Singer strums personal

Unassuming and relatively quiet, Jim Osborn does not appear to most people as the impassioned songwriter that he is.

sborn, a freshman, is a solo singer-songwriter who has opened for the likes of blossoming Northeast singer-songwriters Amber Rubarth, Will Daley and Joshua James.

Self-described as a mixture of folk and soft rock, Osborn describes his music as cathartic.
"I try to communicate things more honestly than I would be able to in real life," Osborn said.

His honesty shines through in self-written "You May Have Heard," and the grim "Chainsaw Toys," in which he laments the death of his beloved cousin.

Thematically, Osborn tends to focus on his personal life — his songs reflect moments in his life that changed his world outlook, and thus ultimately his
musical style.

While part of this is translated into rather somber reflections on the disappointments of growing older, a large portion of his music consists of upbeat anecdotes about the most meaningful people in his life — most prominently his girlfriend.

In his song "Poem on a Paper Cup," Jim expresses how his affection for his girlfriend of two years has affected his daily life and how she inspires him and his music. Yet, he makes sure not to be labeled as a romantic.

"I'm not romantic — being romantic is unpopular these days," he said.

Lyrically, Osborn displays an impressive talent with symbolism, often using motifs throughout his songs to express a progression through time and mood.

He is particularly skillful at depicting scenes through images. In the opening of the song, "The God and the Skunk," he describes an isolated morning walk in the snow.

"I took a long lonely walk in the snow, I had nowhere to go but away/And away's where I went ‘til the sunlight slept, Forgot if I was awake/You know the way the weather makes you feel right back at home/Especially when you find yourself inside it all alone."    

Although still a developing act in the Burlington scene, his style fits well into the singer-songwriter genre present at some of Burlington's cozier venues.

He has performed at Slade Hall, the Monkey House in Winooski and local favorite Radio Bean this fall, and he hopes to continue to develop his repertoire and style in the future.