Doveman: Soft-Spoken But Upbeat

Doveman is led by Vermont's Thomas Bartlett, who began playing ukulele at age 3 and piano at age 5. Often eschewing traditional education to train with one of the world's top classical-music teachers, he soon became an in-demand musician in New York. Taking his training to the realm of pop and indie rock, Bartlett's Doveman reflects his classical roots.

With the release of 2005's The Acrobat, 2007's With My Left Hand I Raise the Dead and a legally contentious album in which he covers the soundtrack to the '80s movie Footloose, Bartlett established Doveman as a true sleeper. His third album of original material with Doveman, The Conformist, is a testament to his soft-spoken style. This time around, though, he adds flourishes of upbeat synths, drums and catchy choruses.

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