Hailing from Troy, New York, singer and songwriter Sean Rowe's rather astonishing singing voice evokes the sound of the ages. His big rumbling baritone bears traces of John Lee Hooker, Greg Brown, Wilson Pickett, and others, though it is utterly unaffected. He left the local bar scene at 25 a seasoned warrior, and self-released his debut, 27, in 2003. Magic, which was released by Anti, followed in 2011 and was greeted with nearly universal acclaim. The Salesman and the Shark, his sophomore effort for the label, appeared in August of 2012. ~ Thom Jurek