Steven Delopoulos is perhaps best known for fronting the band Burlap to Cashmere along with his cousin John Philippides. The duo was “discovered” while playing New Jersey coffeehouses. Though Burlap To Cashmere is technically no more, Delopoulos and John Philippides are embarking on a “reunion” tour together, opening for Jars of Clay on several dates. Since the demise of Cashmere, Delopoulos has gone on to a solo career, releasing his first solo album Me Died Blue in 2003 to good reception. He has since released a web-only EP, Work To Be Done and his second full-length album, Straightjacket will be released on the 22 of this month.

Delopoulos plays a a unique brand of folk-rock drawing from the likes of early Tom Waits, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens Jim Croce and others. Paste has called his music: “a boisterous and deeply moving blend of acoustic folk-pop.” Allmusic says: “His songs express simple truths in refracted ways and complex truths are revealed as quandaries that change lives. Delopoulos’ musical terrain is where the song becomes the story itself” and Derek Webb has said: “Steven Delopoulos is a complete mystery to me. His music is full of a transcendent wonder and poetic grit that I don’t hear coming from any other contemporary artists. Straightjacket is a strange journey of language and melody that I never seem to grow tired of revisiting…I’m still completely baffled as to how he does it.”

Delopoulos grew up in a distinctively Greek home and the cadence of the Greek language permeates much of his delivery, washed in waves of Mediterranean influence. But this is not quite “world” music. It is folk rock with world influences but it is even more than just folk rock. It is more ambitious than that. The music here combines elements of Orthodox liturgy (the opening of “Ruin of the Beast”), gospel choirs (”May I Always Keep My Feet Upon The Ground”), theatrical percussion pieces akin to STOMP (”Halt”), and instrumental interludes (”Interlude”) but never loses the folk foundation. Threads of Delopooulos’ weaving acoustic guitar wind themselves through each song. While his skill as a guitarist is apparent, it never becomes the focus.

Thematically, the album is rich in the hope of the Gospel in the midst of life’s sometimes bitter struggles. In “She Held My Hand,” Delopoulos sings: “I met her at a show. Her hand slipped through her hair. She listened to my story, she said ‘I heard all about you.’ It seemed she was sincere but the conversation fled. He spoke through the prophets, crucified for our salvation, He suffered and was buried and on the third day, He rose, born again. She held my hand.” In the joyous “May I Always Keep My Feet Upon The Ground,” which uses some wonderfully inventive percussion, Delopoulos sings: “March through the desert, pray for the rain, crucified, no more pain. May I always keep my feet upon the ground.” This kind of explicitly Christian imagery is woven throughout the album but in such a way that it is a part of everyday life. In Delopoulos’ world, the Gospel is not just propaganda to be preached, but life to be lived and it affects every area of life.

Musically, the closest touchstone for many will be the world-folk stylings of mid-period Paul Simon (think Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints). But whereas turned to the rhythms of Africa, Delopoulos naturally turns to his Greek influence, without ever wearing it for show. There is a Mediterranean feel to many of the songs that finds its way simply complimenting rather than showing off.

Along with producer Monroe Jones, Delopoulos has subtly kept everything in balance yet challenging. The one halt in the flow of the album is experimental percussion piece “Halt.” It’s done well, with an infectious groove but it just seems a bit out of place. But this is a minor pause in a great step forward. Straightjacket is an album that will quickly wraps itself around your life. It is music that is at once welcome and yet reveals something new with each listen.

Highly recommended.

• Visit Steven Delopouls’ official website
• Download the Work to Be Done EP
• Listen to Burlap to Cashmere for yourself
• Listen to Steven Delopoulos for yourself