Biography
"Liam Macdonald's Verge is an absolute gem, which you really need
to hear. For once eclectic is not a dirty word."
~ Zeitgeist Magazine
He was going on five when Liam Macdonald began learning songs. These were mostly the old Scottish folk ballads and Irish rebel songs he heard grownups singing at family gatherings and neighborhood parties in voices made loud by whisky. When Liam was about 15 and living in Canada he got his first guitar, taught himself to play and began performing in bands for dances, parties, clubs and festivals. Three years later his career kicked up a notch when he moved to New York to perform mainly as a singer/songwriter. Next he moved to Munich, Germany for several years and then back to New York.
Verge is Macdonald's first, solo CD. It was produced in New York and New Jersey by Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth) and has won numerous awards from Billboard as well as the "Record of the Year" award from Radio Six International in Scotland. The following quotes are from the reviews:
"an aural treat by any standards - should be all over the radio - captivating - fascinating - multi-dimensional - mightily impressed by a new talent - an absolute gem, which you really need to hear - Liam's guitar work is stunning, his singing superb - a great sense of rhythm - his rich, deep voice brings out another dimension from the songs - jangle-tastic - tumultuous and satisfying - VERY cool - richly creative - these songs are anything but dull"
Reviewers have also noted that the songs on Verge are quite different from one another. (e.g. Compare "Smiling Faces" or "Please Tell Me" with "Man Woman Child" or "nemOmen.") Chris Tighe, in a critique for the British Independent Record Dealers' Magazine, put it this way: "Verge really ought to be incoherent, incomprehensible and unapproachable. It is, of course, none of the above. A triumph of instinct over logic, then."
Liam is currently recording a series of single tracks for digital download. They are being produced in Copenhagen and Munich by Alain Nkossi Konda, the multi-talented Founder of Afrikool Records. So far, the following songs from these "Copenhagen Sessions" have received awards: "City of Trees," "In an Open Space," "You Can Never Tell" and "Black and You" (a.k.a. "Black & You" and in Asia as both "Black Y You" and "Balck & You").
Liam's single, Black & You, is included on Afrikool Records' 2007 release "For Africa Vol. 1." Other artists who contributed to this CD along with Alain Nkossi Konda and Liam Macdonald are: Gilberto Gil; Lou Bega; Kanda Bongo Man; Selasee Atiase; Zani; Zifa; Manu Di Bango; K.I.F.; Jim Savitt; Muna Mingole; Micko Leao; Bless; Mr. Reo.
Proceeds from the For Africa Vol. 1 CD are being donated to the following charities: The Water Foundation; IFAM; The Shaken Baby Alliance; Sens Afrique; Amnesty International. For info on where to hear and purchase this wonderful CD please visit Liam on Facebook (Facebook.com/Liam.Macdonald1).
Awards:
2004
* Verge is named "Record of the Year" by Radio Six International.
2005
* "City of Trees" from "The Copenhagen Sessions" wins Honorable Mention in the Unisong International Songwriting Competition folk/acoustic category.
2006
* "Black & You" from "The Copenhagen Sessions" wins Honorable Mention in the Unisong International Songwriting Competition pop uptempo / dance category.
2007
* "You Can Never Tell" from "The Copenhagen Sessions" wins TOP FINALIST in the Great American Song Contest country music category.
* "Out of Nowhere," an unreleased single wins TOP FINALIST in the Great American Song Contest instrumental music category.
* "In an Open Space" from "The Copenhagen Sessions" wins Honorable Mention in the Billboard World Songwriting Contest.
* "Smiling Faces" from Verge wins Honorable Mention in the Billboard World Songwriting Contest.
2008
* "Burning Blue" from Verge wins Honorable Mention from the Billboard World Songwriting Contest.
* "Please Tell Me" from Verge wins Honorable Mention in the Billboard World Songwriting Contest.
* "Eagle and Snake" from Verge wins Honorable Mention in the Billboard World Songwriting Contest.
* "Should Have Known," from Verge wins Honorable Mention in the Billboard World Songwriting Contest.
Instrumentation
Solo: Liam Macdonald (acoustic and/or midi guitar, percussion)
Full Band: Tim Carbone (guitar, violin, harmonica, harmonium, Thai kaen, percussion and more) Andy Goessling (saxophones, oboe, flute, guitar, mandolin, marxophone and more) Dave Moore (drums, percussion) Gary Georgett (bass, keyboards)
Discography
Single: Black & You Copyright 2007 Liam Macdonald, All rights reserved
Album: Verge Copyright 2003 Liam Macdonald, All rights reserved
Songs by Liam Macdonald that have been playlisted on Broadcast and Internet Radio:
Broadcast Radio:
Europe - Radio Seagull 1602 AM - The Darkside/The Overflow
Lund, Sweden - Radio AF 99.1 FM - "ArtistLaunch Hour"
Reading, Berkshire U.K. - 1386 AM - "ArtistLaunch Hour"
Berlin, Germany - Radio Marabu - "Lord Litter Show"
Kansas City, U.S.A. - KKFI FM 90.1 - "Retro Red Eye Express"
New Jersey, U.S.A. - WDHA FM 105.5 - "All Mixed Up"
Antigonish, Canada - CFXU FM 92.5 - "ArtistLaunch Hour"
Ottawa, Canada - CKCU FM 93.1 - "Window of Opportunity"
Ottawa, Canada - CKCU FM 93.1 - "It's the Bryan Show"
Ottawa, Canada - CKCU FM 93.1 - "Whatever's Cool with Me"
Worldwide - Radio Six International - broadcasts globally to more than 100 countries.
Internet Radio:
CBC Radio 3 - All tracks
AiiRadio - "Burning Blue," "Should Have Known"
Artist Launch Radio Free Tunes - "Should Have Known"
Artist Launch Radio Free Rock - "Man Woman Child"
Artist Launch Radio Free Top of the Rock - "Tongue Inside the Bell," "Burning Blue"
Spyda Radio - Eternal Fusion Extra playlist: "Burning Blue"
Cyberstorm Radio - Lord Litter Show: "Man Woman Child," "Burning Blue"
Radio Marabu - Lord Litter specials: ditto above
CKCU Listen Live - Window of Opportunity: "Should Have Known," "Manitoulin," "Smiling Faces"
CKCU Listen Live - It's the Bryan Show: "nemOmen"
Radio Seagull - The Overflow: "Tongue Inside the Bell," "Burning Blue," Man Woman Child"
Starship Overflow - The Overflow: ditto above
Alchemical Radio - "Burning Blue," "Eagle and Snake," "Man Woman Child"
Drool Trough Radio - "Eagle and Snake"
Radio Crystal Blue - "Please Tell Me"
Raw Egg Radio - "Tongue Inside the Bell"
Radio Six International - "Please Tell Me" was Record of the Year after being on the Random Playlist in 2004. Any of the tracks from Verge plus some unreleased singles could be heard on Sequent Sounds, The Best of Alchemical Radio and perhaps other shows as well.
Please visit LiamMacdonald.com for purchase and download infos.
Links
| http://myspace.com/liammacdonald |