Adam Torres at Lamberts
photo by Amanda Hatfield

Adam Torres brought his unique brand of songwriting to SXSW (pics)

One of the last sets we caught on Saturday night at SXSW this year was Austin via Ohio songwriter and Fat Possum signee Adam Torres at Lamberts on Saturday night (3/17). He played solo (unlike in 2016 when he had Shearwater and Swans member Thor Harris in his band).

Adam’s latest full-length is 2016’s Pearls to Swine (which Thor plays on). The record is filled with beautiful, soft instrumentation, tenderly-plucked guitars and orchestral flourishes, but it’s Adam’s distinctive, high-pitched voice which steals the show. Album highlight “Juniper Arms” — one of NPR’s favorite songs of 2016 — was also the song in his live set that most floored the Austin crowd.

His discography also includes a 2017 EP I Came to Sing The Song (that Thor also played on), a 2012 self-titled EP, and his 2006 debut Nostra Nova, which was re-released in 2015. The latter was inspired by visits to his parents’ summer home in Switzerland (he told a story about homesickness during his live set). Last year he was one of the many that contributed to Our First 100 Days.

Adam is also an associate of Julien Baker, whom he collaborated and toured with in recent years. He has also toured with Thor’s own project Thor and Friends (which was convenient since Thor also played as drummer in Adam’s band).

You can stream his two most recent releases, and watch his NPR Tiny Desk Concert, below. Pictures from SXSW are in the gallery above.