Ben Fisher,

Charleston (out now, self-released, benfisher.bandcamp.com)

Ben Fisher has once again proven that he is beyond his 22 years. Following his promising Roanoke EP from 2012—a beautiful four-track teaser of what the young songwriter is capable of—Fisher’s first full-length proves that the years he has spent playing his predecessors’ songs to passersby on Seattle’s sidewalks have gifted him with a preternaturally mature lyrical mind.

Fisher has been a local busker since his family moved here from Atlanta when he was still in high school. His singing often has an Actual Tigers–era Tim Seely quality, subtle and half-spoken rather than sung in the traditional sense. His brand of “wordy-folk,” as he calls it, is reminiscent of that of country greats like Townes Van Zandt, whose work highlighted story above all else. When Fisher’s typically mellow tunes pick up the pace, they take on a more traditional folk-pop quality—as in Charleston’s title track, which could be a radio-pop number, with Fisher’s voice taking on Tom Petty’s deep, guttural line-finishers.

Aided by producer (and fellow Seattle singer/songwriter) Noah Gundersen, Fisher has created in a masterpiece of simplicity—a collection of stripped-down, tastefully arranged gems that sneak into the heart and sing the listener to a quiet place. (Fri., Feb. 7, Fremont Abbey)