I’ve been listening to this album that has already been released this year in February, by this guy named Damien DeRose, who goes by the performance name Peasant. His album, On The Ground, is a compilation of easy listening folk and pop, which is modestly presented for pleasurable listening.

However, I’ve never even heard of Peasant before today. But listening to his sophomore record gives you this experience that you might not always get. DeRose’s songs are beautiful and subtle. They’re gentle and satisfying. Peasant’s easiest comparison is probably Elliot Smith, but to be more specific, I would say Smith’s self-titled album, Elliot Smith.

“Fine Is Fine” is definitely what its title says it is –but it’s more than fine. It’s one of my favorite tracks off this album. Damien DeRose certainly has a voice. Although it may not be completely original and something new, he gracefully uses it on songs like “On The Ground,” a great pop song.

When you’re trying to just relax and listen to music, you don’t want to keep changing the song to fit the mood. You might want to just stick in a CD on your stereo and settle down. On The Ground is definitely a top five contender for those CDs. You don’t want to change the song because you’re too busy reflecting on what’s been going on and how this music does not fail at moving you.

I’m glad that I’ve never seen any available free downloads for On The Ground, from torrent sites or rar/zip files on other blogs because this is a record that you’d want to buy once you hear about it, or after, if you’re lucky enough to be able to do so, preview it.

Peasant is certainly an artist to watch because from what I’ve heard, Damien DeRose is a promising performer and a great songwriter. On The Ground is a record of quality, pleasure, and uniqueness. Thumbs up to DeRose for being able to leave listeners in awe. A