Alexander McCowan

Artist Information

Biography

This is Alexander McCowan (born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada).

It was at age twenty-four, while living in Kilkenny, Ireland, that Alexander first began to write songs.

He returned to Winnipeg and made his first live performance on Wednesday, September 07, 2005.

His debut record, entitled 'Thief', was released in November 2009. 'Thief', a seven song mash of folk-roots-and-soul, was produced by Dale Penner at Paradise Alley Studios in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Alexander McCowan spent 2010 exploring Canada with a 28-date tour promoting 'Thief', performing mainly as a solo performer. Creating a soulful, intimate experience (See YouTube - search: Alexander McCowan). His instrumentation included: the acoustic guitar, the lap slide guitar, the harmonica, the ukulele and the stomp box.

With more to come, Alexander McCowan would like to say, "Thanks for dropping by. Thanks for reading. Take care."



"4 out of 5 stars"
"Catchy hooks, relaxed rhythms and thoughtful lyrics permeate Alexander McCowan’s debut album 'Thief'."
- Ian McAmmond, The Uniter, University of Winnipeg

"...reminiscent of Dylan-infused Ben Harper musings"
- Mike Duerksen, The Uniter, University of Winnipeg

"That playfulness is what sets McCowan apart. He is refreshingly witty and clever in his lyrics and style. He has a smooth-as-warm-butter voice and a soulful sound... 'Thief' is a must-listen album."
- Chandra Dupuis, The Projector, Red River College (MB)

Instrumentation

Alexander McCowan - vocals, acoustic guitar, lap slide guitar, harmonica, stompbox and ukulele

Discography

'THIEF' EP (November 2009)
'THIEF DEMO' (January 2008)
'5 FOR FREE' (July 2006)

CBC Radio 1 89.3FM, 92.9 KICK FM (Red River College), 101.5 UMFM (University of Manitoba), 95.9 FM CKUW (University of Winnipeg), ENVOL 91.1

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• reverbnation

Audio

• The Digger
  Listen  
• Ode To Lakewater
  Listen  
• Young Folks
  Listen  
• Where The Wild Tigers Go
  Listen  
• The GDP (So Be Somebody)
  Listen  
• Juste Comme Jacques Cousteau
  Listen  
• Honeybee
  Listen  

Lyrics

• The Digger
• Ode To Lakewater
• Juste Comme Jacques Cousteau
• Where The Wild Tigers Go
• The GDP (So Be Somebody)
• Honeybee

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• THIEF A SUCCESS: Steal Away with Alexander McCowan [+ Show ]
  

  Chandra Dupuis Student Contributor January 26, 2010 IMAGINE driving along a sunny dirt road o...Chandra Dupuis
  Student Contributor
  
  January 26, 2010
  
  IMAGINE driving along a sunny dirt road on a hot Manitoba summer day, the warm dry air flowing through your open windows.
  
  Although that feeling of freedom is no more than a nice January daydream, Alexander McCowan’s CD could be the perfect soundtrack for that fantasy.
  
  McCowan’s album Thief is filled with a mature, light, and fun sound. It could be a staple in any folk/pop collection.
  
  Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this singer/songwriter’s EP is an obvious labor of love. His catchy melodies and lyrics will have you humming his tune the rest of your day.
  
  His collaboration with imaginative producer Dale Penner and addition of talented local studio musicians Daniel Roy (drums), Paul Yee (Bass) and Tim Elias (multi-instrumentalist, vocals), makes for a surrealistic
  and groovy collection.
  
  McCowan’s cover of Peter, Bjorn and John’s Young Folks may be the CD’s best track. Released in Nov. 2009, he paints a picture of a softer world. An extremely innovative tale on the original pop/indie tune, McCowan’s mature voice and knack for expressive lyrics gives the song a great polish.
  
  “There are a lot of cool rooms and hallways on this record,” McCowan said on his website. “A lot of cool places I can see myself walking through and towards.”
  
  Songs like The Digger will ahve you tapping your feet and humming along, giving any music lover and energetic kick. The CD cover opens on a couple of funky mug-style shots of a curly-haired guy with a great fake twiddle-me moustache, which reflects the playfulness of many of McCowan’s quirky songs.
  
  That playfulness is what sets McCowan apart. He is refreshingly witty and clever in his lyrics and style. He has a smooth-as-warm-butter voice and a soulful sound that you don’t see very often in the folk/pop industry. Music lovers will be overjoyed that this local talent is making a name for himself and actively performing in the community. Thief is a must-listen album. It’s unfortunate there are only seven tracks.
  
  To sample more of McCowan’s music, visit:
  www.alexandermccowan.com
  

• 'Thief' Review [+ Show ]
  

  January 20th 2010 ALEXANDER MCCOWAN - Thief by Ian McAmmond (Volunteer) ALEXANDER MCCOWAN Th...January 20th 2010
  ALEXANDER MCCOWAN - Thief
  by Ian McAmmond (Volunteer)
  
  
  ALEXANDER MCCOWAN
  Thief
  
  Label: Independent
  4 out of 5 stars
  Catchy hooks, relaxed rhythms and thoughtful lyrics permeate Alex McCowan’s debut album Thief. Only a few years on the scene, local folkie McCowan has produced a mature album featuring six originals and a cover. Peter Bjorn and John’s unpleasant Young Folks become poignant in McCowan’s capable hands. Standout tracks Ode to Lakewater and Juste Comme Jacques Cousteau show complementary sides of McCowan with the former being more brooding while the latter is more akin to pop. Although I’m not entirely sure what it’s about, GDP (Be Somebody) has been stuck in my mind for the last week, and not in the annoying way. Throughout the album snippets of mandolin, banjo and accordion can be heard, being used to great effect. The album is not overcrowded and the poetry of the lyrics mixes well with the instrumentation.

• Preparing for Takeoff [+ Show ]
  

  November 4th 2009 Preparing for takeoff: Local musician mixes business with pleasure by Mik...November 4th 2009
  
  Preparing for takeoff:
  Local musician mixes business with pleasure
  
  by Mike Duerksen (Volunteer)
  
  When Alexander McCowan heads out to promote Thief, his latest EP, later
  on this year, he won’t be logging miles in a touring van and sticking to a
  premeditated agenda.
  
  Instead, the Winnipeg singer-songwriter will arrange gigs around his work
  schedule, which will naturally take him to places all over the country. That’s
  because McCowan is a flight attendant by day and a musician by night.
  
  “I want to do a fly around and do a show in Edmonton. Fifteen days later I’ll
  do a show in Vancouver; two days later I might do a show in Toronto,” said
  McCowan, 28, over the phone last week from an Edmonton hotel in
  between flights. “And it might not even be a show. I’m also looking into
  doing some busking. Everything is changing now in music. You really have
  to do unconventional things to get people’s attention and get your music
  out.”
  
  McCowan’s career path has been equally strange.
  
  Aspiring to be a long distance competitive runner, he tore a knee ligament
  in his second year of university that put a bleak end to his athletic tenure.
  
  During his recovery, McCowan picked up playing guitar from his older
  brother.
  
  “I thought learning to play guitar would be a good way to spend some time.
  Once I picked it up and learnt a couple of Tom Petty and Neil Young songs,
  I was hooked.”
  
  Five years later, McCowan headed to Ireland to explore his family’s heritage
  and find employment for a year. It was then that he first started writing
  songs.
  
  “They were fun songs I would write to try and impress a girl or get her to
  talk to me,” he said.
  
  But when he returned to Winnipeg in 2005, he started putting more stock
  into songwriting and released his first demo, 5 For Free.
  
  “I was just mimicking people. I mimicked the Springsteen style, and then I
  got into this Jack White phase where I bought effects pedals and started
  doing really bluesy stuff,” McCowan said of the release.
  “I really wanted to be everything. I wanted to have a music show where you
  could see every kind of music from blues to bluegrass, and some folk songs
  and punk songs,” McCowan explained. “I was spreading myself too thin.”
  
  Since then, McCowan has been crystallizing his full-band folk sound
  reminiscent of Dylan-infused Ben Harper musings, churning out the seven-
  song EP.
  With it, McCowan admitted, he’s learned his lessons.
  
  “I think I’m starting to get it right now. It’s good to leave stuff out of your
  show. It’s good to leave stuff out of your music. It helps define you,” he said.
  “When you try to do too much, I don’t think you place your focus and
  energy on anything.”

Setlist

Like A Hurricane (Neil Young cover)
Running Like a Bison to You
Juste Comme Jacques Cousteau
Moondance (Van Morrison cover)
Where The Wild Tigers Go
Honeybee
No Woman, No Cry (Bob Marley cover)
Ode to Lakewater

BREAK

The GDP
Graceland (Paul Simon cover)
It Shook Me
Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Young Folks (Peter, Bjorn and John cover)
The Digger
Blessing at A Wedding

Basic Requirements

Calendar