Rocky Votolato follows full circle to “The Brag and Cuss”

Socially, meteorologically, idealistically and geographically it seems there are few things that could further divide the Emerald City from a Texas town called Frost with a population of 648. On the other hand, when you put the two together sonically, few things sound better. Case in point: the sweet folkrock of Rocky Votolato.

Socially, meteorologically, idealistically and geographically it seems there are few things that could further divide the Emerald City from a Texas town called Frost with a population of 648. On the other hand, when you put the two together sonically, few things sound better.

Case in point: the sweet folkrock of Rocky Votolato.

See for yourself. He’ll be bringing his six-string and harmonica to Silverdale for a $10 all ages show presented by Big Mouth Productions at 7 p.m. Aug. 11, at Jackson Hall — 916 Washington Ave. in Silverdale.

Votolato grew up in north central Texas until he was a sophomore in high school and was transplanted from the desert to the rain forest of Western Washington. In the 1990s Seattle scene under the influence of the likes of Fugazi, Jawbreaker and Drive Like Jehu, he found his voice — eventually fronting a successful local punk-folk-rock-esque band called Waxwing.

Following that group’s 2003 disbandment, Votolato armed himself with an acoustic guitar, a harmonica, a book of lyrics and a bottle of whiskey and ventured back to his Texas folk-style roots. Smoothed over with a chaser of metaphors, the combination has spawned an impressive solo career that hit the national marquee in 2006 with the release of his seventh solo album “Makers” on the indie label — Barsuk records.

National media heavyweights Rolling Stone and Spin along with online outlets like MSNBC.com and absolutepunk.net reviewed the CD, while one track even found its way onto the teen drama TV show, “The OC.”

Despite the following onslaught of what he termed “moderate success,” Votolato has remained sincerely coy.

“I’m trying to find something for myself,” he said of his music’s creation. “I just want people to take what they want or take what they need. There’s no message necessarily, unless you find it on your own.”

A plethora of meanings await anyone interested in buying Votolato’s CDs, or even just visiting the lyrics page at www.rockyvotolato.com. The most mature of which, according to some, can be found within the crooner’s latest release “The Brag and Cuss” (2007, Barsuk).

The new album reaches for prime both intellectually and within its cadence. Votolato wrote many of the songs from the road in support of “Makers” then came back to Seattle with the batch ready to record. The music took a step further when he and co-producer Casey Foubert decided on the inclusion of a full band for Votolato’s eighth solo release.

“It was this group of songs that inspired that,” Votolato said.

He pegged members from the Denver, Colo. based band Drag the River and now, Dave Barker (drums) Spacey Casey (guitar) and Chad Price (bass/vocals) has turned into the band that Votolato said he will likely be with for the foreseeable future.

They just finished an east coast/west coast tour in support of “The Brag and Cuss” which scattered them across the county to New York, Boston and Philadelphia then back over to San Diego and up to Seattle.

In Silverdale, however, Votolato will play solo.

“There’s definitely two different experiences,” he said between solo and full band shows. “With the solo show, it’s more intimate, stripped down and all about the songs, but it’s still energetic.”

Show-goers can expect stripped down songs from “The Brag and Cuss” and “Makers” and possibly a few off of “Suicide Medicine,” he said, along with some solid tunes from supporting acts — Art/Mirror/Mind, Sammy Barrett and Celebrity Judges.

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