Some Kind of Cure. Like his songs, the stories are well-constructed pieces filled with revealing details and poetic language. Berkeley’s concept is a unique one: The book will include a download code for the album, and readers are encouraged to move through the book reading each story and then listening to the corresponding song. Berkeley explains, “The stories give you a look behind all the songs on the record. I often tell stories that explain a song or that led to a song. When I got back from Corsica, I realized that many of the songs were created out of situations and events--some funny, some awkward, some painful.” He writes these stories with an openness and honesty that matches his music. “Ultimately, I believe my music conjures an eerie optimism, a mysterious kind of hope,” Berkeley says. “I think that sentiment hovers over most of the album and most of the book.”

David Berkeley never intended to become a professional musician. “I sang all the time, almost before I could talk,” Berkeley recalls. “My parents didn’t take me to anything like Star Search performances, but they did take me to New York a lot to see Broadway shows. I had a good ear and could remember the words and melodies to the songs I liked, but I didn’t start playing music myself until fairly late.” Berkeley grew up in New Jersey. He usually took the lead in class musicals, but he’s modest about his early success. “I don’t think that was a formative experience. I started on guitar when I was 15, like a lot of teenagers, mostly to get girls. I was happy singing other people’s music, greats like Neil Young; Crosby, Stills and Nash; the Grateful Dead and other California sounds. I loved Paul Simon’s lyrics, but my chops weren’t that good. They still aren’t. I do have a style, but I’m a singer before I’m a guitarist.”

Do not miss David at SXSW and on his upcoming intimate tour!

Sun, Mar 13 - Albuquerque, NM - Art Of The Song – Radio performance
Mon, Mar 14 - Houston, TX - Blue Willow Bookshop - reading, performance & book signing
Wed, Mar 16 – Austin, TX – Combo Plate Presents SxSoup Fest @ Caritas (611 Neches St @ E 7th) - SXSW – 11:30am
Thurs, Mar 17 – Austin, TX – Tijuana Gift Shop's TEXAS TORNADO @ Rusty Spurs (405 E 7th St @ Trinity) - SXSW – 2pm
Sat, Mar 19 – Austin, TX – Folk Alliance SXSW11 Party @ Threadgill’s World Headquarters (301 West Riverside Drive) - 12pm
Sat, Mar 19 – Wimberley, TX – Blue Rock Studio – 3:30pm
Sat, Mar 19 - Austin, TX – The Tap Room (311 Colorado St @ E 4th)- SXSW - Official Showcase presented by Hotel Cafe - 7:30pm
Sat, Apr 9 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
Mon, April 11 – Knoxville, TN – Preservation Pub – FREE
Sat, May 14 – Denver, CO – Swallow Hill Presents at Tuft Theater
Wed, June 1 – Berkeley, CA – Books Inc on 4th St
Wed, June 15 – New York, NY – Bryant Park – FREE
Thurs, June 16 – New York, NY – Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2
Fri, June 17 – Phoenixville, PA – Steel City Coffeehouse
Sun, June 19 –Washington, DC – Jammin Java