"Silas J. Dirge offers roots-infused poetry set to sparse arrangements that deftly conveys the hidden beauty behind dark roots music" - Saving Country Music
Silas J. Dirge is the moniker adopted by Netherlands-based alt-country songwriter Jan Kooiker. With character-driven and story-based lyrics he explores subjects like death, religion and (lost) love while accompanying himself on a beat-up acoustic guitar.
His writing style can be described as traditional old-school country - sometimes with as little as two chords per song - lyrically leaning towards darker themes. He uses a minimalistic approach when writing, carefully selecting instruments and narrowing down arrangements to a bare minimum. Arrangements consisting of dissonant vocal harmonies, distorted electric guitars drenched in reverb, an old saloon piano playing sparse, slightly off-key notes or an even older squeaky harmonium. And sometimes it's just him singing and accompanying himself on his trusty, old acoustic guitar.
Silas J. Dirge
I felt like playing a song and wandering the cemetery. One of those days. I chose When I Went to Heaven, from the album Swan Songs. Check out the video.
Fancy camera work by my very talented 5 year old daughter.
10 months ago | [YT] | 4
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Silas J. Dirge
"Eddie & Sunny tells the tale of a desperate homeless couple who commit a self-defense homicide, leaving them and their child fugitives in pursuit of safe harbor."
So what, I hear you ask. Well, good point. I will tell you.
At some point during the movie you’ll hear my song Below and Above. Awesome right? I thought so.
The movie has been playing in theaters in Italy since earlier last year - because the production company is Italian I assume - and will be released in other countries in the near future. It’s also streaming on Amazon Prime - you’ll have to check for availability in your country.
It is directed by Desmond Devenish and based on the book "Eddie & Sunny: A love story" by Stacey Cochran, first published in 2015.
It features Joanna Vanderham, Gabriel Luna, Alexia Murray, Lorenzo McGovern Zaini, Katie McGovern, Xander Bailey, and others.
3 years ago | [YT] | 2
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Silas J. Dirge
My album The Poor Devil is available on cd! Visit silasjdirge.bandcamp.com/album/the-poor-devil to order. Shipping starts June 4.
4 years ago | [YT] | 2
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Silas J. Dirge
Floored by the flu. Thought maybe making a video would help me get rid of it. It didn't... Anyway here's the video.
This song was written a few days after the Maestro past away July 6 last year. I wrote it as a sort of thank you for giving me a soundtrack for my childhood (I used to whistle the theme to The Good the Bad and the Ugly on a daily basis when I was about 8 years old) and nudging me in the right musical direction at a later age. I asked my friend Nicole Schouten to sing the lead part. Which she nailed. She told me about a book she had read, "A land more kind than home" by Wiley Cash. I thought it fitted the song. Electric guitar as always by the ever magnificent Harald de Ruiter.
#altcountry #darkcountry #americana #southerngothic #gothicamericana #deathcountry #acoustic #gothiccountry #spaghettiwestern #enniomorricone #settlers #pioneers
4 years ago | [YT] | 2
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Silas J. Dirge
New live-at-home video up!
4 years ago | [YT] | 2
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Silas J. Dirge
I did a thing. Might do it more often.
4 years ago | [YT] | 2
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Silas J. Dirge
Oh yeah, I plan on doing some stripped down versions of the songs on my new album The Poor Devil and put them on YouTube as well as short clips on Instagram. You can find me on www.instagram.com/silasjdirge/
4 years ago | [YT] | 0
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Silas J. Dirge
Somehow this video doesn't show up for everyone on YouTube. So I thought I'd just share it here.
I wrote this song back in 2017 and it's on my first album Tales of Woe. It's about someone traveling by train with a driver turning out to be answering people's prayers and who’s tired of that so he's looking for a replacement. While he tries to jump off the train and give you the job he tells about how hard it really is to lend an ear to so many people telling you about their problems, asking you to help them. I found a home movie of a train trip through the Tehachapi Mountains, dating back to the 1920's and used that for the video. I combined it with images from the movie Danger Lights (1930), which is in the public domain. Enjoy!
4 years ago (edited) | [YT] | 1
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Silas J. Dirge
It's Bandcamp Friday! A day when artists & labels receive 100% of all sales. A great opportunity to support your favorite artists. Or me.
silasjdirge.bandcamp.com/album/the-poor-devil
5 years ago | [YT] | 0
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Silas J. Dirge
My new album The Poor Devil is out today.
You can find it on your streaming platform of choice.
Here's a few.
Bandcamp: silasjdirge.bandcamp.com/album/the-poor-devil
Spotify: open.spotify.com/album/22ZaXsGhLUcbjO67tNfi8G...
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/album/the-poor-devil/1544547993
Deezer: deezer.page.link/YoGmHm5voXUAW2nx8
Go check it out and thank you for your support.
5 years ago | [YT] | 2
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