A Rough Guide: William Fitzsimmons

Ok, its the back of 2am, and in a hearty attempt to get the ball rolling with this blog, and knowing full well i wont be able to sleep if i don't do something productive, i have decided to introduce the first of many "A Rough Guide" posts. Some will be artists you have heard a million times before, but theres always room for improvement, and some you may never have heard of before, so what better way to start it, than the great, and somewhat "underground" William Fitzsimmons!

So to give you a little background about William Fitzsimmons. He is a Pennsylvanian singer-songwriter signed to the Mercer Street label, both his parents are said to have been blind, giving a young William a house that was filled with alot of sound and was learning various instruments from a young age. Fitzsimmons has a masters degree in counselling, and has worked a therapist to the mentally ill. His Music touches on very personal matters, and the soft picked guitars, light electronic beats (sometimes) combined with his whispering vocals create a beautiful sound which could give warmth to even the coldest of hearts!

The Sparrow and The Crow (2008)

This was the last studio album Fitzsimmons Released, and the place any new listeners need to start. I was told about it by a friend and as soon as i heard it, it blew my mind. The Album was created in the year following his divorce, and with every word, and every syllable you can hear this is the catharsis a broken man needed.
The Opening line of the first song "After Afterall" is the simple sentiment of "I Still Love You"... and from the get go you will want to know why William still loves this woman, what happened, why are they apart, and anyone who has experienced any kind of heartache can find hope in this record knowing that they are not alone.
Lead single from this record was a mid tempo folk number "If you would come back home" where Fitzsimmons croons about his lost lady love, and there is a slight degree of hope to the track "Just Not Each Other" where you can almost feel him finding the strength to tell himself that it will be ok and he will not be lonely forever. This Album is a must have for anyones collection who enjoys their music real, and to the point. There are no metaphors here, and no gimmicks, just a man who has a story to tell and some demons to exorcise.

Goodnight (2008)


Goodnight is William Fitzimmons second album. The most notable difference between his debut (2005's Until We Both are Ghosts) and The Sparrow and the Crow,  is the use of electronic beats. No, i don't mean Dubstep or Fidget House, but more subtle in a Postal Service kinda way.
The soft guitars are still the prominent part of the music, but the light beats  accentuate the guitars and compliment Fitzsimmons whispers perfectly. This record is believed to be about the divorce of his parents, and the beginning of a breakdown in his own relationship (although i have no confirmation of this, its what i have taken from the record)
It is heartfelt, and very moving. songs like "Its Not True" and "Please Don't Go" will bring a tear to your eye and if you have a girlfriend, you will definitely be calling her up reminding her that you love her. The Stand out track on a personal level is "Everything has Changed" which is directly about the loss of his father, and you really believe William when he is telling this story of his parents separation and fathers passing. It is probably not as hard hitting as The Sparrow and the Crow but is still a tough listen yet very accessible. Definitely a record you should not be missing.

Other Releases


Until We Both Our Ghosts (2005): Debut album, very folk, very beautiful. Lead single "Passion Play" was also used on Greys Anatomy

Derivatives (2010): A remix album of sorts. New interpretations of 8 of Fitzsimmons songs and a sweet cover of Katy Perrys "I Kissed a Girl"

Where to Find Him


William Fitzsimmons on Myspace
William Fitzsimmons on Facebook

Further Listening


If you Like what you hear here, you should maybe check out the following

• Peter Bradley Adams
• Cary Brothers
• Iron and Wine
• Joshua James
• Rosi Golan

So there you have it, a brief guide to getting into the next big thing in folk. A true genius, and judging by his rise in popularity through the Internet and his forthcoming new record (Gold in the Shadow drops in march!!) he will be talked about alot more this year! I am going to see him at the Jazz Cafe next week, so expect a heavy blog about it!!

Glen xo