See How They Run

Just five months ago, Adrian Bourgeois said bon voyage to Sacramento and jumped with both feet into the unknown.

Or, as some people call it: Los Angeles.

Now the singer-songwriter is back—for one night, anyway—to show off his new band, See How They Run. While the band is technically only a few months old, the project has been many years in the making.

Bourgeois and bandmate Paige Lewis, who will perform Thursday, November 14, at Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub, have known each other almost half their lives. Over the years, the pair has collaborated on songs and performances—even though they’ve rarely lived in the same town long enough to give it much time.

Then, this past June, the twosome ditched their respective towns—Sacramento for Bourgeois, and Houston for Lewis—and met up in Los Angeles to give a joint venture the old college try.

“It’s always been kind of frustrating, because I feel like whenever over the years we’ve collaborated and performed together, it’s been the best combination,” Bourgeois said. “We always thought throughout the years, ’Wouldn’t it be great if we could actually do this full time?’ [But] we never had the opportunity until this year.”

Part of what makes See How They Run work so well lies in just how different the two musicians’ influences are.

Bourgeois grew up on a steady diet of the Beatles, Bob Dylan and a garden variety of ’60s-era rock ’n’ roll.

Lewis’ influences, in contrast, include more modern-pop singers such as Sheryl Crow and Alanis Morissette, with a subtle undercurrent of country. Together, the duo creates moody, lush pop arrangements that take elements from both worlds. Their voices pair to create gorgeous and sometimes haunting harmonies.

“When we work together, it tends to be more experimental and esoteric than [the kinds of songs] either of us comes up with individually,” Bourgeois said. “We take each other to a different place.”

The two met as kids in Nashville, Tenn. The Bourgeois family moved there in 1994 and stayed until 2002, when they moved back to Sacramento. Bourgeois’ father, Brent, himself a former musician with a few 1980s-era Top 40 hits under his belt (including “I Don’t Mind at All” with his former band Bourgeois Tagg) moved the family to Nashville for his new job as a record producer and head of A&R at the Christian label Word Records.

Lewis was one of the artists he discovered and ultimately signed. She was 15 at the time, and Bourgeois was 12.

As he got older, Bourgeois followed in his dad’s footsteps, honing his craft as a singer-songwriter. In 2008, he released a Beatles-influenced self-titled debut album; currently, he’s readying to release a double album, Pop/Art, in February 2014.

Lewis, who has released several records, including the 2011 album One Good Day, didn’t see her career take off with Word Records. So the singer headed to Los Angeles where she made a go as an indie artist before moving to Houston.

Whenever the two landed in the same city along their travels over the years, they worked on songs and performed during each other’s sets.

“Even with just that small amount of time, those shows always felt like the best that I was ever a part of because I felt that our voices blended so well together,” Bourgeois said.

Now, although each is still working on solo material, they’ve been able to give more focus to their joint project. Here, both sing and play guitar and the sound is fuller, enhanced with looping pedals and backing tracks.

“Both of us have spent 10 years playing bars and coffee shops as solo artists. Now we can create a full-band sound with just two people,” Bourgeois said. “I think we’re both thinking, ’Wow, I wish we thought of this years ago.’” - Sacramento News And Review

Did you and Lady Gaga get together to coordinate your new album titles, as your double album is called Pop/Art and her latest release is Artpop?

Oh, yeah, "Steph" [sic] and I are total BFFs. We coordinate everything together from what we call our albums to what we wear.

"Pop/Art" is a term usually used to describe visual art, but I've always used it to describe my music. My goal has been to create music that on the one hand is universal, accessible and memorable, and on the other artistic, challenging and thought-provoking. I just like the title and feel like it fits this music well.

Your album, with 24 tracks, is diverse and sprawling; it might be called Adrian Bourgeois's White Album. Do you agree with this, or would you describe it another way?

There are few albums, if any, that have influenced me as much as the White Album. What amazes me about that album is just the stylistic spectrum they go through from song to song - from heavy rock, to ragtime, to folk, to chamber pop and everything in between. What's even more amazing is that the songwriting remains spectacular across the board. So I guess with Pop/Art I wanted to make sure that if I were going to record a double album, I would feel great about every song on there. There could be no throwaways.

If anything, it's my All Things Must Pass album. I've had all these songs building over the years without much chance to record them.

The album has excellent stereo separation, which also calls to mind the late '60s and early '70s. Is this because you wanted the release to have a retro sound, or is this simply reflective of what you heard in your head?

I just go for what seems to be best for each particular song. Naturally, what I came up with ends up being strongly influenced by what I listen to. On "Jonah," I recorded two identical drum parts and piano parts and had Andy Freeman pan one of each pretty hard to the left and to the right. I put a flanger on one of the drum parts, too. I did a totally different session with legendary engineer David Bianco. He taught me this harmony trick of tripling each part and then panning one to the left, one to the right, and one down the center, so I used that too, mainly on "Celebrate the News."

In listening to Pop/Art, I would think that you were influenced by The Beatles (especially Paul McCartney), Brian Wilson, Todd Rundgren, Elton John, Tom Petty, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and Bruce Springsteen. Are there others that you would like to mention or acknowledge?

All of the above are definitely big influences. Probably the biggest one not mentioned is Elvis Costello, whom I'd call the greatest solo singer/songwriter. Simon and Garfunkel, Velvet Underground, U2, Ben Folds, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, The Rascals, Tom Waits, Roy Orbison, Eisley, Hanson, Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Lynne, Big Star, Elliott Smith, George Gershwin, Chuck Berry, and others have influenced and inspired me. I would consider my best friend Ricky Berger as big a musical influence on me as anyone.

Speaking of Mr. Rundgren, you have a song "Everybody Knows It Was Me," that sounds as though it might have been included on Todd's Something/Anything? album from 1972. It's a good commercial song. What can you tell us about it?

Maybe commercial for 1972! But thanks. Yes, Something/Anything? was definitely another big influence on this record as Todd recorded it mainly at home and played most of the instruments himself as I did. "Everybody Knows It Was Me" is probably the most reflective of that album. I don't know what it was about. I refer to these kinds of songs as "template songs" where you just come up with a template or concept like, "It could have been this, it could have been that, but everybody knows it was me." and then you just fill in the blanks.

Another interesting track is "Time Can't Fly A Plane." What's the back story on the song and its lyrics?

"Time Can't Fly A Plane" was actually the one song on the album from a different set of sessions. I remember when I wrote it feeling like it was a step forward for me. I think it speaks to a universal experience of being in your twenties and feeling the need to outrun the onslaught of time and all the things dragging you away from the innocence of youth.

A lot of songs I write are letters of advice to a part of myself that's struggling with something from a part of myself that knows better.

Interestingly, one word that I heard repeatedly in your lyrics is "poison." Is there a reason for its use?

Sometimes it just comes down to a word having a good sound. The word poison sounds good when sung. It's not a conscious thing. When I write a song, I usually start by singing nonsensical syllables that sound good with that particular melody and then I start associating the sounds with similar words and go from there.

Although this is a "solo album," you had help from about 19 of your musician friends - including your father, Brent Bourgeois, right?

Sometimes the one-man band was the vibe I wanted, but I also employed the help of my extremely talented pool of friends. The two other voices you hear most on this album, other than my own, are Ricky Berger and Paige Lewis, both incredible artists in their own right (Paige and I have a band called See How They Run). There's probably no element of a recording more important than vocal harmonies.

One person I was very excited to have on the album was Probyn Gregory from Brian Wilson's band. He plays about a million instruments and performed a gorgeous French horn part on "New December." Caitlin Bellah, who sings the chorus vocal on "Don't Look Away," was my girlfriend for four and a half years. We recorded her vocal a few weeks after we'd broken up.

Gina Belliveau is a very talented singer/songwriter from Tacoma who I became friends with. She played glockenspiel on "Parachutes." I was happy to have cousin Pete - an acclaimed New Orleans jazz musician - play an incredible flugelhorn solo on "Touch" that added the right sound to that recording. And, yes, I did get my dad to sing on "Celebrate the News." Vince DiFiore from Cake played trumpet on that song.

Everyone who played on the album was awesome and made the album so much better because of their participation.

If you had to select a song to record a cover version of - a song that you did not write - which song would you select?

That's a good question. One that I've always wanted to record is a song called "Tommy's Coming Home" that was co-written by Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello. They wrote a number of songs together in the '80s and this is probably the best one but they never released it. The only recording that exists of it is a crude acoustic demo. I think it would be awesome to record and release the first official version of that!

How can music fans purchase Pop/Art?

The places the album is currently available at are adrianbourgeois.bandcamp.com and at any show of mine. Before this year is over, it will be available in more places. - Seattle Pi

Singer/songwriter Paige Lewis’s career path started with Christian pop music. But it won’t end there.
by Nancy Ford • Photo by Zach McNair, background photo by Nancy Ford

Over the years, three major traditions have emerged from within our community’s live music scene: the attractive gay man who croons show tunes, the sparkly straight woman who builds her fan base in the gay dance clubs, and the guitar-strapped lesbian singer/songwriter.

As the sun went down the Friday night before Houston’s 2011 June Pride parade and festival, four guitar-strapped lesbian singer/songwriters gathered on the rooftop lounge of EVO, the Bayou City’s newest downtown gathering spot for lesbians. A small but attentive audience listened to Angie McKutcheon, Sarah Golden, and Victoria Love as they took turns at the microphone performing cover tunes and original songs, the sound wafting past the bar, over the rail, beyond the seasonally appropriate rainbow flag waving from the balcony, and down Milam Street. Lesbian couples in their 20s and 30s cooed at the tall tables under the umbrellas, enjoying their longneck beers and shots; older women in their 40s and 50s lounged with their cocktails on the outdoor couches in singles and pairs. All were caught up in the acoustic, generations-old rite that continues with blockbuster women’s music events like the Michigan Women’s Music Festival and the National Women’s Festival in Wisconsin.

Also an that pre-Pride event at EVO was Paige Lewis. Though merely 26 years old, Lewis is a veteran of the scene, having won an ASCAP songwriting award in 2002 for penning the Christian pop tune, “I’m All Yours,” after moving as a teen to Nashville. A stint in Los Angeles resulted in the Katy native’s second independently produced album, The Best Thing, spawning two tracks that were included in the soundtrack for Nicholas Cage’s 2003 feature film, Matchstick Men.

Then she picked up a marketing degree from the Texas Creative program at University of Texas–Austin. Busy gal, this young lesbian-with-a-guitar.

Doing her best to break out of that stereotype, Lewis books as many dates in “straight” clubs as in the “gay” clubs. Also armed with an inventory of more than 100 original songs, Paige presents her “Acoustic Radio” cover-tunes show each Sunday evening on The Usual’s outdoor stage, providing a weekly lesbian mini-fest; during the week she performs at Sherlock’s, Baker Street Pubs, and other venues.

Shortly after the Mucky Duck release party of her fourth CD, One Good Day, Paige Lewis talked to OutSmart about her craft, her community, and the challenges of combining the two.

Nancy Ford: I didn’t realize that you’re also a pianist.
Paige Lewis: I am! In fact, that was my first instrument. My mom didn’t force me [laughs] but strongly encouraged me when I was about five.

Who would you say are your musical influences?
You know, it’s not a certain style I like. It’s all about songs—really well-written songs. Seal, whom I think is amazing, is an awesome writer. I’m a huge fan of Imogen Heap. Also Elliot Smith. I just really enjoy music, overall. If it’s a great song, it’s a great song.

What is your favorite cover to play?
For some reason, I enjoy the Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps.”

[Both laugh] It is kind of unexpected!
It’s very unexpected! But you know, you’ve got to not take yourself so seriously sometimes.

Tell me the Matchstick Men story. That must have been exciting.
Well, I moved to Los Angeles when I was 18 to try to find a music deal that wasn’t in Christian music. I kind of wanted to branch out . . .

To Buddhism? To Mormonism?
[Both laugh] Yes, to Mormonism. It’s a much bigger community!

I was out in L.A., and I had some new songs that I was recording with a couple of producers out there. Basically, long story short, a music supervisor who was working on Matchstick Men got hold of my demo CD. He had been placing some of my songs in the movie, kind of as filler while he was working on it, but then they ended up choosing them. So it was kind of random.

I think living in a city like that where everybody’s in the industry and stuff, your odds of cool stuff happening increases.

Absolutely. Do you have a songwriting ritual?
When I write, I don’t sit down and write lyrics, then try to put music to it, or anything like that. It’s, kind of, this moment that happens all at once. Usually, if I’m feeling like I want to write, I just pick up my guitar and bring myself to a calm place, start playing, and just see what comes out. A lot of times I’ll start a song, but it will be a long time before I end up finishing it because I’m not quite ready. In fact, my song “It Goes On”—I started writing that like seven years ago. I just finished.

How appropriate, considering the title.
The first verse was written in a completely different place in my life. Then the second verse is what I couldn’t come up with for the longest time, and I just kind of abandoned it. When I started making this record, I was finally able to finish it.

What’s the weirdest place you’ve ever written a song?
I know the answer to that. It was when I was in high school. I was in Spanish class taking a test, and I wrote one of the songs on my album.

[Both laugh] While taking the test?
While taking the test.

What did you get on the test?
Probably a horrible grade! I do not remember.

Did you find a problem being a lesbian versus doing Christian music? Did that have any influence on your breaking away from Nashville and perhaps from Christian music, and moving to L.A.?
At the time, I couldn’t necessarily blame that specifically, because at that time I was sort of unaware of that about myself [being a lesbian]. There were definitely a lot of things I found to be really hypocritical in that industry overall, and that in itself drove me away. But I do think, subconsciously, that had something to do with it. In the following couple of years I discovered that [I am a lesbian], and definitely felt like if nothing else alienated me from that industry, that definitely would. So yes, I would say that it had something to do with it, but I wouldn’t blame it completely.

I’ve had great experiences in other places, and maybe I’ll move back again sometime, but my family is here [in Houston], I have a lot of friends here. I’ve discovered that any city is about what you make of it. It’s not about the city, it’s about the people and what you’re doing and if you’re loving what you’re doing there. This just feels like home.

OutSmart is an LGBT magazine, as you know, so our lesbian readers are going to want to know: how’s your love life?
[Hesitates, then laughs] Well, I am actually recently single.

That tells us there will be lots of new material coming, then!
[Laughs harder] I’m sure there will!

Speaking not only as a musician but also as someone who has a degree in marketing, why do you think that success in this business seems to be as much about the package as about the content, if not more so? Do you experience that?
Oh definitely, definitely. Part of my big reason for studying advertising was, if music doesn’t work out, I think I would enjoy it. But at the same time, I know I’m going to be able to use this for my music. And I have been able to. It’s really hard for me to look at myself as a product, but that’s really the deal. And it sucks. I don’t like that, because I’m very connected to the meaning of my music, and the integrity of the song and words.
It’s just so important to stay true to what you know fits you.

When you’re onstage, what do you want people to know about you?
I feel like [it’s important] to open yourself up to being in front of as many people that will allow you to play for them. It’s an interesting challenge. But I just feel . . . I don’t judge people. I don’t treat people in any way other than assuming the best of them. I feel like it’s really a positive thing to kind of get out here for everybody and not limit the potential for things.

Then you don’t feel limited by the lesbian-with-a-guitar thing?
Exactly, because I’m much more than that. Everyone is much more than a label. I feel like I know what I want and I believe in my music, and there’s no reason why I need to limit that in any way.

Okay then, when you’re onstage, what don’t you want people to know about you?
[Laughs] Why would I tell you that?


Paige Lewis’s CDs and concert dates are available at www.thepaige.com. - OutSmart

Paige Lewis has done a lot in her young life, but the noblest endeavor she’s completed might be the creation of Project Prayer Box, a non-profit initiative to provide encouragement through prayers.

Lewis grew up in Katy, attending Taylor High School in the early 2000s and playing for the Mustangs through her junior year, when they were state finalists in 1999 and 2002. She left Taylor in 2002 to pursue a musical career after releasing a self-titled contemporary Christian record. Lewis then attended UT Austin, enrolling in the school’s Texas Creative Program for advertising. When she graduated in December 2009, Lewis returned to music, releasing three more independent albums.

Only days after moving to Los Angeles in July 2013 to further pursue music, her mother Sherry was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It took a lot of courage and bravery to even move out there in the first place,” Paige Lewis said. “For not even a couple months to go by and find out she was extremely sick — that was very challenging.”

Miles away from Texas, Paige began to wonder what she could do for her mother. Paige decided to hike up a mountainous landform in Wildwood Canyon Park near her apartment. Paige and Sherry had hiked the trail together once before while Paige moved into her new spot.

When Paige reached the top on her second go-around, she began to pray.

“There’s something about being so high up in the air. I felt closer to God up there,” Paige said.

Then it hit her. Paige would write out each of her prayers for her mother and carry them up the mountain. She emptied out a coffee can to store them, which she called her prayer box. Up and back, each hike was about 4-miles.

Looking around for a place to store the prayer box, a city official working on a nearby radio tower told her the story of a lone tree on top of the hill. When he told Paige the tree survived a wildfire, she thought it would be the perfect place to store her prayer box. She named this tree the “survival tree”.

Paige took photos during each of her 45 trips to deliver prayers. The daughter then asked other friends and family members to write prayers, which she would deliver as well. More than 100 prayers were delivered to the box.

Back at home, Sherry Lewis was undergoing chemo treatment at Memorial Hermann Memorial City with the guidance of Texas Oncology's Dr. Frankie Holmes.

“There had been previous biopsies, but it never happened to be anything,” Sherry said. “Why is this timing so horrible?” the mother thought after hearing her diagnosis.

While doctors told Sherry the cancer was an aggressive form, they said it was also easily targeted by the chemo.

“By the time they did the surgery, it was virtually not there,” she said.

In December 2013, Dr. Liz Lee from Memorial Hermann Katy performed what is called a “ghostectomy”, in which the tumor needing removal has shrunk so much that it appears to be nonexistent. Lee removed tissue surrounding the tumor’s location and four lymph nodes for good measure.

On Christmas before the operation, Sherry received a book from Paige documenting each hike with photos and copies of the prayers.

“I was overwhelmed with the book and letters,” Sherry said.

Sherry would then be treated with radiation starting in February 2014 and ending in March.

This past July, the mother and daughter completed the hike once again. It was the one-year anniversary of the first hike they completed together. This time, they brought along family and friends, including husband and father Tad Lewis.

“It was absolutely so emotional,” Sherry said. “The first hike was just about having fun and getting exercise. We didn’t know it would be so symbolic.”

Paige hiked the prayer box up the hill. The group read each prayer from those that were present during a short devotional, and Sherry carried it back down. They believed the prayers had been answered.

As Paige prayed for her mother, she also began receiving prayers from people about other matters. She decided to keep her hikes going with a new prayer box for others, naming her journey Project Prayer Box. The new box now has close to 250 prayers.

“This is showing me that there is power in praying for someone and there’s power in believing in something bigger than yourself,” Paige said.

After achieving non-profit status, Paige hopes she can work with people in other parts of the country to bring Project Prayer Box to cities around the U.S. Next on her list is Austin.

People can learn more about Project Prayer Box and submit prayers at www.projectprayerbox.com.

Sherry Lewis is a longtime west Houston resident, growing up in the Memorial area and graduating from Westchester High School before attending UT Austin and moving to Katy where she married and raised a family. She teaches school at Alexander Elementary. - Memorial Examiner

A 16-year-old singer/songwriter powerhouse from Katy, TX, Paige Lewis is like the teenage Amy Grant in scope and worshipful attitude, only edgier and hipper for the new millennium. Hard to say if this comparison -- or another obvious one, that her voice has all the edgy intensity of Alanis Morrisette, only geared upwards rather than inwards towards anger -- would be taken as a compliment by Lewis, but like Grant, she's a CCM superstar in the making. And like Morrisette, she's got an undeniable vocal conviction and emotional power. Veteran producers David Rice and Matt Hammon create an amazing wall of sound for her, as on the throbbing, brass- and choir-enhanced opening track, "Hide Myself in You," which has anthem potential. "Heart of Hearts" mixes nature sounds, shuffling grooves, and a spirit of obedience. "Cry Holy" has the gritty intensity of an Alanis tune, but she gives her brokenness over to the Lord amidst maybe a bit of overkill in the percussive production. "So Not About Me" takes a cool, youthful detour towards ska-land, mixing a Phil Spector wall-of-sound flavor. "Here in the Light" features a bluesy rock vibe, lush vocal harmonies, and a playful harmonica solo. Like any young person caught up in the worship experience, Lewis keeps her lyrics potent but simple; it's her diversity as a songwriter which will lead her to a successful career. Her goal seems to be speaking spiritually to her own generation -- and a closing track like "Darkness Into Light" is a perfect message to young people whose lives in the modern world are often so complicated. - AllMusic

New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ PLA Media) Singer/songwriter Paige Lewis is enjoying one good day after another with the success of the first single off of current album, One Good Day, which is currently #18 in the Top 50 Albums of AirPlay Direct and climbing. Channeling influence from the likes of John Mayer, The Beatles, and Imogen Heap, Paige is sure to please you with her catchy lyrics along with Sheryl Crow/Michelle Branch feel-good melodies that will leave you tapping your foot and singing along. A talented songwriter, Paige has been penning her own material since learning to play piano at the age of five and later picking up the guitar. Teaming up with acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, Matt Hammon, she wrote all ten of the tracks off her new release and is excited to be able to share this material with the world. "I believe my music is melodic, honest and heartfelt and I feel it will make an impact to those who hear it…I believe this is the best record I've recorded and I'm ready to show everyone what I have and what I'm made of!" Small-town Texas native Paige Lewis has logged countless miles criss-crossing the country writing and performing at legendary venues like LA's famed The Viper Room, and opening for Vertical Horizon, Katy Perry, P.O.D. and Switchfoot. Two of her original songs were featured in the Ridley Scott film Matchstick Men, starring Academy-Award- winner Nicholas Cage. Paige also received an ASCAP songwriting award for composing CCM artist Rachael Lampa's hit, I'm All Yours. With her own optimistic and unique style, Paige is ready to show the world that she's on her way! For more information on Paige, please visit www.thepaige.com and www.facebook.com/paigelewismusic. Read more at: https://tr.im/l6K9F - Top 40 Charts

Hailing from our own Sacramento area, Adrian Bourgeois is set to release his new album, Pop/Art, early next year, and the result certainly lives up to his aspirations for the album. Bourgeois has said the title “is as much a description as a statement of intent” and says that the goal was to bridge the gap between pop music and music intended as high art. He has done so quite effectively, alternately inspiring the listener to contemplation with thoughtful lyricism and composition, and making you want to simply enjoy the musicality. More than anything though, my experience with this album was that it encouraged me to share it with others.

Though the artists Bourgeois has been compared to have never been on my personal list of favorites, something about the way in which Bourgeois takes cues from artists such as the Beach Boys, Elvis Costello, Ben Folds, and Rufus Wainwright, and adds his own personal touch creates a musical quality that is immediately attractive. His work is accessible and diverse, the album sounding “sort of like a greatest hits collection,” in his own words. The material used for the 24-song album spans a long period of time, some songs being written years prior to the release, just after Bourgeois completed his first album in high school. With so much time and opportunity for influence, it is no wonder that there is a wide range of sounds in this album.

In his mid-twenties now, Bourgeois recently made the move to Los Angeles, where he continued working on Pop/Art, almost entirely independently. Bourgeois mentioned there being a few offers from recording companies to help produce his work, but found that “all the ‘almost’ offers” were only putting off what he could produce himself. With only a few key guests assisting with harmonies and orchestral instruments, Bourgeois finished Pop/Art, knowing it was more important that the album be heard, rather than wait on offers that never quite came through. In order to take on such an endeavor, Bourgeois taught himself how to play many of the instruments heard on his album, sometimes taking days to get down a single part. Bourgeois says the challenge was “not just to get the part right, but to capture the imagined chemistry of a band.”

Bourgeois describes the effect of having only himself to answer to creatively as a positive one, being able to make his music in the most honest way, rather than trying to keep commercial success at the forefront. In listening to the finished work, it is easy to hear the earnest quality of a performance and the harmony of a polished composition, created and captured by one artist with a mastery of his art.

After completing his long-term project, Bourgeois said, “It’s really scary to finally finish what you’ve been working on.” Having enjoyed the work of making music, the task now lies with getting it heard, something that is central to Bourgeois in his career as a musician. The singer spoke fondly about past tours and expressed a desire to possibly go on tour again in the spring or summer with his band, See How They Run, though he hasn’t announced official plans so far. For now, Bourgeois is settling into LA’s music scene, enjoying the atmosphere of being surrounded by other motivated artists.

As a musician and as an individual, Adrian Bourgeois shows a kind of enthusiasm for his work and life that is a delight to encounter. His work in Pop/Art shows that passion for the different sides of the musical world, embracing both the simple and deep paths that music can take, and combining them quite beautifully. In all, my take on this album and this artist is that he has provided music that will be enjoyed by any who come to it willing to find enjoyment.

The official release for Pop/Art is February 4, 2014. You can also pre-order the album now at adrianbourgeois.bandcamp.com and get an immediate download. - Tube Magazine

This is an album that took a long time to review. Like the album cover, full of galaxies and nebulae, Adrian Bourgeois’s new album, Pop/Art, is a big concept. Really big. In the 24 songs, Adrian’s laid it all on the line. And in the end, after the last note echoes into the distance, that’s a good thing. It’s a bit messy, full of beautiful lyrics, catchy melodies and great production, and it’s well worth a listen.

There are a lot of ideas and tones dancing through this album – catchy love songs reminiscent of the Beatles (‘Everybody Knows It Was Me’), aching ballads (‘Don’t Look Away’), songs full of angst-filled questions about the purpose of life and being lost and found (‘Waterfalls,’ ‘The Lost and The Free’). Some of them resonate stronger than others, but the more you listen, the more you realize every song is a piece of the tapestry that is Adrian Bourgeois. Almost every song has a different style to it, and each track is fully produced, from the western ‘Waterfalls’ complete with wailing harmonica solo and bouncing piano to heavy rock anthem “The Lost and The Free,” which has a taste of both The Killers and Bruce Springsteen.

Immediately, the lyrics stand out as the strong point of the album. Adrian has a spectacular way with words; he paints a picture clearly and knows how to hit the heart at just the right moment. Some of the best moments of the album come when he turns a common phrase unexpectedly into a piece of poetry:

She makes him laugh and he laughs like a child
Who would’ve thought laughter could grow in the wild
(New December)

You’re only as strong as what your hands can hold,
And what your hands can’t hold,
You can’t claim as yours
(As Your Hands Can Hold)

This isn’t an album for all audiences. This isn’t trying to be. Adrian is putting everything out there, and it’s raw, personal, multi-faceted and sometimes messy and sometimes beautiful – hey! Like life! But for those that want to listen to a good story of epic proportions, told by a poet whose skills will only get sharper, this is the album for you. There’s no better karma then supporting an emerging artist. Also – it’s only $15 for all 24 tracks!

Favorites: Waterfalls, Don’t Look Away, As Your Hands Can Hold, My Sweet Enemy, The Howling Wind - Music Worth Reviewing

Adrian Bourgeois proves the album is an art form worth saving with his latest release, Pop/Art

Words by James Barone • Photo by Caitlin Bellah

The digital music revolution, with its emphasis on EPs and singles, has set into motion the extinction of the traditional long-form album, but local singer/songwriter Adrian Bourgeois says not so fast.

On Feb. 4, 2014, Bourgeois is set to release his latest work, Pop/Art, a 24-song double album. It will be his first release since his self-titled debut, which he put out in 2007.

“You keep hearing that the album is dead and people have such short attention spans and nobody wants to listen to more than 30 seconds of a song… So what’s the logical response to that? Make a double album,” Bourgeois tells Submerge over the phone. “There are really no rules to this thing anymore. Why not just do the absolute worst possible thing to do? You might as well, right? If you love it, if it’s what you want to make, then make it.”

Bourgeois says he’s been working on the songs that appear on Pop/Art for “seven years or so.” After the release of his first album, he’d come to something of a crossroads in his musical career. His debut was getting good reviews and seemed to be generating interest in the industry, but things weren’t quite happening for him just yet. He was unsure whether or not to keep working his first album or start working on a new one.

“I started talking to a couple of different people about the prospects of making a record, and a couple of opportunities came up, but they got postponed,” he says. “All the while, I was writing more songs. At some point along the way, I decided I got to make another album at some point, and waiting for another opportunity to come around is not really getting me anywhere these days, so I should probably take matters into my own hands and do it myself.”

So, Bourgeois armed himself with $500 worth of recording equipment that he says he’d purchased with Christmas money and took a route that many indie musicians have done in the digital age: He started making an album in his bedroom.

While this may sound like a very personal, intimate process (and it was for Bourgeois), the songwriter says he focused more on the craft of the songs as opposed to the feelings behind them.

“A lot of times when I’ll write a song, the first thing that I’ll hear is the track. I’ll hear the finished product before I’ve ever written anything, and then it’s almost like learning the song,” he says.

“It was kind of liberating to sit down and bring them to life.”

He worked on Pop/Art for two and a half years, mostly on his own, playing almost all of the instruments. However, as he said to Submerge in an email, the album wasn’t entirely a one-man show. Cake trumpeter Vince DiFiore and Probyn Wilson (the Brian Wilson Band and many others) both make appearances, as do local colleagues Autumn Sky and Ricky Berger. Bourgeois’ father Brent also pitched in. Bourgeois confides that Berger’s contribution to Pop/Art extended beyond just lending her vocal talents to the record.

“There were some songs on here that I sent to her and she said, ‘You’re better than this. Keep working on it,’ and I trust her enough to hear that from her,” Bourgeois says. “The album would not be as good as it was if not for her.”

Pop/Art is an instantly gratifying album highlighted by Bourgeois’ creamy vocals and lush arrangements. Songs such as “Jonah” provide a grittier rock punch while the piano-driven opener “New December” harkens back to pop’s grand, vinyl past…you know, back when people actually listened to albums en masse. At 24 tracks, it’s impossible to find one that’s simply filler. However, though the album certainly stands as an accomplishment, setting a high bar for Sacramento’s 2014 local releases, Bourgeois remains humble.

“I almost consider this double album to be a complete underachievement because in the amount of time it took me to make this, The Beatles recorded Rubber Sole, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper, Magic Mystery Tour and The White Album, so this is me slumming it I guess, when you think about it, in comparison,” Bourgeois says.

Bourgeois lends further insight into the making of Pop/Art in the following interview.

Were you shopping your debut album to labels?
Yes and no. A label is one potential tool that I considered and flirted with over the years. My goal is to get my music heard by as many people as possible. There were people along the way who have helped me a lot and have provided opportunities. Any musician will tell you this: You get a lot of people with great intentions who say they love you and the music you make and they’re going to make things happen for you, and then you never hear from them again. There’s a lot of that, and that’s fine. I understand there are all sorts of factors that need to be taken into consideration. The good thing about today is that it’s a lot more possible than maybe ever before to say, “I’m going to put it out myself, and I’m going to distribute it myself.” The tools I have to do that really aren’t that much less than what anyone else has. They might have the relationships and the contacts to get it heard by, quote-unquote, the right people…but I don’t even know what “the right people” means anymore. At this point, I want people who like the music to hear it, and those are “the right people.”

It was six or seven years since your last album. Were you getting disillusioned at any point?
I grew up in a musical family. My dad was in the music industry for a long time… I kind of had a balanced view and a realistic view of how everything worked, but it was frustrating sometimes, definitely. I think “Shot in the Dark” [from Pop/Art] was written about that… But I understand. The music industry is a place of short attention spans. They hear you and they love you, but then they hear someone else that they love. There are just so many different factors that I stopped analyzing it too much and took a proactive approach. What can I do to make the life that I want for myself.

Did having a father in the music industry help you gain that perspective?
Yeah, absolutely. It’s definitely given me a lot of experience without necessarily having to experience it first in a lot of ways, if that makes sense.
On the other hand, I feel like I know too much because I’m quicker sometimes to not try something because I know it doesn’t work that way. And then you see some band that knows nothing about the music industry and does something extremely rash and stupid and it makes them world famous. There’s that Catch 22. But overall, he’s great to have around for advice and his years of experience.

You said these songs were written over a seven-year period. You must have gone through a lot of growth as a songwriter and as a person in that time. Do you hear that when you listen to the album? Does it almost sound like a scrapbook of the past seven years of your life?
It’s interesting, because I don’t think I’ve changed all that much as a person over the course of my life. If you’d known me as a 6-year-old, I’m pretty much the same guy, I think…maybe a little wiser, maybe a little less. I think it’s the same thing with my music. A lot of people at some point go through this radical transformation, but that’s never been me. I’ve just evolved over time and refined who I was, but I’ve always been at the core the same person. That’s why I think songs from six or seven years ago fit just fine next to songs I wrote even in the process of recording [Pop/Art]. But it is interesting hearing that growth. It’s almost discombobulating when I imagine what these songs were written about. One song on the record might be about meeting somebody, and the next song is about being in a relationship with that person, and the song after that is about breaking up with that person…
At the end of the day, if nothing else happens, it’s something that I’m always going to appreciate having. It’s like a diary or anything you have in your life that just captures this period of who you were. I’ve never been one for tattoos, but this album is my tattoo, I guess. This is me and who I was and the imprint I made at that point in time.

You said you hear the whole arrangement before you even start writing a song. Have you always listened to music that way? Do you think, “OK, this is how this was put together?”
When I listen to music—I overanalyze everything—but with music, I expect it to be really good. I don’t listen to a wide variety of music. When you ask them what kind of music they like, most people will say they like a little bit of everything, but I’m the exact opposite of that. I like a lot of a few things. It’s less necessarily important to me as to how it makes me feel or if it relates to me, I’m like, “Is this a really great lyric? Is this a really great melody? How is this arrangement brilliant?” And if it isn’t, I don’t listen to it. If I was stuck having to listen to just The Beatles or The Beach Boys for the rest of my life, I probably wouldn’t complain too much.

Celebrate the release of Pop/Art at Luigi’s Fungarden at 6 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2014. In the meantime, pre-order a copy of the album today at Adrianbourgeois.bandcamp.com, and you’ll be able to download a digital copy of the entire thing immediately. Pop/Art will be officially released on Feb. 4, 2014. - Submerge Magazine