Texas Platters

Danny Schmidt

In today's underground folk world, Danny Schmidt is spoken of in reverent tones, drawing comparisons to Leonard Cohen, with words like "incredible" and "beautiful" used to describe his work. Little Grey Sheep, his fifth collection of songs, is likely to draw more people to the Austin singer-songwriter, simply because it's his most straightforward and accessible work to date. Recorded in Charlottesville, Va., with fellow troubadour Paul Curreri as producer, the album's intimate settings allow Schmidt's poetry to breathe naturally and without pretension. Texans will be drawn to "Adios to Tejasito," a love song of sorts to Austin, while "Leaves Are Burning" is a dark, swirling blues with echoes of Nick Drake. With Little Grey Sheep, Schmidt exposes a different side of his muse, and the results are both attractive and intense.