Cameron McGill And What Army

Chicago’s Cameron McGill has always had a way of distinguishing himself from the very crowded twangy end of the singer-songwriter spectrum, and that’s become more and more of a plus as his songwriting has matured. He might often look the part of a bajillion other alt-country and indie-folk types, what with his ensemble of button-up shirts and neckerchief-sweatband thingies, but McGill and his band What Army have a broader ear for pop, pairing rugged instrumentation with silky vocal melodies and some admirably subtle chord progressions. On his latest record, Is A Beast, McGill rocks slowly and with Springsteenean purpose, never losing sight of his light and lovely musical dreamscape.

Updated 04/13/2011