Shwa Losben, a talented and charismatic singer and songwriter who writes solid pop songs and performs them with precision and distinct vocals, will perform at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 9 p.m. in the Sullivan Parlor, Le Fer Hall. Losben’s performance, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Student Activities Committee.

After releasing his debut album “Just a Thought,” Shwa Losben has been touring constantly, making a name for himself in the thriving New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and London music scenes.

“Just a Thought” spawned the infectious “Come On,” which The Washington Post named one of the ten best songs of the year and said it packed “plenty of rhythmic vitality and melodic appeal.” On Tap magazine described the album as “hook- heavy, radio ready songs that reflect elements of Travis and Coldplay but stand on their own merits.”

By the end of 2004, Tribe.net named Losben the winner of a recording package at the prestigious Indre Studios in Philadelphia, where top artists such as Weezer and Ben Folds Five have cut tracks. The darker “Click Track,” a six song EP, was recorded there during the summer of 2005, and released the following year. Building on the hooks and haunting melodies of “Just a Thought,” “Click Track” combines quarter-life crisis anthems and shimmering guitars.

Now armed with “Chop Chop,” his first full-length release since 2004, Losben layers guitars, bass, keyboard, cello, drums and claps, atop precise vocal harmonies to create a melodic and sweetly nostalgic work that displays his depth as a songwriter.

Recorded over ten days in January, 2007 in Austin, TX, “Chop Chop” began as an EP, but after a rare ice storm paralyzed the city, Losben and co-producer Taylor Davis holed themselves up in producer Johnny Goudie’s studio and the EP quickly became a full length album.

“Chop Chop” is a collection of songs that were initially written in 2006 while Losben lived in Washington, D.C., London, Philadelphia and New York.

“I wanted to create something that summed up the environment and time of my life spent in all of these cities,” Losben said.

With tracks like “Myriah,” a wistful song about a love that never was and “You Got Wise,” a conversation no one wants to have, Losben proves his versatility and creativity as a songwriter.

“Lyrically it’s a big step,” he said. “Every song tells a story from a unique perspective.”

The honest, organic sound found in “Chop Chop” is just the next step in Losben’s musical evolution.

For more information about Shwa Losben’s performance at SMWC, contact Cveta Picarova, assistant director of campus life, at 812-535-5173. More information about Losben is available online at www.shwamusic.com.