On the Ground is the second album from Damien DeRose and his alter ego Peasant, a suitably humble and down to earth moniker for the quietly introspective son of Doylestown, PA. Although his work falls squarely in to the “sensitive boy with a guitar” braket DeRose manages, for the most part, to avoid the cloying self-absorbedness that can come with that territory. By throwing the occasional reverbed guitar or organ into the mix, he has managed to keep the album feeling fresh and never allows the music to slip into autopilot.Of course these days a man baring his soul over a lightly strummed guitar and with a light falsetto is bound to bring comparisons to a certain Mr. J Vernon of Wisconsin. While such comparisons are not entirely fair, one suspects that DeRose could more than hold his own in such company. On default setting the songs here build on gently strummed, simple melodies, augmented with light organ swells and the occasional fingerpicked bridge part. Most songs come and go breezily, never allowing themselves to get bogged down in the emotions often contained within. In general DeRose is able to carve out his own individual approach, despite tipping his proverbial hat to a couple of obvious influences. However on occasion the homage comes a little to close to his forebears and peers: the use of the arpeggiated harpsichord and twanging, reverbed guitar solo during “Birds” feels more like a tribute to the bedraggled soul of Elliot Smith, while 'Raise Today' and the chiming 'Impeccable Manners' call to mind the melancholy whimsy of Woodpigeon’s Mark Hamilton.Despite it’s simple modus operandi ‘On The Ground’ has plenty of variation to hold the listeners interest for the length of the record, and that there is no overall standout track here is testament to the quality present throughout. It is an immediately likeable record and one that has the capability to get under your skin given repeated listening. With his gentle delivery and catchy melodies it should come as no surprise that his work has been picked up on by TV, with 'Raise Today' featuring on FOX TV’s ‘Bones’. On The Ground was released in the US early this year, and DeRose has already begun work on his next record, 'Shady Retreat', for which he will be, er...retreating to a converted studio in the woods. If it continues the fine form on display here it could well be a cracker.Peasent on Myspace