The Burned

THE BURNED GETS STOKED BY SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM RELEASE
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THE BURNED GETS STOKED BY SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM RELEASE

It would be easy to say the debut album by The Burned is hot and why not? It’s an incendiary self-titled first effort by singer/songwriter Kurt Baumann featuring12 tracks of mesmerizing lyricism and melodies that assert that someone with enough talent and a burning vision can still tell a good story with a good song. There’s depth to Baumann’s songwriting as The Burned, carving out a place on music’s mantle where awards and accolades are sure to eventually settle.

But enough of the obvious adjectives that will no doubt follow The Burned throughout its career. Although the vision is Baumann’s alone, he plans on bringing a payload of top notch Austin and California area musicians with him for the ride. Just where that ride goes remains to be seen, but this much is known: there are 3 digital tracks burning brightly at the moment in advance of the fullalbum release on January 26, 2010.

The album is the product of Baumann’s years in the business: first as a member of the popular rock band Kan’Nal; and more-recently as the frontman of Grammy-winning DJ Adam Freeland’s electro-rock trio, Freeland (which he spent considerable time on the road with this past summer). With all this seasoning, it’s no wonder the album delivers on many musical fronts and is flavored with ominous, masterful storytelling with tracks like “Where Are We Now,” “Monster” and “Make Believe.

”
“It’s the storytelling and commitment to crafting my own sound,” says Baumann with the authority and experience of a well-seasoned veteran and the desire to make it on his own, “I’ve tested myself on different levels over the years, and the answers are contained on thisalbum,” he adds.

Teaming up with veteran Producer and friend Dik Darnell [Baby Huey (Curtis Mayfield); Stallion (Casablanca); Jimmy Ibbotson of the Dirt Band; co-writer and producer with John Denver; and artist/producer/engineer at Caribou Ranch where Elton John, Chicago, The Beach Boys, Michael Murphy, Joe Walsch and many more recorded in the 70's], Baumann has really dug deep within himself for this first soloalbum creating memorable grooves, lyrics, melodies and a sound that carries people to discover deeper places within themselves.

“Where Are We Now” has already appeared on the TV landscape, being featured in the second season’s premier episode of CRASH on the Starz network.

Now, with the combination of raw talent and industry wisdom, The Burned is in position to cut a broad swath in the music industry because this is a wildfire coming that won’t be easily contained.

- MVRemix

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Influenced heavily by DJ Don Davis from WDVE in Pittsburgh, PA in the early 1970s, Andy Bargerstock was a college radio DJ in Pennsylvania from 1973-76 when he was known as "The Underground Man." With a continuing passion for music that is not mainstream, Andy offers a unique mix of music that stirs the soul. Some say the music produces endorphins in the listener.
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Home » Blogs » Andy Bargerstock's blog
FRINGE TOAST - THE BURNED!!

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Wed
Feb 24
9:00 pm -
11:00 pm

by Andy Bargerstock

kurt baumannAre you ready for another cosmic journey with DJ Andy Bargerstock? See link to playlist below. Here's a sneak preview of this week's show. Fringe Toast theme song band, The Burned, takesthea gilmore center stage for an extended set during first hour featuring lead singer, Kurt Baumann, (photo) with his soaring, ethereal vocals and haunting guitar. Check out the lyrics from "Where are We Now" from 2010 CD. Returning artist, Thea Gilmore (photo), shines again with new track, "Cold Coming". Singer-songwriters from soundtrack to movie, Dear John, include Amanda Seyfried, Joshua Radin, and Deborah Lurie.

As we move into the chill-out zone in second hour, pay close attention to new tracks from Danish lass, Tina Dico (former lead from Zero 7), Canada's electronic sensation, Delerium, Irish-West African fusion band, Afro-Celt Soundsystem, and another undiscovered track from defunct Aussie band, Single Gun Theory (yeah, this is the band that everyone's been grooving to over past two weeks). Prepare for electronic-swoon music from UK's William Orbit and Virginia's Magic Sound Fabric (a.k.a., Cameron Akhunaton) who unveils ever-deeper layers of his mystical musical sojourn bridging electronic, dub, alternative, and ambient musical styles. Mark your calender. Spread the word. Click here for playlist. - KRUU

4 THE BURNED

SONG “Where Are We Now” (radio edit)

AVAILABLE FOR AIRPLAY now

CD The Burned (Phantasma Music)

ON SALE now

PRODUCED BY Dik Darnell, Kurt Baumann



LINKS Facebook MySpace Twitter YouTube

HOME Austin

AIRPLAY KBAC, WTTS



AND ANOTHER THING The Burned is the debut from The Burned, the alter ego of Kurt Baumann, former singer and songwriter of jam band Kan’Nal. Baumann also toured the world in 2009 as the frontman for Freeland, a trio put together by Grammy-winning DJ Adam Freeland, and he’ll soon be seen as one-half of The SeaStars, a new project with Katie Gray. “Where Are We Now” was played during the season two premiere of Crash on the Starz network.



QUOTE “Thought provoking, current day lyrics are combined with mellow, acoustic and electronic sounds that extend themselves creating visual experiences that transcend definition! It is impossible to listen to without feeling and hearing so much more than just a song.” —Skope



CONTACT J.B. Brenner (The J.B. Brenner Company) 805.777.7999

- AAA Radio

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The Burned: Self-titled
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Campus Circle

In a time when people claim that the world’s end is nigh, Kurt Baumann, from the Burned, has a 12-tracks-long message to share with those who are ready to listen. In his solo debut, Kurt Baumann sets off on an emotional journey that’s in constant flux. The tone starts off dark, then it bleeds into the nostalgic numbers and suddenly the sound is swept up to optimistic. Although his latest album, The Burned, sounds a bit apocalyptic, Baumann says that he is “not trying to preach,” but rather wants to share his views and inspire listeners. It's a good thing there’s still time, because his full-length solo album is not one to ignore.Songs such as “Where Are We Now,” “Monster” and “Man Running” are reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” an eerie walk through a disturbed, troubled mind. Mix that together with the echoed vocals, deep-felt lyrics, and excellent guitar riffs and you’ve got Pink Floyd’s prodigy.Baumann’s soothing voice, reflective lyrics and hearty melodies in “Time” featuring Katie Gray, “Make Believe” and “Listen” are worth hitting replay. Track 12 marks the end of Baumann’s first literary recording, but not the end of his musical verve.
Grade: A
- Campus Circle

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Posted: 02/09/10
It's "Time" for the prom -- and for the Burned, featuring Katie Gray -- on "Make It or Break It."

You heard it in the episode "Save the Last Dance." If only all proms had such cool tunes.

"I can hear music in the stars/I can paint pictures with my voice."

That's a line from "Music in the Stars," and it hints at the signature style of the Burned, aka Kurt Baumann.

"People have described my music as kind of spooky and dark," says Kurt, whose musical inspiration is rooted in his home state of Texas, a melting pot of country, blues, soul, rock, R&B, and psychedelic sounds.

Born in San Antonio and raised in rural east Texas, Kurt's been a vocalist from the time he could walk. He would sing country songs for his elementary school show and tell. Even back then, he had serious stage presence.

As a teen, Kurt lived in places like Saudi Arabia and Germany with his sister and dad, who was an airline pilot. Living abroad didn't stop him from deepening his love of American music. His favorite singers included country music icons like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. His sister turned him on to rock 'n' roll visionaries like John Lennon, Jim Morrison, and David Bowie. Never one to limit himself to just a few musical styles, Kurt went on to play in a grunge-style punk band and then in the popular jam band Kan'Nal.

But it wasn't until Kurt gave up music and traveled to Mexico that he found something to sing about.

"I wanted to find a deeper thing within myself to present to the world," he says.

Living in an abandoned mining town tucked in the Mexican mountains, he had a number of explorative journeys and mystical experiences that inspired him. From country music to grunge to mysticism, Kurt also counts Native American traditions as a major influence.

"I'm fascinated with the desert visions of Native Americans, the whole makeup of that subconscious realm," he says. "It's like those ceremonies that are thousands of years old and tap into the underlying grid of what's real. I'm trying to put that mystery and magic into the music without having people judge it. Mainly, I want it to be good music to listen to, but to also trigger something a little deeper inside."

Speaking of the subconscious (or maybe we were just thinking about it), one of Kurt's favorite authors is Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, and it's no surprise that Jung's teachings find their way into Kurt's music.

"I've always dipped into elements of the subconscious as a writer. Some of the sounds I choose trigger those feelings of something underneath the surface, hidden from view."

There's an apocalyptic, end-of-days feel to the Burned's music, but Kurt insists he's a glass-half-full kind of guy.

"It's not like I feel I can change the world, but I really want to put stuff out there that can help people, make them feel better," says Kurt. "Give them the seeds they can plant and grow something beautiful with. I want people to discover things within themselves through the music."

We think we've discovered a favorite new artist.

What's your favorite discovery about the Burned?

Find " The Burned (featuring Katie Gray)" on iTunes! - ABC

The great thing about The Burned (which is really just Kurt Baumann's name for his solo project) is that it sounds like music Zach Braff might pick for a movie soundtrack, but darker. It's got an original edge to it that makes it far more interesting than the dainty indie rock most of us are used to.

It's hard to say who Baumann sounds like – at times you can hear his influences (from Willie Nelson to Jim Morrison), and sometimes he slows down and sounds like Sam Beam of Iron & Wine with a cold. Baumann's voice is raspy, but it doesn't sound forced or strange. He sings with just the right amount of grunge to make his voice appealing and interesting, without going over the top.

The lyrics on The Burned aren't just clever, they're ingenious. On “Hard Lesson”, a sexy, in-your-face track, Baumann says, “yeah I can taste your memory/I've been hypnotized/.....you always want what you can't have/I don't believe in 'I can't have'”, but he slows down on “Make Believe” and sings, “you create the world you want to see outside/and remember what it's like to play God”. The Burned is somehow full of songs that sound different, but manage to go together at the same time.

Baumann plays the guitar and piano, and co-produced the album. The music is as good as the lyrics; it's a mix of rock songs with a hard edge and slower, well-produced and played tracks. No one tries to out-shine anyone else, and there's never a point where the music seems to be trying too hard or not doing enough.

On “Listen”, Baumann sings “I'm going to do my own thing with this life”. He's done his own thing on The Burned, and it shows. There is no gimmick here – there is only Baumann's talent. - Muzik Reviews

The Burned: "Where Are We Now?"
I discovered an uncredited song the other night at the end of Season 2, Episode 1 of Crash.

After a long Google search, I found the name of the singer/songwriter of the haunting piece of music was one, Kurt Baumann. I found him on a site for unsigned musicians called Band Camp.

The song which fit perfectly into the finale of the first episode of Season 2 of Crash was Baumann's "Where Are We Now?"

Kurt Baumann writes:

I wrote this song on a transformational journey down in the desert lands of Mexico. It was also featured on the season premier of "Crash" in October 2009.

(Note: The Burned is Baumann's band name. And his first album The Burned will release on Jan. 26, 2010.

Click this link to hear the first cut, "Where Are We Now".

lyrics to "Where Are We Now?"

I remember I’ve been here before
Some other time some other doorway in my mind
Straight back to you
The grass is never greener than it was before
I’ve seen her change her mind and blink her eye
Its still the same place
Oh Where are we now
Missing a few pieces to your broken hearted Jesus
May the shining light of reason guide us all
Inner voices outer choices opposites and Godly forces
All lead me back home to you
Oh where are we now
Far away
World wide
Heaven hides
I just don’t feel it anymore
It used to be here once before
But I just don’t feel it anymore
Oh where are we now
Posted by Rock Trueblood at 12:30 AM
Labels: Kurt Baumann, Music, The Burned - Rock Trueblood

“I can hear music in the stars, I can paint pictures with my voice,” claims singer/ songwriter Kurt Baumann in “Music in the Stars,” one of the songs on “The Burned”, the name of his solo debut project to be released in January 2010.

“The Burned” is a loose translation of a secret place Kurt goes to create songs and music. He decided to name the project after the inspiration itself. Born in San Antonio, and growing up in a rural East Texas town, his parents separating when he was three, Kurt and his sister lived their teen years with their father, an airline pilot who once worked for the Prime Minister of Lebanon, in such exotic locales as Saudi Arabia and Germany. As a child, his favorite singer was Willie Nelson, but he also listened to master storytellers like Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson before his sister turned him on to rock & roll, eventually drawing him to visionaries such as John Lennon, Jim Morrison and David Bowie. Although he played in a grunge-style punk garage band while in Germany, then was a member of the popular jam band Kan’nal, he traveled a long road to write his solo bow that took him to a mystical, transcendent experience in an abandoned mining town tucked away among the mountains of Mexico where he wrote much of the album..

“People have described my music as kind of spooky and dark,” says Baumann, much of its inspiration coming from the parched terrain of his home state that has produced a musical melting pot of country, blues, soul, rock, R&B and psychedelic sounds. “I needed to fulfill this vision by going back to my Texas roots.”

That background can be heard in songs like the sun-baked “Where Are We Now,” with its jangling guitars, whispered vocals and a cappella choir: the distorted rock guitars of “Monster;” the loping, atmospheric “What We Know;” the sensual blues of “Hard Lesson;” the ominous, Pink Floyd acid strains of the sci-fi “Man Running;” and the soaring chamber string sextet which climaxes “Make Believe” as Kurt urges us to “remember what it’s like to play God” and “make believe in miracles again.”

“I’ve always dipped into elements of the subconscious as a writer,” he says, calling Carl Jung one of his favorite authors. “Some of the sounds I choose trigger those feelings of something underneath the surface, hidden from view. It started out as an acoustic record, like Ray LaMontagne or Damien Rice, but then I began working with synthesizers, plug-ins and electric guitars during the recordings and the songs began to organically evolve with these electronic and atmospheric elements.

A vocalist from the time he could walk, Kurt would sing country songs for his elementary school show-and-tell, always knowing he had a stage presence, but it wasn’t until he gave up music, traveled to Mexico, and had a number of explorative journeys and experiences that he found he had something to write about.

“I wanted to find a deeper thing within myself to present to the world,” he says.

Biblical references dot songs like “Where Are We Now,” “What We Know” and “That’s Life,” which express that existential journey, while “Hard Lesson,” “Listen” and “More Than I Want” deal with relationships and the more emotional side of that path. The acoustic “Time” even features a duet with his partner, singer/songwriter Katie Gray. Throughout, Baumann is like a shaman, providing spiritual signposts for listeners in his musical visions.

kurt_leaves_phixr

“I’m not trying to preach, but rather share my views with others,” he says. “I’m fascinated with the desert visions of Native Americans, the whole make-up of that subconscious realm. It’s like those ceremonies that are thousands of years old and tap into the underlying grid of what’s real. I’m trying to put that mystery and magic into the music without having people judge it. Mainly, I want it to be good music to listen to, but to also trigger something a little deeper inside.” There’s an apocalyptic, end-of-days feel to music on The Burned, but Baumann insists he’s a glass-half-full kind of guy, leaving the choice up to us.

“It’s not like I feel I can change the world, but I really want to put stuff out there that can help people, make them feel better,” says Kurt. “Give them the seeds they can plant and grow something beautiful with. I want people to discover things within themselves through the music.”

On “Listen,” he combines Chris Isaak’s twangy noir classic “Wicked Game,” offering the advice, “Hang on to your dreams/Cuz dreams keep things alive.” On the majestic “That’s Life,” he reveals, “I’ve been chasing a reason/For my life,” with the same confessional gospel fervor of U2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” “In the past, I struggled so hard not to reveal my influences, but this time, I really wanted to let them shine,” he says. “I found out that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Indeed, The Burned, recorded mostly at Dik Darnell’s Colorado studio and at Castle Oaks in L.A.’s Calabasas suburb, finds Baumann increasingly comfortable with his musical palette.

“I definitely feel this album captures the essence of what I’ve been through and where I am right now,” he insists. “Obviously, I’m constantly changing, and I will try to do my best to continue getting better, but for the first time, I really enjoy something I recorded.”

Now, returning to his current hometown of Austin, Kurt has set about forming a band to play these songs live. In addition to The Burned, he has also toured and recorded with Grammy-winning DJ Adam Freeland’s electro-rock trio Freeland, is co-producing Katie Gray’s new album and joining her in a duet project called The SeaStars. “The record business may be vanishing, but the music business will always be here,” he says. “The demand for something new and good is larger than ever.”

“Until this album was made, I had never really achieved what I wanted in the studio. I created all these songs in my home studio, then Dik and I were able to cast its recording like a movie, bringing in the players and showing them the parts. We were finally able to get the sounds out that were in my head this time. The vibe and the vision were clear to me.”

“They tell me nothing lasts forever but, let me tell you to your face, you’re never gonna catch me, we’ve got to keep running.” With The Burned, Kurt Baumann’s music carries us to a world where there are no finish lines and always something greater beyond, “…just jump over the edge and see.”

www.theburned.com
www.myspace.com/theburnedmusic
www.theburned.bandcamp.com

Written By: Diana Olson – diolson05@yahoo.com - Skope Magazine

“the concerts are spectacular!” - The Washington Post

“[Baumann’s] music takes us back to the basics: simple, raw, power,” - Jambase

“likely to be as much a part of this 21st century phenomenon as the Rolling Stones and Beatles…” - The Rock N' Roll Report