brad pounders
Memphis, Tennessee, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
60 Seconds featuring Brad Pounders | November 2010 - live from memphis
a review of the award winning short film, "Training Wheels", produced by Memphian Sarah Fleming.
"Atmospheric Change", from brad pounders 2001 release, "She Shakes" is featured. - memphis commercial appeal
live - serious therapy publishing
welcome to the art show - serious therapy publishing
welcome to the art show - serious therapy publishing
smells like records - serious therapy publishing
hamartia on itunes - serious therapy publishing
the clears | frozen fun - live from memphis
the clears | frozen fun - live from memphis
Brad POunders - live from memphis
Last month, Brad Pounders (probably best known as a member of the influential late-'90s new-wave/punk band the Clears, with Alicja Trout and Shelby Bryant) unveiled his second solo album, Hamartia, available now as a digital download from iTunes and other online retailers.
Hamartia, the follow-up to Pounders' 2000 solo debut She Shakes, bears little resemblance to the musician's synth-heavy past, however. He's spent the last decade or so laying low, performing only at the occasional open mic night, all the while absorbing new music and honing in on a more organic approach to songwriting. "I found myself moving away from that technology," says Pounders, referring to the synthesizers that dominated his previous work. "I have kept a low profile but haven't stopped writing and playing. I have mainly been working on and trying to find my sound as a solo artist and the best way for me to communicate my material."
And so for inspiration Pounders turned to acoustic instruments.
"I started writing melodies on piano and/or acoustic guitar and steered away from the keyboard somewhat," he says. "I think that helped me immensely in developing a sound that is new and distinct and more representative of who I am today."
For the moment, Pounders' new sound is (mostly) sparse and simple. Few of the songs on Hamartia feature full-band arrangements, focusing the attention on Pounders' somber melodies and gruff-yet-plaintive voice. In fact, much of the album was intended as only a demo, but according to Pounders, the material itself had other ideas.
"Hamartia decided to be released on its own, so to speak," he says. "Further changes would have affected the entire feel of the record. It was done, and I had to release it to keep the integrity of the project." Pounders plans to release more fully realized versions of some of the songs at a later date, alongside new material. He also has plans to form a band and return to live performance, a prospect that comes with some degree of trepidation.
"I would say I'm more excited than nervous," says Pounders. "I have done everything I can to quell the nerves by letting other artists that I respect and trust hear my work and chime in with comments." - The Memphis Flyer
Discography
Played with the Clears (released on Sonic Youth drummer, Steve Shelleys label, Smells Like Records http://smellslikerecords.com/theclears/index.php?artist=The%20Clears).
Recorded and played with The American Deathray (a couple of vinyl releases there, http://www.misprintrecords.com/deathray.html).
Released a solo cd (She Shakes-BULB Records/Serious Therapy Records).
Split 7" vinyl with Vending Machine (http://chocolateguitars.com/)
Photos
Bio
Singer/songwriter/musician, Brad Pounders has been in and around the Memphis music and art scene for over a decade, writing, recording, producing, performing and releasing records with such groups as The Clears (working with Steve Shelley, drummer of sonic youth's label, smells like records), Viva’ La American Deathray and Vending Machine, as well as maintaining his own songwriting career. He has also worked with many notable Memphis music engineers, film makers and photographers as well, including Doug Easley, Scott Bomar, Monsieur Jeffrey Evans, Ross Johnson, Mike McCarthy, Dan Ball and Sarah Fleming.
Pounders’ many releases, both solo and with groups, have been placed in multiple films, with recent actvity for his song "Atmospheric Change" (of his "She Shakes" release, as centerpiece in the award winning indie short, "Training Wheels", as well as receiving both national and international press and airplay from Australia to Poland.
Working from his home studio, and in conjunction with his own publishing company, Serious Therapy Publishing (ASCAP), Pounders is currently in creating a sort of “open call” for a growing list of talented and versatile musicians, wherein Pounders will offer basic tracks to be mixed and edited later, and additional musicians are invited to track whatever they care to over the existing mixes, at no monetary cost to them.
Pounders upcoming 2 cd release, working title "after the fall", will feature such amazing memphis musicians.
"As with any musician, I have played with a lot of bands. Nothing special there.
I write songs for me. Songs that are honest. Songs about things that are happening in my life, to serve as benchmarks and reference points for my own experience."- bp
See Brad here on ArtsMemphis TV:
http://about.artsmemphis.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=26&Itemid=218
Links
