Second Cup: Joshua Radin

A few years ago, Cleveland-born Joshua Radin was trying to make it as a painter and screenwriter in New York, but a single open mic night at a Greenwich Village club changed everything.

His performance of "Winter," a song he wrote especially for the occasion, was well-received and his friends encouraged him to change his career path and focus on music.

Fast-forward to the present day and Radin is out promoting his major-label album debut, "We Were Here."

He visits Second Cup Café to play "These Photographs" and "Everything'll Be Alright (Will's Lullaby)," both of which are on his new album.

Radin's encouraging friends included his college buddies, actor and director Zach Braff and musician Cary Brothers.

"They were so supportive. Cary wanted to get me into the studio right away to record 'Winter,'" Radin has said. "Then, Zach gave the song to the producers of 'Scrubs.' And they used it. And all of these people kept e-mailing me and saying they wanted more music."

So, in 2004 Radin self-released his debut EP, "First Between 3rd and 4th."

It contained the first five songs he ever wrote, as well as a cover of The Smiths' "Girlfriend in a Coma."

The album has an intimate, gentle tone that's evocative of Simon & Garfunkel.

Apparently, Radin's quiet sound developed out of necessity.

"When I was living in New York I had a neighbor who would complain all of the time if I made noise when I wrote music. So I started writing stuff that was really quiet," he says. "I sort of adapted to the environment of the apartment. That had a lot to do with the sound."

Radin says that his current album, "We Were Here," is influenced by his work as a screenwriter, because he thinks in visual terms.

"It's all about how you show something without telling it. That has a lot of influence in the music. It has a cinematic quality to it," he says. "I wanted to make a record that you put on from start to finish; throw in a car, sort of a long-drive experience. I wanted something that was cohesive and consistent and people could listen to and hear a story throughout."

This summer, Radin will have his own travel experience when he opens up for Tori Amos on her European tour.