美國的確是個盛產鄉村民謠音樂的好地方,去年Chris Garnuea的出現已經令許多人驚艷一把,而今年來自美國內布拉斯加的Joshua James的首專The Sun Is Always Brighter相信又會燃起一度民謠熱. 說實話很佩服Joshua James,不光他是一個創作型歌手,更重要的是他的音樂很親切很容易感染人,簡單但很容易觸動那種,這可能取決于以前Joshua James豐富的人生閱歷:小小年紀已經離開家園到處旅行,在委內瑞拉停留過很長時間最后返回美國才正式開始他的音樂生涯,從始至終陪伴在Joshua James身邊除了孤寂就是他最喜愛的那把結它.沿途的所見所聞都藉由這把結它彈唱成歌聲.不難發現Joshua James的歌曲里面經常會透露出那種非常的滄桑感,即使輕快的音樂也很難掩飾的那種滄桑悲涼,但這并不是說Joshua James偏向陰暗偏向消極,只是說明Joshua James需要思考的東西實在太多:黑和白,悲傷與快樂,愛與恨,戰爭與和平等等,專輯里的很多歌曲都象征著某些主題:The New Love Song唱述越來越物質化愛情觀;Geese探究環境問題;Our Brother's Blood則是從兒童的角度看待戰爭帶來的后果...很多歌曲都很有意義!而細味這些歌曲也會發現Joshua James除了向我們傳送動人的音符外更多的卻是對現實對生活的一些沉思. Joshua James is an American musician currently based in Portland, Oregon. James released his first full-length album with the Eugene-based band Friedrich's Teeth in the spring of 1996, on London Dog Records. In 1998, James released the E.P. "The Johnny Voodoo Sessions", also on London Dog Records. In the summer of 1999, Old Freight Rail Records released his first full length solo album: Tanked Up and Derailed. After several years of touring the United States with bands such as Possum Dixon, the Old 97's and The Reverend Horton Heat, James released Bullets for the Border in 2004.