Ears Wide Open: Charlie Hickey

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charliehickey

Charlie Hickey is 14 years old. I almost wish he’d waited until after I’d listened to his “Odds” EP to divulge that detail – I haven’t had a true “holy crap” moment recently – but odds are I’d have liked it without caveat, such are its craft and emotional clarity. Not to dissect a four-song debut from somebody a couple years away from a driver’s license, here instead are a few things about young Mr. Hickey: His full name is Charlie Dworsky-Hickey and he is the son of songwriters Chris Hickey and Sally Dworsky, both of whom have released wonderful solo albums and were bandmates in the underrated trio Uma (see 1997’s “Fare Well”). Charlie likes Sufjan Stevens and Elliott Smith. He is excited about seeing Neutral Milk Hotel at Coachella. He covers “Disarm.” And Robyn. This cover pulls on my heartstrings, owing to the fact I was 15 when the original came out. Hickey’s EP was made in collaboration with local songstress Phoebe Bridgers, cellist Alison Chesley (Poi Dog Pondering, Bob Mould, Broken Social Scene), guitarist Dylan McKenzie (of Derde Verde), bassist Garret Lang and producer/engineer Jim Lang. “Odds” is out April 11.

||| Download: “Odds”

||| Live: Charlie Hickey celebrates his EP release with a show at Room 5 on April 11.

||| Also: After the jump, check out the song “Brain Dead”: