David Dondero and the Entire State of Florida

The songs on David Dondero's most recent record, Simple Love, sound as polished and hooky as anything you're likely to hear on "modern rock" radio. The difference is, Dondero, whose voice is ever so husky and quavers with undercurrents of strong emotion, has a knack for avoiding the type of saccharine expressions and faux-weighty songwriting that dominate the airwaves. It could be that his musical background is more colorful than most. The former drummer for semi-legendary punk-folk band This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb has been cited by Conor Oberst as an influence; Oberst released Dondero's last two albums on his Team Love imprint. At his best, Dondero writes literate songs that offer insightful ponderings and observations about life and the people and places around him. Joined by a full band for the first time in half a decade, Dondero and his clever tales of the variegated American psyche will undoubtedly sound even richer this Saturday at the Larimer.