29 January 2007

I have been quietly standing in the shade, All Of My Days…

If you watched television a few years ago you heard a cool song being used in a VW commercial. These people are driving down a moon lit winding road with their top down and Alexi Murdoch’s song “Orange Sky” from his EP, Four Songs, is lulling these friends into an idyllic late night drive. It’s a very cool commercial and a great way for this then unknown singer songwriter from Scotland to get some notice. It was a brilliant idea – produce your own record/EP, get it into the right marketing hands and hope for the best. That one commercial put him on the global map.

He has this unique voice that’s hard to describe and some of his music is very definitely what I think of as Modern Scottish Folk Music. Reminiscent of Luka Bloom, but expressive in the way that is truly Alexi Murdoch, his tunes are sublime and low key, accessible and easy to understand. His sound is part Folk, part Jazz, and a little bit of Rock. Depending on the production value of a song he reminds me of Snow Patrol only more subtle and yet still interesting. Like them his sound is moody and perfect for a rainy day. It must be the weather and the Celtic history across the pond that produces such incredible songwriting on both accounts.

He released a full length CD last year entitled Time Without Consequence. It’s mostly new material like the above referenced “All Of My Days” while it incorporates 3 songs from his EP including “Orange Sky”. I highly suggest you check it out (itunes and www.myspace.com/aleximurdoch). It’s a great mix of tunes and worth multiple obsessive listenings.

Saturday morning was a great morning. I got up, gave Phin his daily dose of fluids and headed out the door to my favourite neighbourhood coffee shop Marco’s. I spent a few hours reading The New Yorker with my ipod on it’s standard ‘shuffle’ mode tuning out the world and listening for inspiration. It’s a wonderful invention that as a musician is critical to my existence. How else would I be able to listen to Vivaldi in one moment and Jack Johnson in another? During this vital time as we near the end of completion on my EP, I need all the ‘help’ I can get – to be able to access every different kind to music I own at the push of a button is truly priceless. And there’s nothing better than sitting quietly in the shade at a coffee shop, magazine in one hand, beverage in another and a world of music at my disposal.

Thanks for tuning in…Until next Monday…CHEERS!!

PS: Thanks to Lee Rudnicki (Blog 7/Broken Ocean Entertainment) for his feedback and input on the EP during our midnight listening this past week – MUCH APPRECIATED!

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