Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Have you ever heard a song on the radio that's just so sappy, and so cheesy, and so overly-sensitive that you simply can not help but laugh? Russell Stafford's music is the opposite of that, in a good way. It's sincere, but not phoney. It's sappy, but in a charming love-letter kind of way. It's real, because it's a reflection of the person that he is, instead of a corporate shell trying to sell records. Plus, he's just damned pretty.
Aside from the finely crafted songwriting, stuck-in-your-head melodies, and spot-on live performances there's more to notice about Russell Stafford's music. As you listen to his records, it becomes abundantly clear that this is truly his own voice; his songs are a mirror reflection of the person he is. there's an element of sincerity and realism that's missing from the majority of comparable artists in his genre, and that's what makes Russell shine as a musician.
- Phil Luther
.."Russell knows how to write pop-rock morsels. The songs are well written, likeable, and could easily be transformed into something that radio stations would play if Russell were actually famous or starred in a Disney show on cable. That’s not to say that Russell couldn’t find himself a player in the crowded singer-songwriter/adult alternative genre."
"Not only did Russell write all his own music, sing all of the songs, but he also plays every instrument on the record. That is a major feat considering this is not a singer-songwriter who confines his songs to a mere one guitar and one vocal track. Sure, Russell strips down the production to that formula on “All I’ll Ever Have,” a simple yet catchy acoustic number. Nope, Russell prefers to work with high quality production numbers such as the disc’s opening rocker “The Things I’ve Done” or the marvelously chipper “I’ll Never Be.” The latter song alone has merited repeated listens. That is not an easy feat considering how much of a musical curmudgeon I’ve turned into. Other highlights include “Haunting You” and “A Thousand Turns,” both of which could easily be Top 40 gems if only someone already famous, say a Ryan Cabrera or the sold-out Howie Day, sang the tune."
"..Russell knows how to write some great songs and his voice is perfect on a few (“I’ll Never Be” is an example of that perfection) but the voice doesn’t always translate well.."
"..I personally think his forte could be in production and songwriting. In fact, I would venture a guess that if Russell could get his hands on the stack of CDs that I will never review because they just flat out suck, I bet his musicianship and his keen musical ear could elevate those artists who can’t write good songs to a state of utter perfection..."
- Ben Montgomery, cdreviews.com
Russell is a guitar soloist that currently lives in Portland. His style is clear and his lyrics are true to heart. So be careful, if you listen, you might hear something surprising. His dynamics are so bold that it is amazing that his fingers aren't filed down by the steel strings he plays so well. I look forward to hearing him again at other venues. To find out more about Russell and his music, visit: http://russellstaffordmusic.com/ - WIL - Independant journalist
Starting out in Australia at a young age of five Russell Stafford became involved in music, but by the age of nineteen and after he moved to America he decided to put his music on hold for a career in TV production. Luckily for music fans, he recently established himself back to the music.
Stafford is a multi-influenced artist. His music will grab a hold of you and will not let go, similar to John Mayer or Switchfoot or even Purple Flower. The song that fancies the ears most is ‘The Things I’ve Done’. With a compelling raw-edged melody, Stafford vocal thrashes the chords like a tiger against the drums and lead guitars. Just when you think it can’t get any more jagged, he takes it a bit further with the drums/guitars and grinds it into the ground ‘yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…’ The ending will leave you breathless.
Stafford's new album is slated for a May 2005 release. Look forward to being rocked out of your mind when you get this album, I know I will be.
5/5
--Lisa B, MousaGenre Promotions, May 2005 - MousaGenre Promotions
Discography
Freshwater - 2005
Released under my indie label, Shiney Heinie Records
Planet Muse (compilation) - 2005
Featured the track, "The best days".
International distribution and promotion.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Russell is one of the Northwests up and coming singer/songwriting talents. His unique vocal and musical style has been described as a "melting pot of sound" and is garnering his first release, Freshwater, both local and national press.
In 2006, Russell opened for several national acts including Augustana, Anna Nalick, Mat Kearney, Joshua Radin, Ry Cuming and more. He also toured the western states extensively, from Colorado to California and everything inbetween.
Born and raised in Sydney Australia, Russell migrated to the US at the age of 19. After several years playing guitar in various local bands, he branched out to persue his singing and songwriting.
In May 2004, Russell was invited to record with producer Rick Steinhoff in Toronto after being discovered on an industry website, musesmuse.com. While in Canada, he recorded five tracks and played his first solo-gig in the small town of London. On this trip, Russell developed a serious interest for the whole recording process, and learned a great deal about recording mechanics.
Following his return to Oregon, in August 2004, Russell won the Portland songwriters showcase and followed up taking the title of "Artist Most Likely to Succeed" from the industry website MusesMuse.com. Through this website, Russell was also awarded a spot on an upcoming compilation CD with his home-recorded track, Best Days.
Shortly thereafter, Russell decided to record his first CD entirely in his home studio rather than using a costly professional outfit. In September 2004, he was ready to start laying down tracks for the then untitled CD (Freshwater), and immersed himself into the recording process, performing on all instruments to make a full-featured album.
The album draws on many musical influences. Russell credits artists such as the Rolling Stones, Powderfinger, Van Halen, John Mayer, Dashboard Confessional, Muse and Matt Nathanson with much of his writing development. As such, there is a lot of diversity to the CD, not only musically but lyrically as well.
Freshwater, truly represents this wide range of influence as you make your way through each track. The Things I've Done, for instance, kicks off the album as an intense rock song, with heavy drums and edgy, distorted guitars. You'll find a softer feel with songs such as, All I Need, an acoustic arrangement, which takes the album in an entirely different direction. While,14 Day Romance,continues to be a fan favorite as an upbeat, radio-friendly, pop song.
As Russell moves into this exciting part of his career, his focus has shifted towards promotion and performance. His intimate acoustic performances have become a must see on the local scene and as his fan base expands, Russell continues to wow music lovers at every show.
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