Carson Henley
Seattle, Washington, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014
Music
Press
2. Carson Henley: 100 Hours
“Every song on this album is a complete treat to listen to, a refreshing treat of a simple, talented album with no auto-tune and electric beats in sight… Henley has a clean, beautifully simple voice that makes for some of the best uplifting songs I have heard in a while.” – Victoria Espinoza - Blues Rock Review
Home Base: Seattle, WA
Genre: Pop
Categories Entered: Best Pop Album
Work Submitted: 100 Hours
Artists Featured: Carson Henley
Label: Self-Released
Who are your influences?: Stevie Wonder. Donny Hathaway. James Taylor. The Beatles. Pretty much all soul music, in general, gets me going. I am also a big fan of the following current artists: Jamie Cullum, James Morrison, Marc Broussard, Kings of Leon, Sara Bareilles, and Adele. Songwriting, musicianship and artistry are the things that move me to admire the work of certain artists, past and present.
Describe your nominated work: 100 Hours was a true “going all in” moment. I didn’t have a ton of money to make an album and was going through a bit of a songwriting block at the time that I came up with the idea for the project. I really wanted to test myself as an artist, so I gave myself 100 waking hours to write all of the songs and record all of the major parts. I didn’t know how many songs would result from my efforts. I didn’t know if I was going to succeed. However, I was forced to really open my mind creatively and just let my musical instincts take over. I am so happy with the album and how everything turned out. It is truly my proudest work to date as an artist.
Did you use any unusual effects or instruments in this recording?: Honestly, everything was just “real”. I didn’t have time to think about production really, so I stuck with the basics for the instruments and focused on making the tones of the record embody what I wanted “my sound” to be at its most basic level.
Were there any happy accidents while in the studio, or did everything go as planned?: EVERYTHING was a happy accident! I mean, I had 8 hours to record drums and bass together, and then a full day to record guitar, piano and vocals. So, imagine calling musicians to come and play on the record without them ever hearing the songs, and having to QUICKLY learn the songs on the spot. They then had to adjust their parts on the fly as I tried to express what I THOUGHT I wanted for the song. The whole premise of the project was so time-restricted and spontaneous, that it makes me wonder, in retrospect, how we even accomplished it. Somehow, the music gods were with me and it all just came together beautifully.
How did you raise the funds for this project? How long do you expect it will take to recoup your out-of-pocket recording expenses?: I raised funds by working and gigging, and also working…did I mention working? HA…I saved as much money as possible and took every gig I could in order to pay for the album. I am hoping that I will be able to recoup the albums costs in the next year. Keepin’ these fingers crossed!! I want to do another record after all!
Why did you choose to submit this work to The 12th IMAs?: Well, 100 Hours is something of which I am really proud. I couldn’t just pick one song to submit because I feel so strongly about each of them on this record. So, I thought “Why not just submit the album?”
What’s your definition of success and how will you know when you’ve achieved it?: Success for me is to be able to continue to do music for the rest of my life and be able to play at different venues around the nation/world. I would know I have achieved this goal when I am able to stop singing in the middle of one of my songs and let the crowd finish singing the rest. I don’t care if it’s for 50 people or 50,000 people. That, to me, is success.
How will you leverage your IMA honors to achieve your career goals?: To be nominated for an IMA is such a great honor and I think that it can really give credibility to an artist. It says to those in the industry that you do have talent and it has been recognized. Gaining respect from people who work in the industry is one of the most difficult hurdles to clear in music.
Who’s sitting in your audience and what makes your fans unique?: Other than my parents and my sisters? No, honestly, I feel that my fans could not be any more supportive than they already are. Some come out to every show I have! It means the world to me. I think what makes them unique is that they are so cool…SERIOUSLY! I have even become friends with many of the people that started out as fans of my music. It sounds a bit strange, but it’s true!
What is your guilty pleasure on the road? Any close calls or mishaps while on tour?: The WaWa market. I don’t know why I love that place so much, but it is truly a shame its not on the west coast. As far as close calls while on tour…things have been pretty safe and I’ve had good luck so far. *Knocks on wood*
Who are your musical heroes & influences?: (What I said in question #1): Stevie Wonder. Donny Hathaway. James Taylor. The Beatles. Pretty much all soul music, in general, gets me going. I am also a big fan of the following current artists: Jamie Cullum, James Morrison, Marc Broussard, Kings of Leon, Sara Bareilles, and Adele. Songwriting, musicianship and artistry are the thing - The Independent Music Awards
[...] Follow that up with a performance from Seattle’s young soul sensation, Carson Henley, and we’ve got a show today even Al Green would be proud of. - Blubrry.com (THE MARTY RIEMER SHOW)
Seattle-based indie singer and songwriter Carson Henley recently released his second collection of rock and soul, “100 HOURS”—an all new collection of original songs from the up and coming purveyor of groove-based rock.
Self-described as a “refined Joe Cocker,” the young singer’s music is steeped in the rock, soul and R&B stylings of a slew of icons of popular music, many of whom predated his birth in their heyday. Cocker, Stevie Wonder and Steve Winwood, among others–all inhabit the soulful, driving compositions of the talented musician. Co-produced by Henley and Grammy –winning engineer Kory Kruckenburg (J. Tillman, Pickwick, The Maldives), “100 HOURS” was recorded at Seattle’s VU Recording Studios.
With the help of some musician friends including noted singer/songwriter Allen Stone, drummer James McAllister (Sufjan Stevens, Brandi Carlile) and backing vocals by his sister Tess Henley (currently working with The Roots), Carson pooled all of his resources budgeting just enough for a few studio days and giving himself 100 waking hours to write and record the entire album—basically leaping into the project with a handful of ideas and a determination to take his music to the next level.
With Grammy-winning engineer Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, The Shins) adding the final mastering touches, “100 HOURS” is an effortless slice of soulful rock for a new generation. “100 HOURS” is now available digitally from all major outlets and the CD is available at Amazon.
It’s not surprising that the multi-talented 26 year-old Henley has reached a whole new level of accomplishment with “100 HOURS”-- his second full length album. Inspired and driven since his debut in 2008, he’s honed his talent with nonstop performing (over 300 shows in the last two years) and utilized every opportunity to get his music heard.
Shows up and down the west coast have garnered raves and expanded his fan base. He’ s performed several times as an official showcasing artist to wide acclaim at the 2012 SXSW conference. His debut album “GREEN EYED SOUL” was named Top 25 CD of the Year by Indie Music in 2008.
Adding the self-imposed 100 hour restriction for his new album kicked Henley’s creative juices into high gear. With a stellar group of musicians and engineers backing him up, the process became a perfect storm of inspiration and execution. Local film director Brian Nunes was inspired to document the recording sessions and will be releasing it on DVD later this year.
“I wanted to push creativity to the limit and I knew the magic would come," states Henley. " We managed to create an environment that was both organically conducive to my writing process and unbelievably intense and rewarding at the same time."
You can hear the complete album “100 HOURS” via the SoundCloud Website. For more information about Carson Henley, visit him on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter. - Writer at Eyes In Magazine
Carson Henley, 100 Hours (out now, self-released, soundcloud.com/hey-listentothis-music): Self-labeled as "funkadelic rock," Henley's second album is reminiscent of 1960s R&B and soul but stays modern with piano accents and jazzy guitar riffs. You'll want to get up and groove. AT (Sat., July 7, Columbia City Theater) - SW Staff - Seattle Weekly
Carson Henley is a 26 year old singer / songwriter from Seattle, Washington. His mother herself sang onstage nightly, until the very week he was born… possibly explaining his innate feel for rhythm. His sound confirms his rich, soulful roots; but the distinctive, memorable melodies are the fruit of the vine.
Henley has just completed his sophomore effort with Grammy Award winning producer Kory Kruckenberg; the resulting record ’100 Hours’ emits vintage soul with a raw rock edge, earning comparisons to Jamie Lidell, The Black Keys and Mayer Hawthorn – with just a dash of Ollie Murs’ pop sensibilities.
Originating from Seattle, Henley’s soulful ministrations elicit elements of the city’s grungy past, with hints of Nirvana and Mud Honey tucked around swaths of brass horns and pop inflected choruses. ’100 Hours’ is led by trembling bass lines and Henley’s scratchy bluesy vocals, invoking Americana at its best. A classically trained pianist, R&B aficionado and lover of pop music, Henley has created a textured record that finds its home on pop radio whilst simultaneous invoking imagery of dingy dance clubs full of sweaty teenagers on balmy Southern nights.
The album’s first single, ‘Fire’ showcases the songwriter’s soulful voice, funky blues instrumentals, and contrasting harmonies with punchy keyboards, funky bass, finely plucked guitar and an unrelenting dance tempo.
Armed with nothing more than a notepad, his piano and an iPhone, Henley walked into Kruckenberg’s Seattle studio wanting to test his musical stripes and song writing ability by completing his sophomore album in a condensed number of improvisational sessions, the best tracks of which make up ’100 Hours’ – a big gamble for an indie artist to sink an entire life’s savings into a project like this.
“Usually artists have months in studios with songs that are already written, or at least with some melodies, hooks and lyrics in mind. I wanted this project to be different. I forced myself to continually create organically, without preconceived song ideas, to see what would happen in that kind of intense environment.”
Friends Allen Stone, Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, The Shins) and James McAlister (Sufjan Stevens, Brandi Carlile) were all invaluable to the creative process on ’100 Hours’, with all its pressures, hurdles and triumphs. Seattle-based director Brian Nunes captured the recording process on film for a 48-minute documentary that chronicles this rare musical feat.
Having already tested out ’100 Hours’ at SXSW in March, Carson Henley is due to tour the UK and Europe later this year. Keep your eyes peeled. - Gina - Ellen Wood Pop Music
Many musicians from Seattle, Washington are influenced by grunge, with the city giving the world Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains. This is not the case with 26-year-old singer-songwriter Carson Henley.
From an early age, his parents would teach Carson and his siblings to appreciate "timeless" music. This meant not exposing them to the music dominating the mainstream or anything released after the 1970s.
The result is a formidable mix of rock and soul. Influenced by the likes Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and James Taylor, Carson's music consists of prominent keyboards, subtle guitar, rumbling basslines and subdued drums, with his James Morrison-esque voice at the centre of it.
The album kicks off with Ain't Gonna Dry Your Tears, a ballad about a person indulging in casual sex to get over the pain of a failed relationship. With the keyboards taking centre stage musically and some impressive backing vocals, the songs begins by showing the ability to change the pace of the song effortlessly.
Fire begins with a bluesy bassline which remains the song's musical core throughout. Carson displays his vocal range in full force about rising smoke and raging emotions, backed by his sister Tess, whose sound is reminiscent of a classic soul diva.
On Go Under, the album enters slow-paced territory, albeit with the drums standing out more than on the previous songs. This piano driven ballad speaks about taking a different approach to life's problems, with the lyric : "If the wall's too high, go under."
Where We Started is an energetic sing about returning to one's roots after getting lost. Tess shines more on this song than on any other song on the album. It wouldn't be inaccurate to call this a duet between the Henley sibling's. We're also treated to a well-fitting piano towards the end.
If any song truly makes use of the guitar, it's The Game. Hitting like a driving force after the subtlety displayed on the previous songs, it's a welcome change. Another change is the volume of Carson's voice, which sounds a lot more aggressive on this song.
Leave This Mess tells a tale of two people getting out after their relationship falls apart. The slow guitar work, standout drums and piano makes the song sound very similar to Led Zeppelin's Since I've Been Loving You.
With it's funky bassline, Give It Up is the album's most upbeat song. With Carson singing about being given something worth it and shown what you haven't seen, it ends the album on an uplifting note.
Despite the accomplished musicianship and songwriting, the most impressive thing about the abum is it's flawless sound produced by Kory Kruckenberg and mastered by Brian Lucey, both Grammy winners.
Verdict: 6/6. With singing ability, songwriting skills, collaborating musicians and production admirable for an unsigned artist releasing his debut album, Carson Henley is one to watch.
http://www.facebook.com/carsonhenleymusic - Kevin Carney - Music Review Unsigned Magazine
For some reason I feel like finding new music isn't as easy as it used to be. I know that doesn't seem quite right, what with the internetz and all, but I think there is SO MUCH information out there that real gems get lost in the shuffle. They get lost in that recently dropped Pitbull/Flo-Rida/Gym Class Heroes whatever. There is,however, one way to find new music that is my personal favorite: the random Twitter follow. In recent months, I'll check my Twitter connections to find a random band or artist, usually located NOWHERE near small town South Carolina, has started following me. I think "Cool! They must understand my vast musical knowledge and be in awe of my pop culture prowess! The appreciator is appreciated! Time to get that resume to Rolling Stone because I have arrived!" Except I only really ever tweet about being hungry or tired...Anyway, this happens to me every few weeks and I find some low quality music, some spam accounts, and then, a gem.
Carson Henley (or one of his dedicated people or roadies or his mom or something) started following me on Twitter and in gratitude I gave his stuff the old college try. I think I listened to "Never Coming Home," off of Green Eyed Soul about 1000 times (the catchiness will overcome you, I promise.) I was hooked. If you haven't heard of him (yet), Carson Henley is an independent musician out of Seattle, Washington and I'm pretty late in the game in "discovering" him. I'm not just in love with his rugged good looks or in awe that a man exists with the exact.same.hair.I.have. Really, it's because he's got the chops. He comes from a musical family and it seems like he was born to be that rare musician that writes songs and play instruments and sings. Really sings. Sans auto-tune. I know, my heart stopped too.
His latest release is quite possibly one of the coolest projects I've ever heard of. It definitely made him "stand out in a massive crowd of musicians," to use Henley's words. It's called the 100 Hours Project and here's the concept. Henley wanted to write/record/produce the entirety of his new album in 100 waking hours only. Get locked up in a room, write the songs, record all parts of the songs, get them mixed and the record is born. Those unfamiliar with the recording process (and let's not get crazy, I am no Brian Eno so don't take this for gospel) it takes a long time, with songs that were written over months or years with 100s of hours logged in the studio perfecting the sound. Or editing the ever loving hell out of the sound. Or sweetening the vocals. This record did all that (minus the last two bits,) in 100 hours. It's called 100 Hours. See what he did there? There's a trailer for the project on his YouTube channel if you're further interested in the concept.
This blog is about songs, right? So the first single is called "Fire." I'm not certain that it's my favorite on this record, but that's not because I don't like it. It's because all 7 songs compete for that top spot. Not a bad problem to have, right? It's a classic tale of a damn teasin' woman. She's got the singer all worked up, giving off all this heat in the early part of a relationship only to peace out. He doesn't sound forlorn or whiney at all considering the subject matter. It's more of a "Listen woman, you get back here and finish this thing." Or in his more eloquent wording The smoke is rising/and we know why/so why how you running/when you're the one that started this fire. The song starts sexy. It stays sexy throughout. It ends sexy. It's got that bluesy, Memphis thing going for it that was lost in the youth of our parents.Elvis would dig it. The music is good. The music video is cute. The instrumentation is good. You wouldn't know it only took 100 hours to achieve this sound unless I just told you.
However, I think the real star here is Henley's voice. The quality in his voice is excellent and a true rarity in pop music today. Even loves of my life like Katy Perry are at best, mediocre singers with a ton of help from auto-tune and vocal sweetening. And somehow, that's acceptable to us. As a professional appreciator, I want more. I need more than the exact same singer doing the hook on every single hip-hop release. But this guy, has got a fucking voice. I'd compare it to Ray LaMontagne without the sadness and with a little less gravel than a young Joe Cocker. It's smoother than that. What I'd really compare it to is a cup of unaltered coffee. No sugar, no candy flavored creamer, and certainly no Splenda. His voice is robust and full. Flavorful without being watered down or changed to fit weak taste buds. It's hot and satisfying. It really shines on this track and this record. While the 100 Hours project is cool, that voice is what really sets him apart from the massive crowd of musicians out there.
Give 100 Hours a listen. Buy it on iTunes and have it playing in the background when you invite a girl up to your apartment. Blare it in your car. Crank it up when you'r - Sami Hoover - POP! GOES MY HEART
Carson Henley hails from Seattle where he's part of a big musical family. His mother was a professional musician and his sister – Tess - has already made a name for herself with a couple of subtle, understated soul and smooth jazz sets (check 'em out in our reviews archive). Though it has its own subtlety, Carson's music is much more direct than his sister's. It's not quite in your face but it has a rock element quite missing from Tess's work. Asked to describe it I'd put it in the same bag as Hall and Oates and Robin Thicke though in places I can also hear the influence of bands like The Eagles while the opening cut, 'Ain't Gonna Dry Yours Tears' seems to borrow heavily from Ace's pop classic 'How Long'. Fans of that kind of pop will love tracks here like the bright 'Give It Up', the catchy 'Fire' and the rolling 'Where We Started'.
Soul fans will be more impressed by the set's only ballad – the dramatic 'Leave This Mess'. It's a well-constructed song with a simple, stark production that underlines the tune's inherent bleakness. It's easily the best track amongst the 7 offerings; that paucity gives the set all the feel of a sampler ... and if you want to sample some of it go to www.carsonhenley.com - Bill B - SOULANDJAZZANDFUNK
Thursday, 19 July 2012
CARSON HENLEY...
How about this for an album concept, no preconceived ideas, lyrics or melodies, just a man with a piano and 100 hours of studio time to create a full LP. Possible? Well a 26 year old singer/songwriter from Seattle by the name of Carson Henley certainly thought so. Rich, soulful roots and distinctive, memorable melodies makes his debut quite unique. Comparisons have been made to The Black Keys. Fire is the firs single taken from the aptly named album '100 Hours'... - LONDONONTHEINSIDE.COM
Carson Henley is a 26 year old singer / songwriter from Seattle, Washington. His mother herself sang onstage nightly, until the very week he was born... possibly explaining his innate feel for rhythm. His sound confirms his rich, soulful roots; but the distinctive, memorable melodies are the fruit of the vine.
Henley has just completed his sophomore effort with Grammy Award winning producer Kory Kruckenberg; the resulting record '100 Hours' emits vintage soul with a raw rock edge, earning comparisons to Jamie Lidell, The Black Keys and Mayer Hawthorn - with just a dash of Ollie Murs' pop sensibilities.
Originating from Seattle, Henley's soulful ministrations elicit elements of the city's grungy past, with hints of Nirvana and Mud Honey tucked around swaths of brass horns and pop inflected choruses. '100 Hours' is led by trembling bass lines and Henley's scratchy bluesy vocals, invoking Americana at its best. A classically trained pianist, R&B aficionado and lover of pop music, Henley has created a textured record that finds its home on pop radio whilst simultaneous invoking imagery of dingy dance clubs full of sweaty teenagers on balmy Southern nights.
The album’s first single, 'Fire' showcases the songwriter’s soulful voice, funky blues instrumentals, and contrasting harmonies with punchy keyboards, funky bass, finely plucked guitar and an unrelenting dance tempo.
Armed with nothing more than a notepad, his piano and an iPhone, Henley walked into Kruckenberg's Seattle studio wanting to test his musical stripes and song writing ability by completing his sophomore album in a condensed number of improvisational sessions, the best tracks of which make up '100 Hours' - a big gamble for an indie artist to sink an entire life’s savings into a project like this.
“Usually artists have months in studios with songs that are already written, or at least with some melodies, hooks and lyrics in mind. I wanted this project to be different. I forced myself to continually create organically, without preconceived song ideas, to see what would happen in that kind of intense environment.”
Friends Allen Stone, Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, The Shins) and James McAlister (Sufjan Stevens, Brandi Carlile) were all invaluable to the creative process on '100 Hours', with all its pressures, hurdles and triumphs. Seattle-based director Brian Nunes captured the recording process on film for a 48-minute documentary that chronicles this rare musical feat.
Having already tested out '100 Hours' at SXSW in March, Carson Henley is due to tour the UK and Europe later this year. Keep your eyes peeled. - ILIKEMUSIC.COM
Indie artist Carson Henley has been growing in popularity since the June 26th release of his newest album, 100 Hours. The album itself is not only packed with refreshingly excellent tracks, but the story behind the making of the record is truly inspiring. Henley, along with Grammy winning engineer Kory Kruckenburg, managed to write and record all 7 songs in just 100 hours at Seattle’s VU Recording Studios. Music lovers can have a glimpse into the life of one artist trying to make it big in a city filled with people attempting to accomplish that exact same goal by watching the documentary, “The 100 Hour Project”. The video chronicles Carson Henley’s journey as he takes on the brilliant task of completing an entire album in such a short amount of time.
Henley’s efforts definitely paid off. 100 Hoursis a stunning album that brings a fresh sound to the world of music. With influences that include Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight, and The Beatles, Carson Henley describes his musical style as “Funkadelic Rock”. There isn’t any of that auto tune garbage to be found here. Henley’s sound relies on pure talent and soulful, gritty vocals. While his voice is reminiscent of Jason Mraz with a lot more soul, it is really an injustice to his hard work and talent to compare Carson Henley to other more well-known artists. He has managed to create a distinct sound that is all his own.
The album includes 7 tracks: Ain’t Gonna Dry Your Tears, Fire, Go Under, Where We Started, The Game, Leave This Mess, and Give It Up. Every song is impressive and unique with relatable lyrics. If the object was to give this listener goosebumps, then Henley succeeded (and gained a new fan). “Fire” is a can’t miss track that perfectly exhibits Carson Henley’s smoldering vocals and impeccable songwriting skills. “Give It Up” is a fun track that displays that old-school funk sound that can be found in most of the songs on the album. I can’t say enough good things about Carson Henley as an artist. He is a driven individual that is carving out his niche in the music world and I personally can’t wait to hear more from this talented young man.Purchase 100 Hours on iTunes for $5.99 and take a look at the incredible documentary “The 100 Hour Project”. - Heather Flippen - CANDOR NEWS
Very cool…really nice interplay between vocal
phrasing and the groove of the songs. Very
infectious. Layering of vocals and harmonies on Never Comin’ Home was a big hook for me. Sounds like the real deal, I could hear this on the radio and in film and TV! - Staff at TAXI.COM
Carson Henley’s latest album release, 100 Hours, is a very true testament to who he is portrayed as an artist. Almost every review of Henley as an artist describes him as an extremely talented vocalist with upbeat yet relaxed catchy rock rhythms. Many compare him to artists like Gavin Rossdale because of the combination of his style of music and the fine-grit voice that he has. 100 Hours exemplifies all of these parts of Henley, an album that you could put on and listen to on repeat whether you’re home by yourself relaxing or having your friends over for drinks.
100 Hours has solid beats that keep your feet tapping and your head nodding throughout each song, like “Fire” and “Go Under.” 100 Hours is a very upbeat, positive record because it blends Henley’s voice so well with the melodies it uses, especially with Henley’s accompanied piano playing. Sometimes the simple combination of a piano melody and an unquestionably talented voice is all that an album needs to be as successful and wonderful as this album is. Every song on this album is a complete treat to listen to, a refreshing treat of a simple talented album with no auto tune and electric beats in sight.
Carson Henley only started singing in middle school when he was pushed to participate in his schools local talent show, and thankfully he hasn’t stopped since. Henley has a clean, beautifully simple voice that makes for some of the best uplifting songs I have heard in a while.
The Review: 9.5/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
- Go Under
- Where We Started
- Ain’t Gonna Dry Your Tears
- Fire
- Give It Up
The Big Hit
- Fire - Victoria Espinoza - BLUES ROCK REVIEW
[...]
Blue-eyed soul man Carson Henley, a recent Seattle Living Room Show alum, also stops by. Carson talks about his record release show for his latest effort (100 Hours, available on iTunes) coming up Saturday, July 7th, at The Columbia City Theater. - Greg Roth - SEATTLE MUSIC INSIDER
Usually, we don’t like to plug specific artists on our blog. Our blog and website is really a place for music fans to hang out and find about the upcoming gigs from various different artists and choose the ones that take their fancy.
However, there are artists who are just awesome, and still resist the urge to join the labels and sign their life away. It’s an uphill road, but one worth taking. Tess Henley and her brother Carson Henley are just two such artists. I have had the pleasure of seeing Tess and Carson perform live myself, and couldn’t believe that they were not signed by a label. Their music is soulful, passionate and vivacious. Their stage presence is fantastic and it’s a real joy to see them live.
[...] - Staff at GIGZEE.COM
Extremely crisp, clear vocals and a tight band make this quite the pop rock gem. It could easily be the theme song to a television show, and it’s going to get stuck in your head. - Staff at OURSTAGE.COM
It’s well past 1 a.m. at Belltown’s garish and mosh-pit-crowded Frontier Room club – the late atmosphere thick with a stale brew of fevered conversation, sweat and evaporating rain from an uncanny downpour that has burst open in the Seattle sky. DJ “Elad” spins a dated piece of crunchy skuzz-rock grime, “She’s a crazy bitch!” the refrain wails, as the packed house pulses and undulates, stewing in the evening’s last exchanges of lurid looks and watered-down drinks.
In the far corner of the dance floor, just beyond the perimeter of technicolor disco-ball gleam, is Seattle’s foremost soul-singing talent, Carson Henley, 25. Brawny, handsome, cheerful, and going mostly unnoticed aside from the small but enthusiastic coterie of anxious groupies who have him boxed in like a fox from the hounds. Carson laughs and smiles self-consciously, trying to ignore the jousting as the girls coyly angle for position next to him. As much as the singer looks the part of the libertine rock star – barbarously long corkscrewed locks, three-day stubble, vintage haberdashery – Henley has the wary posture of a guy who just doesn’t trust the moment.
Only hours earlier, Carson – flanked by his equally talented, and preternaturally beautiful baby sister, Tess Henley, 23 – brought down the house at a packed performance at the Showbox Sodo; the duo unfurling an enthusiastic and vividly expanded rendition of the soulful, dance-worthy R&B lounge-act that has created so much buzz for the brother-sister performers in Seattle over the past year.
The Henleys, with their enviable combination of toweringly soulful pipes, genuine musical chops, and wholesome good looks – but who vexingly perform separately on the same bills – have fast become the best “undiscovered” act in the city; delivering the kind of performances at places like the hip Edgewater Lounge at Seattle’s Pier 67 that without fail has tables and chairs pushed aside as the laid back lodge-themed atmosphere gives way to full bore dance parties.
Perched behind his electric keyboard, the early show jitters have calmed as Carson leans into his mic and playfully goads the Showbox crowd, “who here hates drama!?” The menagerie of half-lit, half-dressed girls who have crowded near the front of the stage throw up their hands and squeal wildly in unanimous support of the motion. Carson eyes them with suspicion, and then launches into his most up-tempo original, aptly titled, “Ain’t my girl,” about his sincere desire to avoid complicating his life with toxic romance. The mostly nubile crowd eats it up and Carson presses the issue, ripping into his vocals with the impassioned, adrenalized aggression of a performer who knows how to knock them dead when it counts.
By the time baby sister Tess takes the reigns, the point is moot, but the sight of the ingénue with the great big eyes and the even bigger voice resuscitates the crowd – only so she can mow them down again. As she struts and shimmies across the stage, Tess fills the sprawling venue with an almost superfluous vocal athleticism – the singular performance of the night to make the clamoring backing band sound like a smartly ambient afterthought. Brother and sister then reunite center-stage to close with their fan-favorite and mercilessly emphatic cover of the Jackson 5’s, “I want you back.” The applause hits hard, the chants for encore swell, and the Henleys have conquered yet another room, just like it was any other.
It’s near closing time now at the Frontier Room, and after the triumph of this evening, the young troubadours could be forgiven for luxuriating in the afterglow of the biggest debut of their careers. And yet, to mingle with Carson in Belltown, even at this hour (and to note Tess conspicuously absent from the celebration) is to understand something undeniably true about the Henley’s: they are grounded, almost anachronistically so, like modern kids wrinkling in time back from a 19th century finishing school – so affecting as they a - Gino Orlandini - BLOGGER
Every so often, when the synthesized dust settles upon the music industry, we have the opportunity to see certain talents quite a bit clearer. It’s no shock good music remains exactly that and, ever timeless, we love and feel the classics as if they were our own. There is not many fish in today’s proverbial sea that make us listen with the type of unique familiarity that leaves us nostalgic and longing for decades past (except the 80’s and the late 90’s, of course). Most of these passionate artists are rewarded with the task of independent releases, low-paying gigs, and their own fair share of hard day’s nights. And yet, they grind it out nobly for no other sake than music’s own.
Carson Henley is one of Seattle’s very own road warriors. With enough musical talent and charisma to dive into just about anything, Carson’s music is precisely that which proudly raises the banner: Soulful. From cramming into small eateries in Capitol Hill, to pouring his heart out on the stage of the Showbox, his sound has been tempered beneath the hammer-blows of his very own dedication and sheer passion for anything and everything music.
I caught-up with Carson this week shortly after he released his latest work, The 100 Hour Project:
Nick Hallock: Where are you right now?
Carson Henley: Prescott, Arizona; Tess and I are playing a college show at Embry Riddle tonight, it’s a flight school or something, or at least they focus on flight.
NH: Tell me about the 100 Hours Project.
CH: The way it was, is I had little money, and wanted to think of a way to test myself and put myself under a bunch of pressure, so I came up with the idea to give myself one shot. 100 hours to write, compose, and record 7 songs. So I put in everything I had, all my money and time, and ended up with 8. It was great.
NH: What’s your favorite track on 100 Hours?
CH: Ah man, there’s a bunch. I really like “Fire,” and “Aint Gonna Dry Your Tears,” but I look at the whole thing as more of a complete piece. I’m happy with the result.
NH: When did you begin to seriously focus on your music?
CH: I had always played, but started to seriously focus on it when I was 21. I had gone to Europe, and it changed my viewpoint on things; I realized how I wanted to live my life. I started missing more classes, and eventually considered music my number one priority.
NH: Have you ever had a moment when you considered giving it up entirely?
CH: There’s a bunch of moments like that for any musician I think. I’ve always been my biggest critic, and there’s been a few moments when you feel like you’ve hit an emotional breaking ppoint and can’t figure out how to get out. When you’re that hard on yourself sometimes, it’s hard to get rejuvenated.
NH: How big of a role does your sister Tess, who is also an extremely talented musician, play in your success, and vice versa?
CH: Having Tess involved means a lot. It’s like they say, two heads are better than one, working towards the same goal it’s great. She’s supportive, I bounce a lot of ideas off her.
NH: Any sibling rivalry or competition?
CH: (laughs) Friendly competition. Something like who has the most facebook or twitter followers, stuff like that. We just created Instagram accounts, so that’s the current one.
NH: I’ll be sure to help your cause ( twitter: @CarsonHenley )
NH: I remember a show you and Tess played at the Showbox a while back, shortly after the tragic loss of your cousin, Carly Henley. You covered the Beatles’ song, “With a little help from my friends,” in what was honestly one of the most emotional performances I have ever seen. How much did it mean to you to be able to express yourself in that venue?
CH: The whole night was bittersweet, Carley would have loved to be there. She was the reason for the whole thing. She raised $36,000 to finish her CD, and we raised an additional $11,000 that night. The show was our way of saying thank you to her and all her memories.
NH: So you - Nick Hallock - PUGET PLAYLIST
Tired of working the nine to five at restaurants during the day and playing more cover songs than originals at local dive bars, Carson Henley set out to change his own destiny. But he didn’t do so in any traditional way, which makes this album all the more inspiring. The name of his new album is entitled 100 Hours, which is also the amount of time he gave himself to create, and steer his musical future. In the end he came out with seven solid and soulful songs that will relax the most tense of people on them rather stressful days.
With Grammy award winning producer Kory Krunkenberg manning the boards at VU Recording Studio in Seattle, Carson and a handful of his friends and family set out to create what is now 100 Hours.
The album starts out with “Ain’t Gonna Dry Your Tears,” which musically has an eerie resemblance to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” The album’s first single “Fire” is filled with attitude and swag that will leave your head bobbing by the end of the song. The highlight for me on this album was the song “Go Under.” The song is a slow, marching positive tune that reminds you there is always two ways to tackle your goals. It’s all up to you in the end.
The creation of this song is showcased in the documentary The 100 Hour Project that follows Carson Henley as he attempts to record this album. Directed by Brian Nunes, they capture the struggles of writing and recording an album with a strict deadline.
The only downfall I have with this album is that it does seem a little rushed; some of the walls are missing from each song. I understand the concept of the album and the time restraints were set for a reason therefore you get a sense of urgency. In all, I hope this album does take Carson Henley down the musical path he desires and he is able to get back into the studio and take his time and really build on this foundation he is creating. I’d like to hear more instruments, giving each song the big sounds they deserve. There is no doubt that Carson has a huge soulful voice and is an incredibly talented musician as well, and we’ll be hearing from him in the future. There’s no doubt that this album and documentary is an inspirations to both musicians and fans to be creative every day! I would say that with 100 Hours, Carson achieved what he set out to do, he changed his own destiny.
Rating: 4/5 Stars!
Album Name: 100 Hours
Date Released: June, 2012
Genre(s): Soul, Rhythm and Blues
Location: Seattle, Washington
Band Members: Carson Henley
Record Label: Hey! Listen to This! Music
Facebook: www.facebook.com/carsonhenleymusic
Youtube: www.youtube.com/carsonhenley
Twitter: www.twitter.com/carsonhenley - Chris Axe - INDIE MUSIC REVIEWER MAG (IMR)
Don’t miss this talented Seattleites album release party.
Seattle singer/songwriter, Carson Henley, was looking for a way to stand out among the city’s vast pool of musicians. Talk about goal setting, Henley gave himself 100 hours to write, produce, and record a full album.
He pitched the idea to Grammy-Award winning engineer, Kory Kruckenberg, who –to his surprise – accepted the challenge.
Starting with a clean slate, the musician forced himself to create songs without any preconceived ideas of what the album would sound like or what he would even sing about. Curious to see what would happen and where his thoughts would take him, it was a test of his creativity.
With the help of a few friends like local soul sensation Allen Stone, his sister, Tess Henley, Spencer Doren and James McCalister, the mission was accomplished.
The new album, entitled 100HOURS, was released on June 26th on iTunes and includes ten new, original songs, all written on-the-spot. “Fire,” the first single off of the pop-rock album features funky blues instrumentals, and Henley’s classic, soulful voice.
Seattle film director, Brian Nunes, was attracted to Henley’s creative experiment and tagged along to produce this 48-minute documentary.
Catch Henley at his album release show this Saturday, July 7th at Columbia City Theater. James Redfern, Sara Jackson-Holman, and surprise special guests will also be joining Henley on stage.
“Sometimes true colors come through under pressure and you see what you are really capable of accomplishing,” says Henley. - Caroline Li - SEATTLEITE PLUGGED IN
Carson Henley, Sara Jackson-Holman & James Redfern @ the Columbia City Theater, Saturday July 7th
Show Review & Photos by Heather Fitzpatrick
Carson Henley celebrated his CD release for 100 Hours Saturday night with a few of his closest friends. Well over 300 of them, as a matter of fact, selling out the Columbia City Theater in Seattle. The show was amazing, and if you don’t want to take my word for it, you can check out Carson’s Facebook post he made the morning after the show. Part of his message to his fans included the following: “Last night was seriously amazing. Probably the best moment of my life in my musical career!”
I have no doubt that Carson will have many more events like this in the upcoming years, as he continues to release soulful tunes that can get just about anyone off their feet and dance. His commitment and dedication to his 100 Hours album proves that nothing can stand in his way. Sara Jackson-Holman of Portland, and James Redfern (who also plays lead guitar for Carson) and his band opened the show. - Dagmar Sieglinde Patterson - BACK BEAT SEATTLE
In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a small bit of a soul revivalists scene happening in Seattle at the moment with the likes of Allen Stone, Pickwick and others generating quite a buzz. Carson Henley is one of the many bright parts of that scene and on Saturday he will celebrate the release of his record 100 Hours at Columbia City Theater.
Check out the documentary about the making of Henley’s record above, during which he attempts to write the album in 100 consecutive hours. It’s an insightful look into Henley as a person and an artist and his dedication to his craft is highly relatable. SPOILER ALERT: The record gets made.
We’ve got one pair of tickets to the 100 Hours release show to give away to a Guerrilla Candy reader so you can celebrate the release of 100 Hours with Henley at CCT. All you have to do to enter is drop a comment below before 3 p.m. tomorrow. The winner will be chosen at random and notified.
In case you don’t want to risk winning tickets, you can purchase them for $12 in advance or $15 the day of the show by clicking here. Also on the bill are James Redfern and Sara Jackson-Holman. - Travis Hay - GUERILLA CANDY
Ok ok ok. I know you just saw a post about Carson Henley for the Song of the Day and all, but there is more you MUST know. A few months back I gave you guys a teaser about a project Carson Henley was working on. The 100 Hours Project. A documentary and album that will change his career.
For 100 straight waking hours, he, with the help of a worldclass producer, and a bevy of fantastic musicians (just from watching the trailer, I see Tess Henley & Allen Stone) locked himself away in a studio to write, compose, learn, and record an entire album. Yeah, that's right. An entire record, start to finish, in 100 hours. Seems like a cross between the best and the stupidest idea ever, which I think is the line any true artist needs to learn to walk. Judging from the results, Carson found his sound.
I wrote that back in April after seeing the trailer and hearing the lead single "Fire" and I can't help but feel it's an understatement. Carson didn't just find his sound, he found his soul. This music lives. It breathes, it aches and pains, it loves and breaks. This record is something I was missing.
Here is the full documentary for your enjoyment. If you love music like I do, but have no real clue the heart, energy and commitment that goes into making it, this will be enlightening. It was for me. - Adam (Addi) Conlon - LISTOLOGIES
Every nowandthen, we at Listologies get contacted by management, labels, artist reps and occasional artists themselves asking us to review or share their sound on our site. Most of the time, I let these requests fall to the wayside. Not because I am above it all or anything like that, but because, mostly I don't want to share something that I can't stand behind, and not all the sounds that filter into our inbox are gems. However, I do listen to everything that comes our way, because you just never know. And because of that OCDness, we have a great tune to share with you today.
Earlier this week The Artist Rep from Hey! Listen To This! Music contacted us about a new project that Carson Henley just finished up that kinda blew me away. For 100 straight waking hours, he, with the help of a worldclass producer, and a bevy of fantastic musicians (just from watching the trailer, I see Tess Henley & Allen Stone) locked himself away in a studio to write, compose, learn, and record an entire album. Yeah, that's right. An entire record, start to finish, in 100 hours. Seems like a cross between the best and the stupidest idea ever, which I think is the line any true artist needs to learn to walk. Judging from the results, Carson found his sound.
If you are a NW audiophile like myself, then you no doubt already know and are probably a fan of Carson Henley, as he has been one of the driving forces in the Seattle Soul scene since his 2008 debut album. But, if you are like me, you may feel that he has been slightly in the shadow of his younger sister Tess for the last couple years. But, from the sound that is pouring out of him on the track "Fire" below, I think that shadow is quickly shrinking. But damn! What a talented family.
Below the track, there is a trailer for the Documentary for the 100Hour Project that will be released around the same time as the album. I am stoked for both. Enjoy. - Adam (Addi) Conlon - LISTOLOGIES
Seattle singer-songwriter Carson Henley compares the marathon recording session for his newly released album to “pulling an all-nighter before the big test.”
With little more than a notepad, iPhone and piano, the 26-year-old musician recorded “100 Hours” nonstop in exactly that amount of time with Grammy-winning engineer Kory Kruckenberg at Seattle’s VU Recording Studios. (Henley’s first album was “Green Eyed Soul.”)
Henley’s challenge was to create 10 original songs on the spot and record them with musicians who had never heard them before, which goes without saying. Musical support came from Allen Stone, Spencer Doren, Henley’s extremely talented sister, Tess Henley; and James McCalister, who had worked with Brandi Carlile, Sufjan Stevens, and Ivan & Alyosha. Visit Tess Henley’s website here.
“This kind of constant pressure can produce diamonds, or it can just make dirt,” Henley says. “So it’s a big gamble for an indie artist to sink an entire life’s savings into a project like this.”
Another Grammy-winning engineer, Brian Lucey (who has worked with the The Shins and The Black Keys), was brought in to master the recording. And Seattle filmmaker Brian Nunes chronicled the feat in an a 48-minute documentary. (Watch the trailer here).
The resulting album is an impressive collection of riveting rock ‘n’ soul songs, which made their public debut at showcases at the SXSW Music Conference and Festival last March in Austin, Texas.
If you’re a fan of James Morrison, Gavin DeGraw, Maroon 5 or even Joe Cocker, you’ll love Henley’s music. The singer-songwriter grew up with parents who favored Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor and Earth, Wind & Fire, and many of these influences show up in his music.
Henley’s resume includes performing the National Anthem at a Seahawks game and singing lead vocals with the Seattle Rock Orchestra at a Stevie Wonder Tribute.
Release party for “100 Hours” is at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at the Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave. S. Sharing the bill are musical guests Sarah Jackson-Holman and James Redfern.
Henley’s band features Henley on lead vocals and piano, Jon Dong on guitar, Jon Robinson on bass and Colin Carter on drums.
Tickets are $12 in advance at Brown Paper Tickets.
Visit Henley’s Facebook page here. And listen to the songs from “100 Hours” on his ReverbNation page.
Follow this link to the Columbia City Theater website.
Finally, here’s the video for “Fire,” which is featured on “100 Hours”: - Gene Stout - POP MUSIC CRITIC
When Seattle-based singer-songwriter Carson Henley recorded his second album, he gave himself a little challenge -- to write and record it all within just a hundred waking hours. No pressure or anything!
Well, the result is an album appropriately named "100 Hours", which just came out last week and features a collection of terrific new songs.
Carson will be performing with his band at an album release party on Saturday at 9 pm at Columbia City Theater.
To hear the complete album, click here. - New Day Producers at KING5.COM
Are you kidding me? These kids are NOT from Seattle! I wouldn’t be surprised if they make a big splash in the music industry. (After winning the Best Local
Band Contest on The Northwest’s Largest Radio Station, KIRO 97.3FM Ron and Don Show) - Ron Upshaw and Don O'Neill - KIRO 97.3FM
It’s officially summertime which means outdoor music festivals will be in abundance for the next few months and one of those festivals worth paying attention to is Northwest Lovefest. The two-day event is being held at Magnuson Park June 30 & July 1 and it features more than 45 local and regional artists, which means there will be plenty of opportunities to enjoy live local music and possibly discover your new favorite band.
While there are dozens of talented musicians who will be sharing their love with the Lovefest crowds (including Star Anna, Caspar Babypants, the Gervais brothers and many more), here are five artists on the bill that come with the Guerrilla Candy seal of approval:
Carson Henley
The soulful Carson Henley recently released his latest album 100 Hours and his self-described green-eyed soul should provide a great soundtrack for a summer day in the park. - Travis Hay - GUERILLA CANDY
Carson’s Green Eyed Soul Is A Top 25 Rock CD of 2008
and Our Editor’s Choice Award! - Staff at INDIE-MUSIC.COM
Tracklisting:
1. Aint' Gonna Dry Your Tears
2. Fire
3. Go Under
4. Where We Started
5. The Game
6. Leave This Mess
7. Give It Up
Record Company: Hey! Listen to This! Music
Release Date: Tuesday 26th June 2012
Buy it now: Amazon
EF Rating:
4 of 5
Rising singer-songwriter Carson Henley decided to do something unconventional with his new project. Wanting to push his creativity to the limits Henley set about writing and recording his new album in 100 hours straight. Heading into the studio armed with a piano, his iPhone and a notepad, Henley set about getting to work. The end result is new album 100 Hours.
Recorded with Grammy winning engineer Kory Kruckenberg, 100 Hours features the best 7 tracks recorded in the 100 hours. The album’s lead single Fire is one of the strongest on the record proving to be the perfect intro for 100 Hours. Henley’s voice is tinged with rock sensibilities whilst the music combines pop, rock and funk sounding unlike anything else in the charts at the moment.
Album opener Ain’t Gonna Dry Your Tears combines a steady beat with intermittent electric guitar riffs whilst Henley’s slow-building vocal explodes into a powerful chorus. Over the course of the album Henley creates a variety of different sounds, exploring different genres in his quest for creative genius. The soulful Where We Started sounds a little like British singer James Morrison, Leave This Mess combines rock with soul for heart-wrenching near 5 minutes of bliss and The Game borrows the dark mood of The Beatles’ Come Together for a piano dominated gem.
Our favourite moment is a toss-up between album closer Give It Up and almost-ballad Go Under. The former is beat heavy with a killer chorus whilst the latter has a lazy laidback vibe that shows the more heartfelt side of Henley’s music. Go Under also has the best vocal from Henley on the record as he drags every inch of emotion out from his soul laying it bare for all to hear.
100 Hours was a daring project but it seems like it’s paid off. The album doesn’t sound like it was put together in such a short amount of time and the quality is very high. Henley has proven himself not only to be a fantastic singer but also a remarkable musician. If this is what he can do under pressure we’d love to hear what he can come up in a traditional recording process. - Pip Ellwood - ENTERTAINMENT FOCUS
We hear a lot of new music here at EF and it takes a lot to impress us these days. Every once in a while though we uncover a singer-songwriter who knocks our socks off and we can't wait to tell you all about them.
26-year-old Carson Henley is one such singer-songwriter. Hailing from Seattle Henley has been working hard trying to ensure that he stands out from the pack with his album 100 Hours.
“I was looking for a way to stand out in the massive crowd of musicians, a way to feel like I was doing something you don't see artists doing everyday” explains Carson, who laughs, “and I really wanted to test myself as a musician and song-writer. Sometimes true colors come through under pressure and you see what you are really capable of accomplishing.”
Working with Grammy award-winning engineer Kory Kruckenberg, Henley entered the recording studio with nothing more than a notepad, his piano, an iPhone and an idea.
“I wanted to push creativity to the limit and hoped the magic would come. There could be no procrastinating, because I had work to do and songs to write. This was kind of like pulling an all-nighter before the big test.” Well, more like pulling five all-nighters in a row. Henley was attempting to create the music and lyrics of ten new, original songs that were essentially being written on-the-spot. Add to this daunting task the creation of production arrangements and inspiring a bevy of musicians (who’d never heard these songs before) to record as many tracks as humanly possible. The catch? It all had to be done in 100 straight waking hours.
“Usually artists have months in studios with songs that are already written, or at least with some melodies, hooks and lyrics in mind. I wanted this project to be different. I forced myself to continually create organically, without preconceived song ideas, to see what would happen in that kind of intense environment.” This kind of constant pressure can produce diamonds, or it can just make dirt, so it’s a big gamble for an indie artist to sink an entire life’s savings into a project like this.
But with the help of a few friends like Allen Stone, Tess Henley, Spencer Doren and James McCalister (Sufjan Stevens, Ivan & Alyosha), Henley not only reached his goal, but was also exceedingly pleased with the musical results. The new album, entitled 100 Hours, will include seven of the session’s best songs, with a scheduled release date of early summer 2012. Carson road-tested the new songs to rave reviews this March at his official SXSW showcases in Austin, TX.
Seattle film director Brian Nunes took an interest in the creative feat by chronicling the experiment with a 48-minute documentary. For a sneak peek at Mr. Nunes’ rock doc, click the link below.
“I have a feeling about this record…” Adds Carson, “From the test marketing we did to select the single, we had trouble narrowing the hit down to one song, which I guess is a good problem to have.” Since the feedback was so positive, Grammy winning engineer Brian Lucey (the Black Keys, the Shins), was brought in to master the album. - Pip Ellwood - ENTERTAINMENT FOCUS
New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Carson Henley Official Website)
Seattle-based singer songwriter Carson Henley is readying the release of "100 HOURS" - an all new collection of original songs from the up and coming purveyor of groove-based rock. Self-described as a "refined Joe Cocker," the young singer's music is steeped in the rock, soul and R&B stylings of a slew of icons of popular music, many of whom predated his birth in their heyday. Cocker, Stevie Wonder and Steve Winwood, among others-all inhabit the soulful, driving compositions of the talented musician. Co-produced by Henley and Grammy -winning engineer Kory Kruckenburg (J. Tillman, Pickwick, The Maldives), "100 HOURS" was recorded at Seattle's VU Recording Studios. With the help of some musician friends including noted singer/songwriter Allen Stone, drummer James McAllister (Sufjan Stevens, Brandi Carlile) and backing vocals by his sister Tess Henley (currently working with The Roots), Carson pooled all of his resources budgeting just enough for a few studio days and giving himself 100 waking hours to write and record the entire album—basically leaping into the project with a handful of ideas and a determination to take his music to the next level. With Grammy-winning engineer Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, The Shins) adding the final mastering touches, "100 HOURS" is an effortless slice of soulful rock for a new generation. "100 HOURS" will be available digitally from all major outlets on June 26th and the CD will be available at Amazon.
It's not surprising that the multi-talented 26 year-old Henley has reached a whole new level of accomplishment with "100 HOURS"-- his second full length album. Inspired and driven since his debut in 2008, he's honed his talent with nonstop performing (over 300 shows in the last two years) and utilizing every opportunity to get his music heard. Shows up and down the west coast have garnered raves and expanded his fan base. he' s performed several times as an official showcasing artist to wide acclaim at the 2012 SXSW conference. His debut album "GREEN EYED SOUL" was named Top 25 CD of the Year by Indie Music in 2008. Adding the self-imposed 100 hour restriction for his new album kicked Henley's creative juices into high gear. With a stellar group of musicians and engineers backing him up, the process became a perfect storm of inspiration and execution. Local film director Brian Nunes was inspired to document the recording sessions and will be releasing it on DVD later this year. Link to the trailer of "THE 100 HOUR PROJECT" is below.
Says Henley: "I wanted to push creativity to the limit and I knew the magic would come. We managed to create an environment that was both organically conducive to my writing process and unbelievably intense and rewarding at the same time."
You can hear the complete album "100 HOURS" at:
http://soundcloud.com/hey-listentothis-music
For more information, visit:
www.carsonhenley.com
http://www.facebook.com/carsonhenleymusic
http://www.youtube.com/carsonhenley
http://www.twitter.com/carsonhenley
100 Hours Project documentary trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMMedh-d9uI - Staff at TOP40-CHARTS.COM
On Thursday, June 28, 2012, Suite101 chatted via phone with Seattle-based indie rock singer-songwriter Carson Henley about his newest release 100 Hours, his newest single “Fire,” and his forthcoming album release party.
Favorite Artists
He notes that he enjoys listening to such artists as Jon McLaughlin, Adele, Sara Bareilles, Dave Barnes, Kimbra, Pink, and Marc Broussard.
“100 Hours”
“The album itself is my first official release so this is a big moment for me,” he says. “It came out two days ago and it has a raw sound. I came up with the idea to write everything in the studio and document it, and I gave myself one hundred hours to come up with all of the songs on the album and record them. The songs that are on the album came from that session. I wanted to document it to show everybody else the creative aspect of songwriting, as well as the frustrating moments, and the epiphanies. ”
According to Carson, “I would like to thank the people that have bought the album so far. I cannot express how much their support means to me. That support is really important for an independent artist like me. Hopefully I will see them out on the road.”
“Fire”
“It’s probably my favorite song to play live from the record,” he says. “I recorded it one day after lunch with my bass player. I was humming bass and guitar lines in my head and I started with that. My bass player liked it and we ran with it!”
On June 26, 2012, Carson released a music video for “Fire,” which may be seen on his YouTube page.
Album Release Party
A special album release party is expected to take place on July 7, 2012, at Columbia City Theater in Seattle, Washington, where he will perform with his band.
“It’s the first show I will do in Seattle in eight or nine months, and it’s almost sold out,” he says. “I will play two or three brand new songs that people haven’t heard before, and it’s very exciting to play some new material for everyone.”
Future Plans
“Even though I just released a new record on Tuesday, I would like to tour and I would like to work on a new album soon,” he says.
For more on Carson Henley, check out his official Facebook page.
Read more at Suite101: Interview with Carson Henley: "100 Hours" | Suite101.com http://suite101.com/article/interview-with-carson-henley-100-hours-a409339#ixzz1zCqGRnIa
- Markos Papadatos - INDIE MUSIC SUITE 101
My Main man Carson Henley has new music out on iTunes if ur a true music lover he's the real deal - Dice Raw - THE ROOTS
It's 25 hours before Seattle Rock Orchestra take the stage at the Moore Theatre. SRO founder and music director Scott Teske, conductor Kim Roy, and their 50-plus-piece orchestra slowly file into a softly lit practice space on the third floor of an old brick building in Sodo. Laughter and a flurry of string instruments being tuned ring out and down into the rickety stairwell.
[...]
The orchestra and the upcoming show's guest vocalists—Carson Henley, Tiffany Wilson, Mycle Wastman, Galen Disston, Flora McGill, Fysah Thomas, okanomodé, Michele Khazak, Darrius Willrich, and Allen Stone—have been rehearsing for the tribute concert once a week for about a month, though the show has been in the works for much longer. Back in May, after Teske decided the orchestra's next show would focus on the work of Wonder (previous shows celebrated the music of Arcade Fire, Radiohead, David Bowie, and Queen), Teske began the painstaking process of paring down a set list from a discography that contains 30 top-10 hits and 22 Grammys. Not an easy task, but after much deliberation, Teske decided he and the orchestra would take on 30 songs, the most the Seattle Rock Orchestra has ever performed in one concert.
[...]
7:45 p.m.: The Moore is packed. Children, grandparents, teens file into the showroom, while another long line forms at the bar. They're dressed in everything from impressive sequined dresses and heels to ripped-up band T-shirts and well-worn Converse. "Ten minutes!" the ushers start yelling, and people scurry to find their friends and seats.
8:10 p.m.: The houselights slowly dim. The orchestra, now dressed in all black, takes the stage. Teske and Roy come out, take a bow, and the room is already booming with cheers and applause.
They open with the high-energy Motown classic "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," with Carson Henley singing. The audience is rapt and singing along from the first note—he's a magnetic performer and the perfect choice to start the show. "Do it, Carson!" people yell. They whoop and holler and explode with applause at the end of the song. The cheers continue through "We Can Work It Out," "For Once in My Life," and "Uptight (Everything's Alright)." It's all relentless and contagious.
[...] - Megan Seling - THE STRANGER
College: University of Washington
City: Seattle: Preview
Region: Northwest: Preview
Genres: Pop, Rock, R&B/Soul
Recent Song: Fire
Vintage, gritty, or soulful? The answer is all of the above. Introducing Carson Henley, an up-and-coming Seattle-based funkadelic. Take a listen and you'll hear how he effortlessly blends the hook-driven melodies of Motown with the ruggedness of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Henley defines himself and his music as a "somewhat refined Joe Cocker." However you define him, it's incredibly difficult to ignore this Washington soul, so read on to see how deep we dive into the life of Carson in our featured interview.
We understand that you grew up in the city of Kent in Washington. What was your childhood like?
Well I would hardly call it a city (laughs); it's more of a small town. Kent is about an hour south of Seattle and I've been here most of my life. I led a pretty normal childhood. Well, it's not normal to take piano lessons from the age of 3 to 18, but I grew up on music lessons and I was always involved sports - basketball, soccer...I even swam.
What music did you grow up listening to?
My parents weren't wild about the pop music on the radio at the time, so we weren't allowed to listen to the radio. We ended up listening to what my mom or dad wanted to listen to which was luckily pretty good music. My mom really loved Soul - Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Marvin Gaye - and my dad was a big classic rock and jam band fan - the Beatles, Rolling Stones, EWF. In fact, the first album I bought was Sgt. Pepper by the Beatles. Michael Jackson was a big artist that we listened to all the time. My parents also preached Carol King and James Taylor because they were such great songwriters. So, I didn't really know much about the 80s and 90s pop music scene.
How have you incorporated your musical roots into your music?
I identify with songs that are melody-driven. Soul music, Motown, and even the Beatles are all great examples of this. For my own music and production, I like to incorporate B3 organ, which is very reminiscent of classic Joe Cocker, and I love background vocals, which are reminiscent of soul and funk. All the music from that era has inspired me when I write and produce my own music.
What are your personal favorite tracks?
I really like a few of the songs that I've written but haven't recorded yet. On my upcoming 100 Hours release, I like “Leave This Mess,” which talks about a relationship in which there is a long, painful process of trying to say goodbye but nobody actually does it. I never understood why people just couldn't let something go - until I went through it myself. I also like “Love is Blind,” (from my Redrawn Sketches EP) which relates to the first time that I had my heart broken. It discusses the feeling of letting go and the irrationality of it no matter what someone has done to you.
The last song I really like is called “Go Under,” which I co-wrote with a very good friend of mine named Allen Stone. When we were writing the song, we started talking about our careers and it became apparent that both of us were trying to get over so many hurdles. It has this theme of having to press on and press on and that in life you have to figure out how to get over these hurdles. But in this case, it's about going under them when you don't see another way. The subject matter of my songs often revolves around relationships - whether that is with friendships or romantic relationships. I'm not much of a social-conscience writer. It's not that I don't care about those issues; I think that I am just more moved to write about relationships between people.
What's your dream performance venue?
I would love to perform in a different country. I studied abroad in Europe during my undergrad at Washington and I also recently saw Adele's live show on DVD where she performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London. So, I would be beyond thrilled to sell out a show there. I would - Ritesh Gupta - COLLEGEROOTS
Sounds like: The Black Keys, Of Monsters and Men
What's so good?
By Christiana Bartolini | April 19th, 2012
Let’s give a warm welcome to Carson Henley on Indie Shuffle. Carson’s got that classic bluesy rock style with raw and demanding vocals. Hailing from Seattle, Carson may be on the rise soon… and with good reason.
Carson Henley’s single, “Fire,” emits pure funkadelic rock that brings mass appeal. He’s got the type of classic style that has yet to expire; his soulful voice, funky blues instrumentals, and contrasted harmonies make the perfect recipe for an infectious single. Punchy keyboards, funky bass, finely plucked guitar and a highly danceable tempo tie it all together… this track has it all.
Make no mistake: Carson’s raw talent should not go unnoticed, especially considering the fact that he spent 100 straight hours writing 10 new songs (and using seven of those songs) for his album, 100 HOURS… that’s five all-nighters in a row, people! They even made a documentary out of the whole process. He must want this bad… real bad.
If you’re curious to hear how it all panned out, stay tuned for early summer when 100 Hours will be released! - Christiana Bartolini - INDIESHUFFLE
Buzz Track: Fire
Carson Henley, a 26 year old singer-songwriter from Seattle just released his debut EP. Carson worked and collaborated on this project with people including buzzing artist Allen Stone, Tess Henley (who is working with The Roots at Larry Gold’s “The Studio”), Grammy-winning engineer Kory Kruckenburg from Pickwick, Grammy-winning engineer Brian Lucey (who has worked with The Black Keys and The Shins), and James McCallister (who plays for Sufjan Stevens, Brandi Carlile, and Ivan & Alyosha). For fans of Allen Stone, Gavin DeGraw, and Matt Nathanson. - Dean Cramer - KINGS OF A&R
Seattle’s had a thing for soul-inflected rock lately, Allen Stone’s live band probably being the funkiest and most well known. Aspiring songwriter Carson Henley’s latest effort certainly adds to a now crowding local field but it’s appropriately supported by some of that cohort, Allen Stone among them. Local Grammy winning engineer and player in Pickwick Kory Kruckenberg was also a part of the 100 Hours concept, providing engineering for songs being recorded during a hundred straight waking hours of writing and recording. Yeah, read that sentence again. Then watch the lead single “Fire” below to see where he went with it. Henley himself admitted in a documentary on his “One Hundred Hours Project” that he felt this was a make or break moment for his musical career, and given he went into the studio without all of the seven songs being written or even conceived, it’s hard not to be impressed with his results that reach from every corner of modern R&B. - Josh Lovseth - SOUND ON THE SOUND
I would like to acknowledge the impact and success you have brought to the Edgewater Hotel. Your energies, professionalism, and above all, your passion have help transform the room into one of Seattle’s most dynamic and popular live entertainment venues. We are pleased to see that your music appeals to the diverse mix of young and mature audiences and your efforts in promoting the club have increased the crowd to the largest we have experienced in many years. Keep up the great work and if I can ever be of assistance or if you would ever need a recommendation, please feel free to use me as a resource. - Thomas Wright - GM
After receiving and reviewing literally 100s of submissions to perform at the events, your group was one of the few ‘new’ acts actually chosen to play at Washington’s premier festivals, Comcast’s Bite of Seattle and Emerald Queen Casino’s Taste of Tacoma – twice. From the beginning of the initial booking process, straight through to the end at your actual performance at the events, your utmost professionalism was outstanding, and the show, of course, was pure joy to witness. - Linda Zopfi - OWNER FOR 20+ YEARS
Their professionalism and ease to work with was above and beyond. It’s quite a pleasure to produce a great show with band members that have such an acute attention to detail, yet are laid back and fun to be around. This, paired with the 300 ready to drink fans (on a week night, no less) made it a great night for all. Carson and Tess are welcome back anytime! - Nathan Boothroyd - PRODUCTION MANAGER
Check out this EXCLUSIVE interview with the talented singer Carson Henley as he talks about his music,partying, the sacrifices for his music and much more. Really cool guy with great music so sit back and enjoy!
#ItsHeyNow!!! - Jon Pride - ITSHEYNOW.COM
Seattle singer-songwriter Carson Henley compares the marathon recording session for his newly released album to “pulling an all-nighter before the big test.”
With little more than a notepad, iPhone and piano, the 26-year-old musician recorded “100 Hours” nonstop in exactly that amount of time with Grammy-winning engineer Kory Kruckenberg at Seattle’s VU Recording Studios. (Henley’s first album was “Green Eyed Soul.”)
Henley’s challenge was to create 10 original songs on the spot and record them with musicians who had never heard them before, which goes without saying. Musical support came from Allen Stone, Spencer Doren, Henley’s extremely talented sister, Tess Henley; and James McCalister, who had worked with Brandi Carlile, Sufjan Stevens, and Ivan & Alyosha. Visit Tess Henley’s website here.
“This kind of constant pressure can produce diamonds, or it can just make dirt,” Henley says. “So it’s a big gamble for an indie artist to sink an entire life’s savings into a project like this.”
Another Grammy-winning engineer, Brian Lucey (who has worked with the The Shins and The Black Keys), was brought in to master the recording. And Seattle filmmaker Brian Nunes chronicled the feat in an a 48-minute documentary. (Watch the trailer here).
The resulting album is an impressive collection of riveting rock ‘n’ soul songs, which made their public debut at showcases at the SXSW Music Conference and Festival last March in Austin, Texas.
If you’re a fan of James Morrison, Gavin DeGraw, Maroon 5 or even Joe Cocker, you’ll love Henley’s music. The singer-songwriter grew up with parents who favored Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor and Earth, Wind & Fire, and many of these influences show up in his music.
Henley’s resume includes performing the National Anthem at a Seahawks game and singing lead vocals with the Seattle Rock Orchestra at a Stevie Wonder Tribute.
Release party for “100 Hours” is at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at the Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave. S. Sharing the bill are musical guests Sarah Jackson-Holman and James Redfern.
Henley’s band features Henley on lead vocals and piano, Jon Dong on guitar, Jon Robinson on bass and Colin Carter on drums.
Tickets are $12 in advance at Brown Paper Tickets.
Visit Henley’s Facebook page here. And listen to the songs from “100 Hours” on his ReverbNation page.
Follow this link to the Columbia City Theater website.
Finally, here’s the video for “Fire,” which is featured on “100 Hours”: - Gene Stout - POP MUSIC CRITIC
Seattle singer-songwriter Carson Henley compares the marathon recording session for his newly released album to “pulling an all-nighter before the big test.”
With little more than a notepad, iPhone and piano, the 26-year-old musician recorded “100 Hours” nonstop in exactly that amount of time with Grammy-winning engineer Kory Kruckenberg at Seattle’s VU Recording Studios. (Henley’s first album was “Green Eyed Soul.”)
Henley’s challenge was to create 10 original songs on the spot and record them with musicians who had never heard them before, which goes without saying. Musical support came from Allen Stone, Spencer Doren, Henley’s extremely talented sister, Tess Henley; and James McCalister, who had worked with Brandi Carlile, Sufjan Stevens, and Ivan & Alyosha. Visit Tess Henley’s website here.
“This kind of constant pressure can produce diamonds, or it can just make dirt,” Henley says. “So it’s a big gamble for an indie artist to sink an entire life’s savings into a project like this.”
Another Grammy-winning engineer, Brian Lucey (who has worked with the The Shins and The Black Keys), was brought in to master the recording. And Seattle filmmaker Brian Nunes chronicled the feat in an a 48-minute documentary. (Watch the trailer here).
The resulting album is an impressive collection of riveting rock ‘n’ soul songs, which made their public debut at showcases at the SXSW Music Conference and Festival last March in Austin, Texas.
If you’re a fan of James Morrison, Gavin DeGraw, Maroon 5 or even Joe Cocker, you’ll love Henley’s music. The singer-songwriter grew up with parents who favored Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor and Earth, Wind & Fire, and many of these influences show up in his music.
Henley’s resume includes performing the National Anthem at a Seahawks game and singing lead vocals with the Seattle Rock Orchestra at a Stevie Wonder Tribute.
Release party for “100 Hours” is at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 7, at the Columbia City Theater, 4916 Rainier Ave. S. Sharing the bill are musical guests Sarah Jackson-Holman and James Redfern.
Henley’s band features Henley on lead vocals and piano, Jon Dong on guitar, Jon Robinson on bass and Colin Carter on drums.
Tickets are $12 in advance at Brown Paper Tickets.
Visit Henley’s Facebook page here. And listen to the songs from “100 Hours” on his ReverbNation page.
Follow this link to the Columbia City Theater website.
Finally, here’s the video for “Fire,” which is featured on “100 Hours”: - Gene Stout - POP MUSIC CRITIC
New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Carson Henley Official Website)
Seattle-based singer songwriter Carson Henley is readying the release of "100 HOURS" - an all new collection of original songs from the up and coming purveyor of groove-based rock. Self-described as a "refined Joe Cocker," the young singer's music is steeped in the rock, soul and R&B stylings of a slew of icons of popular music, many of whom predated his birth in their heyday. Cocker, Stevie Wonder and Steve Winwood, among others-all inhabit the soulful, driving compositions of the talented musician. Co-produced by Henley and Grammy -winning engineer Kory Kruckenburg (J. Tillman, Pickwick, The Maldives), "100 HOURS" was recorded at Seattle's VU Recording Studios. With the help of some musician friends including noted singer/songwriter Allen Stone, drummer James McAllister (Sufjan Stevens, Brandi Carlile) and backing vocals by his sister Tess Henley (currently working with The Roots), Carson pooled all of his resources budgeting just enough for a few studio days and giving himself 100 waking hours to write and record the entire album—basically leaping into the project with a handful of ideas and a determination to take his music to the next level. With Grammy-winning engineer Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, The Shins) adding the final mastering touches, "100 HOURS" is an effortless slice of soulful rock for a new generation. "100 HOURS" will be available digitally from all major outlets on June 26th and the CD will be available at Amazon.
It's not surprising that the multi-talented 26 year-old Henley has reached a whole new level of accomplishment with "100 HOURS"-- his second full length album. Inspired and driven since his debut in 2008, he's honed his talent with nonstop performing (over 300 shows in the last two years) and utilizing every opportunity to get his music heard. Shows up and down the west coast have garnered raves and expanded his fan base. he' s performed several times as an official showcasing artist to wide acclaim at the 2012 SXSW conference. His debut album "GREEN EYED SOUL" was named Top 25 CD of the Year by Indie Music in 2008. Adding the self-imposed 100 hour restriction for his new album kicked Henley's creative juices into high gear. With a stellar group of musicians and engineers backing him up, the process became a perfect storm of inspiration and execution. Local film director Brian Nunes was inspired to document the recording sessions and will be releasing it on DVD later this year. Link to the trailer of "THE 100 HOUR PROJECT" is below.
Says Henley: "I wanted to push creativity to the limit and I knew the magic would come. We managed to create an environment that was both organically conducive to my writing process and unbelievably intense and rewarding at the same time."
You can hear the complete album "100 HOURS" at:
http://soundcloud.com/hey-listentothis-music
For more information, visit:
www.carsonhenley.com
http://www.facebook.com/carsonhenleymusic
http://www.youtube.com/carsonhenley
http://www.twitter.com/carsonhenley
100 Hours Project documentary trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMMedh-d9uI - Top40-Charts.com
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
A Suzuki-trained piano player from age 3, Carson Henley was taught to appreciate "timeless" music. His mother (a professional singer) and his record-collecting father made sure he and his musical siblings grew up listening to the classics; often cranking up night-long jam sessions with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, James Taylor, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. It's not surprising that Carson's music has a vintage soul, with a modern rock edge, earning comparisons to Joe Cocker, James Morrison and Maroon 5.
Carson's latest album, 100 HOURS, won the 2013 Independent Music Award for Best Pop Album, was named #2 Album of the Year by Blues Rock Review, and includes SongDoors 2013 Songwriting Winner for the single, Go Under. In 2013, Carson was named a Top 10 Finalist in Guitar Centers Nationwide Singer-Songwriter Competition.
Carson's live shows have drawn sold out crowds, and his voice eventually drew the attention of the NFL's World Champion, Seattle Seahawks, who invited him to sing the National Anthem. UK's Mofilm also found Carson's performances inspiring, as they sent him to showcase at one of the the worlds most coveted music festivals, SXSW (Austin, TX). Carson's first CD, Green Eyed Soul (2008), was named a Top 25 CD of the Year by Indie Music.com. His catalog of music is being played in contemporary American and European chain stores as branding music.
PROFESSIONAL MUSIC & CLUB REVIEWS:
On Carson's new album, 100 Hours:
"...he drags every inch of emotion out from his soul laying it bare for all to hear."
Entertainment Focus (London blog) http://entertainment-focus.com/music/articles/carson-henley-100-hours
"Every song on this album is a complete treat to listen to, a refreshing treat of a simple talented album with no auto tune and electric beats in sight."
http://bluesrockreview.com/2012/07/carson-henley-100-hours-review.html
"...its hard not to be impressed with his results that reach from every corner of modern R&B."
http://www.soundonthesound.com/2012/06/29/carson-henleys-100-hours/
Dice Raw
Band Members
Links
