David Taintor

With his classic Buddy Holly glasses, Twilight Zone T-shirt, and pair of blue Chucks, Jeremy Messersmith could be classified as a dork. Don’t worry, he won’t be offended; that’s how he described himself. But once he walked onstage at The Cabin Friday night and began playing, that was very possibly the last thought on the audience’s mind.

“His voice is one that puts you at ease,” sophomore Emily Klingenberg said, “one you know you’ll be able to relate to, I guess. It’s a voice you don’t hear much anymore.”

With the help of a vocal harmonizer and a looper pedal, which takes a recorded beat or melody and repeats it, adding an extra layer to an otherwise acoustic performance, Messersmith jumped right into his set. He began with a few originals from his first record, The Alcatraz Kid, including the gloomy “Novocain” and the quietly hopeful “7:02.”

Though many of Messersmith’s songs are mellow and of a decidedly sad nature, he kept the mood light by taking time between songs to crack wise about anything that caught his interest: his confusion when first told about The Joynt, putting new strings on his guitar or even napkins on a table which he mistook for tissues for the more sentimental audience members.

Messersmith’s sharp sense of humor kept the audience interested. After introducing the song “A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard,” he continued with, “.which I’m also developing for a sitcom..Oh, who am I kidding?”

In addition to his original works, Messersmith played a few covers. The most notable were “Skyway,” by fellow Minneapolis natives the Replacements and “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” by the Beatles.

Messersmith cited Elliott Smith and the Beatles as major influences on his songwriting style. His musical connection to the Fab Four is especially evident in Messersmith’s penchant for pairing sad or plaintive lyrics with catchy, upbeat melodies.

That didn’t stop his lyrics from resonating with the audience, however.

“(Messersmith’s) lyrics are composed of a lot of raw, human emotion,” Klingenberg said, “but he still uses vivid imagery to convey it.”

Coming from a musical family, Messersmith began playing music in church from a young age, but it wasn’t until he was 17 that he taught himself to play the guitar, he said. His songwriting days began when he took his first class in college.

Soon after, Messersmith said he began recording his songs on a home computer.

“I’d give out free copies of my music after shows at coffeeshops,” Messersmith said. “After a while, an agent heard my stuff and asked if I wanted to sign. I’ve been with Princess Records ever since.”

This coming January, Messersmith will be getting even more exposure. A few of his songs will be featured on a TV show alongside songs by Elton John and Death Cab for Cutie, among other artists. Unfortunately, Messersmith said he was not allowed to name the show.

Currently, Messersmith is juggling touring and teaching a composition class at the McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minn, he said.

When asked where he saw himself in 10 years, Messersmith said with a laugh, “Probably with a beer gut, jamming out in a basement. Isn’t that what happens to all music types?”