Bart Davenport has been a prolific songwriter since the early ’80s. But back then he was obsessed with the ’60s. As a teenager, Davenport and guitarist Xan McCurdy formed period-correct R&B mod band the Birminghams before assembling the similarly retro garage-blues quartet the Loved Ones. At the dawn of the 1990s, Davenport and McCurdy took on ’70s soul-pop with the Kinetics. And when that band dissolved, McCurdy went the distance to join Cake. Subsequently, Davenport entered the 21st century as a solo artist.
The man’s first five albums walk the listener through the varied genes of his vintage vinyl collection. He’s gone through phases that include Free Design-influenced soft rock, classic hootenanny folk, Left Bank-esque baroque pop, bossa nova tinged ballads, neon ’80s power pop, and some psychedelic Arthur Lee worship—all while retaining his soul bent.