Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Peter James is a singer-songwriter who plays 8- and 10-string guitars. On Footnotes to Fairytales, he is joined by fretted and fretless guitarist David Lofton, Chapman Stick and electric-upright bass player Daniel Panasenko, and cellist Marika Hughes—making for a string-filled listening experience. Rounding out the group are drummer-percussionist Gino Robair and tabla player Jim Santi Owen. This is gentle but subtly energetic music, full of gorgeous instrumental interplay and memorable vocal melodies – and upon first listen, it is easy to miss the intricacies of the interlocking guitars, the delicate yet effective percussive touches, and single-line textural elements that blend seamlessly into a shimmering harmonic whole.
James’ voice has been rightly compared to those of David Sylvian and Morrissey as it contains both the soft-spoken intimacy of the former and the elegant desperation of the latter. His lyrics are compact, introspective, and highly personal—presenting clusters of images rather than opting for the more usual folk narrative style. My favorite pieces are the delightfully buoyant “Angels and Aeroplanes,” and the polyrhythmic “Save Yourself,” which managers to add a 5/4 outro section without sounding the least bit proggy. –Barry Cleveland
- Guitar Player Magazine
Sophisticated... complex ballads with an arty sensitivity that recalls the likes of Bryan Ferry and David Sylvian. –Mac Randall - Guitar One Magazine
Garnering a lot of attention among the mainstream, guitar-oriented press... the skill of the musicians and their textural use of many stringed instruments is anything but run-of-the-mill, and will rightly command the enlightened listener's attention... James certainly has one of the best CDs you could ask for. - Guitar Nine records
...a soothing acoustical soundscape ...reminiscent of the stellar work of the late Michael Hedges …a lush affair of fine musicianship and evocative lyrics served by a sincere voice. (Best listened to) from a beachfront deck at sunset with a glass of wine in hand and romance in the air. –Roland Goity - Online Rock
For that easy going, folksy feeling, do not bypass Peter's latest album. The album is excellently self-produced and the guitar work is, well, heavenly. Am I going overboard? Hell, yes! Quick, throw me that life-belt I need to get back on shore to listen to it all over again. - Tony Bates, 100.7 Highlands FM, Australia
It's deeply emotional …like traveling in a strange country yet you feel at home …some of the biggest names of the folk tradition are heard in the first few seconds but after one or two titles you have to say 'I am listening to Peter James'…it's so good, there is a new star in the heaven of folk. - Jean Francois Reveillard, DBC TV/Radio, Switzerland
Mellow, velvety, soulful voice that ...goes into the David Sylvian territory of surreal, emotion-based songwriting. Excellent. A departure from regular songs …repeated listens will reap rewards. - Podgy's Tokyo Talk, Japan
Nice mellow music …It's a little hipper than folk, like mellow John Mayer, Jack Johnson or Coldplay. - Val Starr, GotRadio, Sacramento
We dig the new disc here at 100,000 watt KUMD …good songs! Good band bringing them to life! - John Ziegler, KUMD, Minnesota
One of my favorite discs of the year so far. Great... - George Maida, WCVE-FM Richmond
Discography
Footnotes to Fairytales - Full length CD, 2006
Available at iTunes, Napster, Amazon.com, CD Baby & independent records stores
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Bio
"This is gentle but subtly energetic music, full of gorgeous instrumental interplay and memorable vocal melodies - and upon first listen, it is easy to miss the intricacies of the interlocking guitars, the delicate yet effective percussive touches, and single-line textural elements that blend seamlessly into a shimmering harmonic whole." -Barry Cleveland, Guitar Player Magazine, June 2006
Reaching across genres, Peter James is a part of the rich folk singer-songwriter tradition, which he combines with a popular music sensibility and a compositional sophistication. Supported by the unique instrumentation of 8-string guitar, Chapman Stick, electric-upright bass and fretless guitar, the music is intricate and daring.
Born on the grey, gloomy shores of South Wales, Peter began writing and performing in the United Kingdom where his vocals soaked in the influences of David Sylvian, Morrissey, Everything But The Girl, and Lloyd Cole. He later made his way to San Francisco via Southeast Asia. Inspired by melodic percussive rhythms and the Classical Minimalist compositions of Steve Reich and Philip Glass, he takes a fresh approach to guitar playing and songwriting.
His debut release Footnotes to Fairytales will delight any listener who is willing to brave a journey of heartbreak and capable of understanding its beauty. This is lush, cinematic folk music - thoughtful, subtly complex and intelligently composed.
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