OK, so this CD isn’t new, but it’s new to us. We recently stumbled upon local musician David Simpkins playing at the Radford Farmer’s Market and decided the guy was definitely worth checking out in more detail.

Long Story Short is a 2004 release from Simpkins, and the last CD he has issued. If you like some of the original roots rockers, guys such as Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman, and Neil Young, then you’ll enjoy Simpkins. But perhaps the musician most similar to Simpkins is Bill Mallonee of Vigilantes of Love. And like Mallonee, Simpkins is an under-rated talent.

Simpkins wrote all the songs on this CD, which was recorded in Blacksburg at Real2Reel Studios. The sound of the album is definitely driven by Simpkins’ acoustic guitar and vocals, but with familiar instruments such as pedal steel, banjo, and harmonica occasionally lending their sounds to the disc, some songs take on a more country bent. Consistent throughout the disc is Simpkins’ thoughtful, poignant lyrics.

“After Glory” begins with a combination of guitar and harmonica that immediately brings to mind folk tunes of yesteryear. The upbeat rhythm keeps the song moving briskly while Simpkins offers fantastic lyrics such as, “Enraptured by the hate inside, captured by the guilt; following a voice that isn’t speaking … and never will.”

The addition of cello in “The Lighthouse” gives somewhat of a haunting quality as Simpkins sings, “I believe I’m chasing shadows, lost so many times before; inspiration from a bottle, should have caught me up by now.”

An overall lack of variety can have the listener easily relegating the disc to simple background music, but if you make the conscious effort to truly hear the music and lyrics of this CD, you’ll certainly be rewarded for your effort.

You can catch Simpkins live Sept. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Radford Farmer’s Market and on the evening of Sept. 14 at Coffee Buy the Book in downtown Pulaski. He will repeat at each of those venues in October. You can find his CDs at Barry’s Music and The Coffee Mill in Radford, Coffee Buy the Book in Pulaski, and Coffee Depot in Christiansburg. The CD also is available on iTunes.

Tim W. Jackson is a music junkie who longs for a better live music scene in the New River Valley.