music as well as American and UK pop. Encouraged by his father, who gave his young son a Beatles songbook, González began taking lessons in classical guitar at the age of 14. 

He experimented with many styles throughout his youth, including hard rock and punk, before discovering his own quieter style with hints of folk, bossa nova and Flamenco. Now, at 29, González, is aligned with folk artists who operate under the belief that “quiet is truly the new loud.”

In 2003 he released his debut album, “Veneer” in Europe that was later released (2005) in the UK and the United States. The name of the album suggests sarcasm, an oxymoron, as González seems to hide so little. One is left 

to wonder what could possibly be left unexposed, and where it could ever be hidden.

Veneer is simple, somber and deeply genuine. A popular favorite on the album, “Heartbeats” is a cover from González’s fellow Swede band, The Knife (he grew up in the same town as the band). “Heartbeats” was also featured in a successful European Sony BRAVIA commercial, featuring 250,000 colored balls bouncing through the streets of San Francisco.

Though most of his work is original, González has done acoustic covers for songs like “Love will Tear us Apart” by Joy Division, “Born in the U.S.A” by Bruce Springsteen, “Hand on Your Heart” by Kylie Minogue and “Smalltown Boy” by Bronski Beat. “Veneer” went Platinum in Sweden and Great Britain, Double Platinum in Ireland and Gold in Australia and New Zealand (700,000 total copies as of June 2007).

With just one album, González already has a large number of devoted followers who are anxiously awaiting the release of his next album, “In Our Nature” on September 26. This sophomore set is a product of Gonzalez’s great interest in exploring the unexpected angles of our being. On his website, josé-gonzález.com, the upcoming album is described as “an album that on one hand is very accessible and speaks easily, and on the other has a darkness and seriousness that more often borders on what should be considered healthy.”

Well educated (his music career took off in the middle of his studies toward a PhD in biochemistry) and of stoic stature, Gonzalez’s soft but serious expression exudes patience and explains the hushed yet powerful presence of his music, voice and lyrics—all of which are gifts very well received.