One of the most interesting commonalities in Nashville, in my opinion, is the Writers Round. I find these to be interesting, mainly because, I think I treat them very differently than a lot of the people I go to see and hear. I am not someone who is out peddling my songs, or writing for someone in particular. 9 of 10 times, when I write a song, I am writing it for a very specific and personal reason.

So, showing up and playing a writers night, you meet a lot of SUPER talented people who are very adept at writing for and with others. I have managed to come up with some cool tunes during co-writes here in Nashville, but again, 9 or 10 times, i’m most excited with a song when I work it out with my most trusted collaborator, not some random geek. I just don’t find it to be that enjoyable.

With that being said, every once in a while, you hear someone play one of these things and think, my goodness, I have to work with that person.

Alex Vucelich was one of those guys.

He is not typical, and he is not Nashville. He lives here, and he plays here, but he has a unique style and approach that I instantly was drawn to. I shared a round with him, and even though it was his first round in the city, and he was nervous and rough around the edges, there was a brutal honesty and straightforward approach to his songs that I became enamored with instantly.

So often you see writers who spend a ton of time on the tricks. The pre chorus, the key change, the modulated whatever. Those are great, and those work. But, most of the time, i’m taken by someone who bares the truth and just shoots it straight. That to me is Alex. He is not one to worry about those details in a song, because, he is not worried about the song becoming a smash. He is worried about getting out what he is trying to get out, and making you feel something.

We have been able to spend a day or two a week for the last 45 days going over his songs, re-working them, shaping this and that to better serve the lyrics he brings and the unique characters of his voice. I find i’m often comparing the feel to Nebraska era Bruce Springsteen or Ben Nichols and Lucero. Something gritty, something timeless and some very Dylan about the way Alex writes and presents his songs.

I believe that this guy is a diamond in the rough, and I am very, very excited to be working on his new album with him.

You can check out his earliest recordings here.