Kalu James

Dim the Lights

What’s happening in the life of Kalu James? You could steal his diary or simply take sophomore release Dim the Lights for a spin. The Nigerian-born local singer-songwriter shares the minutiae of troubled love (“She hates my songs; I detest her fucking friends”), his latest change of address (“I’m Austin bound, got my eyes set on the prize”), and more, always more, rocky romance (“This is my last of many failed attempts to write a last song about you”). The writing induces too many groans (“My heart is shaped like an amoeba from being torn around so many times”), but James’ rich tenor carries the set. A bright personality and swaths of soul, rock, folk, and reggae will make him a favorite on the local circuit, but Dim the Lights proves James not yet ready for a brighter spotlight.

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This article appears in John McCain.

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Thomas Fawcett has been freelancing for The Austin Chronicle since 2007. He likes good music and does not fake the funk.