CASUAL PROJECTS

Artist Information

Biography

Since 2005, Casual Projects have gone from strength to strength in the Australian Music industry.

Two LP’s later, the band celebrate the success of Australian and Japanese album distribution with album sales and a loyal fan base that any independent artist would be happy with.


More recently, the seven members packed their lives into the band van and migrated from their home town of Canberra to base themselves in Melbourne.

Now in 2011, both the band and fans alike are gearing up for the release of the groups very much anticipated 3rd album to be released in August....

The currently 'untitled' release is being recorded in various underground studios in Melbourne and being pieced together in what may be a step away from the bands more traditional live sounding band recordings and delving more into the art of traditional hip hop, recording live samples, cutting, pasting and layering tracks.

While the tracking of the album may be a new approach for the band, the unique sound of the soul infused party hip hoppers will ring true more than ever taking a step towards what looks to be much bigger things to come...

Instrumentation

Muchtar Johnson - Vocals
Pat Lillicrap - Vocals
Julian Abrahams - Vocals/Guitar
Munro Melano - Vocals/Keys
Nick Keeling - Vocals/Trombone/Synths
Dan Bray - Tenor Sax/Synths
Kane Watters - Bass
Yen Nguyen - Drums

Discography

'Forthcoming LP' - 'Untitled' - (For release in August 2011)

"NO REST" -
Produced by Tony 'Buchman' Buchen
MGM/INDEPENDENT
MAY 2008

"Casual Projects" - Self Titled (MGM)

Official Website

http://www.myspace.com/casualprojects

Links

• Live on Morning's with Kerri-Anne
• "Golden Eggs" film clip
• "Move Along" film clip
• Casual Projects featured on Billabong Tahiti08 DVD
• MySpace

Audio

• GOLDEN EGGS
  Listen  
• TIME
  Listen  
• MOVE ALONG
  Listen  
• "MUSIC" LIVE JDSet08 Sydney (monitor Mix)
  Listen  
• Goin' Off
  Listen  
• PREVIEW OF FORTHCOMING ALBUM "NO REST"
  Listen  
• LITTLE THINGS
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Move Along
• TIME
• TIME

Video

Time

Photo Gallery

Press

• CASUAL PROJECTS TRANSIT BAR 2008 [+ Show ]
  

  When Casual Projects finally began to play the first of their two-part set, the time piece was appro...When Casual Projects finally began to play the first of their two-part set, the time piece was approaching midnight. However, the audience’s inhibitions were well lubricated, and crowd participation was easy to muster. Transit’s small stage seemed especially crowded for the Canberran eight-piece, who quite frankly, proved (on more than one occasion) that four vocalists are at least one too many.
  
  Despite the two solid sets of rock spiced with dashes of horns and lashings of hip-hop vocals, the highlight of the night was when they took it down a notch and slipped into a bizarrely chosen, but incredibly well received cover of Seal’s Kiss From a Rose. When the sing-along was over, the boys slipped back into the musical stylings that they are more commonly known for. Between those who bounced along to each and every song, and those who threw their hands in the air because they just didn’t care, both bands were incredibly well received and pretty much everyone, bar the dude who while getting thrown out had to ask security if he could pull his pants up from around his ankles, left happy.

• Casual Projects @Da Ha Hoo cd launch [+ Show ]
  

  Casual Projects took to the stage with energy unmatched by any other band on the night. Unfortunatel...Casual Projects took to the stage with energy unmatched by any other band on the night. Unfortunately for Da Ha Hoo, Cas-P stole the show. They amount to eight musicians in all, with up to four of them mc-ing at any one time. Their keyboardist doubles as a stand-out vocalist, and the lead guitarist pulled out some incredible solos. The arrangements are intricate and stylish. With so many people onstage the performance could easily slide into howling cacophany, but Cas-P have the skills and were never in danger of it.
  
  These boys effortlessly had the crowd jumping and shouting out lines from their tunes. A stand out lyric from Cas-P was “These are the things I was born with, a head of dreams and a heart of mischief”. The sentiment rang true for their entire set and they left the crowd baying for more. Big things await Cas-P.

• Casual Projects CD Launch – w/Urthboy, Ozi Batla and D’opus [+ Show ]
  

  I still have the sounds of the crowd chanting “Cas-P, Cas-P” ringing in my ears after the boys from ...I still have the sounds of the crowd chanting “Cas-P, Cas-P” ringing in my ears after the boys from Casual Projects launched their much awaited debut CD!
  
  . Cas-P pulled out the big guns early on in their set with the single “What Could Have Been” (receiving airplay on 104.7 as the “Made in Canberra” band this month) and continued to up the ante all through the set, with an energetic performance and, I’m pleased to say, excellent sound. I’ve often been disappointed with the technical aspect of Casual Projects – with eight performers, five of whom MC, they’d be a difficult act to mic and balance correctly, but this time they nailed it. The crowd loved them, and they loved it. Their set list even featured a tongue in cheek rendition of Gangsta’s Paradise! With cheeky, clever lyrics, infectious riffs, and enthusiasm Casual Projects are a great live act – and now you can take them home with you on CD!

• Casual projects @ TOAST [+ Show ]
  

  We have some burning local talent in this little hood of ours and Cas-p especially are one to keep a...We have some burning local talent in this little hood of ours and Cas-p especially are one to keep an eye on.
  ....They launched into their set with gusto, quickly gathering a crowd of dancing punters. The Rock Star was palpable: aviator sunnies, on stage antics, and people moshing with wild abandon. It almost felt like summer had come early this year as the boys careened into sunny songs tempered by cuts of funk and quintessentially Aussie rhymes.
  
  At one stage the guys called out to the crowd to let loose as local TV station Channel Vision were there to film the ensuing ruckus. to use for a film clip. The crowd responded eagerly, playing up for the roaming cameras and getting down and dirty. Cas-P made such a good impression that the crowd demanded an encore, a demand that the local crew could not refuse. They ended their set to a rapturous applause and smiles all round. Their casual brand of funky hip hop unified the crowd and left the room a little warmer.

• Casual around the Capital [+ Show ]
  

  Move over Hilltop Hoods and The Herd - Casual Projects (Cas-P) are about to challenge your hip-hop c...Move over Hilltop Hoods and The Herd - Casual Projects (Cas-P) are about to challenge your hip-hop crown. Canberrans have been backing them for a while, but now the secret is out. Casual Projects, an eight-piece outfit combining jazz, funk and hip-hop has for a long time been known as 'the band to get the party started."
  
  They've been making steady progress down the well-worn 'budding band' track with well received entries in Triple J Unearthed competition, landing a nod on an American complication and exporting their debut self-titled album to Japan. Casual Projects are set to explode into the music scene. Although they've been around for a relatively short time in band-terms (they formed in 2004) their unique style has made a sound impression: pun intended.
  
  After taking a well-earned break mid-year, recent gigs at both University of Canberra and ANU shows they're back in a big way. While they laud themselves as "likened to many, but different to most" they've been compared to The Cat Empire in the past - a comparison MC Munro Melano reckons comes mainly from the fact that they are a large band with a brass section, and that "one of our MC's looks like the guy from Cat Empire- not Felix, the other guy," he quickly adds.
  
  Most of the members met while studying at the Canberra School of Music at ANU, and although they've since moved on to greener pastures, they continue to hold their Canberra fans and their local music scene in high esteem.
  
  "We try to play a gig here every few weeks," drummer Yen Nguyen said. "It's nice to come and play here. Even if the live scene is not that big, that doesn't necessarily mean a lack of talent."
  
  While they're concentrating on their own tour at present, past gigs have
  
  
  included some big names and festivals including Stonefest, The Great Escape and the Adelaide Fuse Festival, an experience that Nguyen said was a little surreal.
  
  "We were sitting around backstage at the Great Escape festival, playing some ping pong when Bernard Fanning wandered past.
  
  "And Stonefest was the first time we'd been in a situation with real 'celebrities' like Thirsty Merc and Butterfingers," he said.
  
  Munro agrees - "It was really fun to be backstage with these semi-famous people. I remember thinking ‘we're so cool, we're backstage!’"
  
  The fantastic, energetic vibe Casual Projects has become renowned for is partly derived from their unique blend of sound, and the fact their line-up is on the larger side- making for a more diverse, collaborative sound."The eight of us are all interested in different things," Nguyen said, "We're learning how to fit together all those interests- but hip-hop is the uniting thing that pulls it all together."
  
  They're quick to dispel any thoughts of hissy-fits and 'too many cooks' clichés. "We all get along really well," Nguyen said. "Our sound has developed greatly since our first album- we're getting to know each others strengths and interests."Admitting their first outing was 'a little rushed', Nguyen confirms there is a follow-up album in the works - and this has also flowed over into their live performances.
  
  "We've cut some old songs from our set, and at the moment we're really geared towards producing material for a new album," Nguyen said. "We're all pretty excited about recording again. The song writing has now become more communal, everyone puts their two cents in and we've been doing more free-styling on stage."
  
  This summer is going to be very Casual, so stay tuned.
  

• Architecture in Helsinki/Casual Projects @ ANU [+ Show ]
  

  Local eight-piece Casual Projects got the healthy crowd warmed up with thier brand of funk-infused h...Local eight-piece Casual Projects got the healthy crowd warmed up with thier brand of funk-infused hip-hop, the last few songs venturing into Cat Empire territory (who for my money they eclipse).
  As they finished up and I wandered away, I noticed a hastily srawled 'Sold Out' sign on the doors of the refectory, and everything is right with the world.
  
  PETER KRBAVAC

• INDYFEST [+ Show ]
  

  For such a big band, Casual Projects get set up rather quickly... and boy is their show good these d...For such a big band, Casual Projects get set up rather quickly... and boy is their show good these days. The new arrangement of the barbeque's song owns the original so hard. their new songs are better than their old ones, even if you dont know the words. The MCs are all getting a much better personality behind themselves, and it even looks like they are ironing out the wrinkles that constructive criticism has given them over the years. Funky, soulful, sweet, tight, and raucous all in one show. Casual projects are spectacular fun, and were easily my highlight of the evening.
  
  ALISTAIR ERSKINE

• Blue King Brown/ Casual Projects [+ Show ]
  

  ..... so it didn't take long for the night's first act to get people on their feet. These guys seem ........ so it didn't take long for the night's first act to get people on their feet. These guys seem to be popping up at gigs all over the place this summer, and they have gained an enthusiastic following in Canberra and tightned up thier sound and performance too.
  
  ERIN SCHRIEBER

• Bluejuice/Casual Projects @ Greenroom [+ Show ]
  

  ....Casual Projects lads all crammed onto the stage and launched into the mix. Though Cas-P are pri.......Casual Projects lads all crammed onto the stage and launched into the mix. Though Cas-P are primarily a hip-hop band, their music betrays the many and varied influences you'd expect across an eight piece- there's funk in their rythym section, hints of jazz in their horns and keys and more than a bit of rock in the guitars.
  
  
  PETER KRBAVAC
  

Setlist

Red Lights
High Life
Time
The Son
No rest for the Gifted
Moving On
Music
Photosynthesize
Golden Eggs
Man I Am
Parallel
Start Again
Little Things
Another Sunday
BBQ's
Older Bro
The Guy
Population
For Funniness
Goin Off
Fight Club
You Me Us We
What Could've Been
The Jam

Basic Requirements

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