REVIEW: Christopher Paul Stelling - Songs of Praise & Scorn

Christopher Paul Stelling - Songs of Praise & Scorn
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In a world of music where production and trends have become increasingly more important than the music itself, it’s rewarding to come across musicians who still believe in a “less is more” mentality and recognize that music is not a magnet for attention and popularity but rather one of the most genuine ways of expressing oneself. Christopher Paul Stelling epitomizes this musical sincerity, and his debut album, Songs of Praise & Scorn, is an incredibly honest, earnest record that’s just as personal as it is relatable and evocative.

Christopher Paul Stelling Announces Debut LP, Shares Song for Download

We've seen him perform live a few times and know the man is the music and the music is the man. So it's only fitting that we share the news that singer/songwriter Christopher Paul Stelling will release his long-awaited official debut album, Songs of Praise and Scorn, on February 12, 2012 via Mecca Lecca Recording Co. It's an album that pretty much epitomizes what real folk music is, brimming with an inherent honesty and realism.

WATCH: Christopher Paul Stelling Performs for "Sleepover Shows"

Words like genuine, honest, raw, heartfelt, intense, visceral, beautiful...all of these and more get thrown around a lot, especially when one tries to aptly describe a singer/songwriter armed with an acoustic guitar. All would be appropriate adjectives in characterizing the essence of New York City's Christopher Paul Stelling and his music, but they would also all fall shy of truly capturing what it is that he does. When people talk about the power of one voice and a guitar, they're talking about Christopher Paul Stelling. If you don't believe me, check out the three songs he performed live for the "Sleepover Shows" series below.