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I Always -ed You
The story of John's first album begins with a new folk singer on the scene in Santa Cruz, CA. With seven years of songwriting pent-up in a 23-year-old brain and a 6-year-old guitar, Craigie felt it was time to attempt to put his songs down on disc. In the search for a recording studio, John found himself in the middle of the woods, outside of Santa Cruz, in a one-room house that also served as a recording studio. In about three days, with the help of the very eccentric owner of the studio, John laid out rough mixes for over 20 songs. Eager for feedback, John grabbed the mixes and began to pass them around to fans, friends and fellow musicians. The response was huge, and the overwhelming appreciation of the raw sound convinced John to leave the album untouched. Packaged in a homemade sleeve and case, “I Always -ed You” became John's first album before he got a chance to change anything. Still packaged in the same homemade style, it remains one of John's most beloved albums. Like most debut albums, it reflects the innocence and the honesty of a musician's first step on his/her path. Most requested songs: "Solo Journey", "Nalgene Bottle", "Make Respect" Click here for lyrics to I Always -ed You Click here for stores that carry John Craigie CDs Second Grade Awakening Six months after the release of his first album, John realized his musical evolution was in full swing, and now was the time to start putting his full energy into crafting an album for his listeners. Not satisfied with the lack of control he had in recording “I Always -ed You,” John spent almost every dime he had and purchased a small recording unit that he deemed “good enough for folk.” Always wanting to take things up a notch, John scoured Santa Cruz for what he called the “All-Star Band.” He searched among the musicians he loved to watch perform, and eventually assembled a backing band he knew would help push his music to the next level. Second Grade Awakening introduces the amazing talents of Kevin Hobson on electric bass, and Trent Boeschen on drums and percussion. In the studio, most songs were done in one or two takes, to stay true to the loose Craigie style. But, with the freedom of having his hands on the recording gear, and the talent of the supporting musicians, the songs on “Second Grade Awakening” have a quality that John was not able to attain on his first album. With simple drum and bass arrangements, (in addition to the occasional upright bass, banjo, harmonica, and violin) Craigie was able to finally realize the “neo-folk” sound that he had been striving to achieve on his second album. Most requested songs: "We Come From the Sky," "Songs from the Brain, the Heart, and the Other Guy," "If" Click here for lyrics to Second Grade Awakening Click here for stores that carry John Craigie CDs Daddy Longlegs In the fall of 2004, John asked himself, “How can I take it up another notch?” Craigie had completed writing for his third album, and was faced with the question of how to record it and who to use. He contacted Trent Boeschen who had played drums on, and contributed to the post-production mixing of, “Second Grade Awakening.” John asked Trent if he would like to play drums on the third album. Trent agreed, and also informed John that he was in the process of building his own recording studio. John had enjoyed the freedom of using his own machine on his previous record, but he knew that working with Boeschen would give him just as much control, and also allow him to produce with one of his favorite musicians. Kevin Hobson (bass on “Second Grade Awakening”) also agreed to participate, and over the next few months “Daddy Longlegs” was recorded in San Rafael, CA, in the under-construction Bocean Studios. For “Daddy Long Legs,” the songs were given more compositional thought and more variety in their instrumentation. For the first time, all three of the musicians stepped away from their usual instruments to expand the sound: Hobson played electric guitar, Boeschen played piano and keys, and Craigie himself played mandolin, piano, and lap harp. More talented musicians were brought in (including Leland Jackness on acoustic guitar and Cody Walz on saxophone), which marked the full realization of Craigie’s “All-Star Band” dream, and also allowed for each song to grow into its own unique niche. The result: a folk album with as many variations on the genre as imagined possible. As John proclaimed when it was finished: “This is what happens when a folk singer listens to Wilco, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Beck, and The White Stripes, and brings it into his creative space with Greg Brown, Cat Stevens, Dylan, and Joni. This is what happens.” Most requested songs: "Daddy Longlegs", "Pink Lemonade", "Life is not a cover band" Click here for lyrics to Daddy Longlegs Click here for stores that carry John Craigie CDs A Picnic on the 405 A year and a half in the making, “A Picnic on the 405,” is Craigie's most ambitious and exciting album to date. With Craigie and the Accidental Poets now comfortable at Bocean studios, John decided to put more attention to the detail and production of the songs he had chosen for his next album. With the success of “Daddy Longlegs,” and its unique approach to folk music, John decided to push the genre even farther with his fourth album. The result is a culmination of John’s diverse, adventurous sound. The album rides a wave from pumped up bluegrass, to mellow grooves; from traditional folk, to all out rock and roll, all against the backdrop of some of John’s best songwriting yet. His first true “concept album” as he claims, “A Picnic on the 405” centers on the theme of growing up in Los Angeles, and how that experience shaped Craigie’s growth. The cast of players is again an all-star list featuring Leland Jackness on electric and acoustic guitar, Cody Walz on tenor and alto saxophone, Ajaia Suri on backing vocals, and many more. Although the question of when John is going to return to the simple style of his first album still exists, it’s clear that “A Picnic on the 405” is a reminder to listeners that Craigie has much more to offer. Most requested tracks: Canyon Walls, Talkin' Orange Alert Blues, Purple Lightning Click here for lyrics to A Picnic on the 405 Click here for stores that carry John Craigie CDs Soft Hail Forged in the crucible of heartbreak and longing, "Soft Hail" is John Craigie's most intimate and personal album yet. Originally conceived of as a "lullaby" coda to his previous record "A Picnic on the 405," "Soft Hail" evolved in the studio into something much, much more. With The Accidental Poets and a host of talented guest players on hand for the recording, Craigie & Co. found a renewed focus on crafting sonic moods and atmospheres to match the emotional heft of each song. The result is a thematically and aurally uniform collection of songs that chronicle the bittersweet life of a traveling folk singer with stark and compelling honesty. Most requested tracks: Dragon's Breath, Come to California, Tacoma |