Music
Press
"just waiting to be discovered by filmmaker Wes Anderson for his next
movie... simply put, the band writes honest, heartfelt songs that are
capable of making you feel nostalgic of the past and hopeful for the
future at the same time" - The Deli Magazine
"...is recommended to all who have suffered a little, yet continue to
dig in and turn life into something worth living... I love this band."
- Listen! Nashville
"If you were elsewhere last Friday night (Sept. 12) and missed The Champion and His Burning Flame, I'm sorry for you... bottom line, remember the name." - MiscPause
"... there is a chemistry and honesty in The Champion and His Burning Flame's inaugural effort, The French EP, that begs for listening, pondering and then listening again."
- Nikki King
http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2008/10/band-of-the-week-the-champion-and-his-burning-flam.html - Paste Magazine
"... while the name alone might be enough to catch someone’s attention, the band’s music — a blend of breathy Elliot Smith inspired vocals, contemplative lyrics, and dynamic acoustic arrangements — serves as the spotlight on the stage they inhabit."
Check out the entire interview here:
http://www.stereosubversion.com/features/the-champion-his-burning-flame-05-27-2009/
- stereosubversion.com
" [a] unique baroque-pop sound, a fusion of Elliott Smith’s wistful melodies, Paul McCartney’s ambitious sense of playfulness, and Leonard Cohen’s confident poeticism. The band’s filmic work is filled with sepia-toned nostalgia. Their heartbreaking blend of parlour music, mournful string sections, whisper-toned bedroom folk, and hints of 70’s AM rock is a winning melancholy mix." - CD Baby
Following up on their most enjoyable debut, The French EP, The Champion and His Burning Flame have released Song & Film - their score to the independently released film The Time Closet. The majority of the album is instrumental in nature (it is a score after all) but the bands penchant for strings, handclaps and epic pop leanings makes for a compelling listen, even without having seen the movie it accompanies. Digital versions of the twenty tracks of goodness can be purchased on their official site for a mere $5. Worth every penny. - Weownthistown.net
I always feel like an idiot when I discover and fall in love with a band that other people apparently have been talking about for months, especially if that band made a point of actually sending me its CD. The latest is a 5-piece group from Nashville, Tenn. called The Champion And His Burning Flame. The group's beautiful debut EP, The French, came out last Fall and has been drawing high praise, but only recently made its way to my desk.
The French features a little more than 20 minutes of reflective, acoustic pop ballads and gentle jams. The songs take a lot of cues from the work of Elliott Smith, with wispy vocals, sweet harmonies, and the kind of production that makes the mix seem to radiate with a cozy, warm glow.
Members of The Champion And His Burning Flame are seekers. They say they like to write about redemption and forgiveness and the beauty they see in these uniquely human experiences, and that they're searching for "importance in art." From what I've heard on The French, it sounds like they've already found it.
- NPR
We've been selected as Filter Magazine's Band of the Month for January 2009. Go here to see the full story:
http://blog.filter-mag.com/filter/2009/01/undiscovered-band-of-the-month-the
-champion-and-his-burning-flame.html
Thanks to all at Filter, we're very humbled.
- the champion AHBF - Filter-mag.com
The Expert has been featured as track 6 in this month's issue (Feb '09) of the Paste CD Sampler! - Paste Magazine
Discography
The Champion and His Burning Flame-The French EP
(release date July 2008)
Song & Film- A Feature Length Film Score
(release date June 2009)
Photos
Bio
First things first; bands can and should be important. I remember the first time I listened to Needle in the Hay, Eleanor Rigby, Hallelujah; these were Moments. Real Moments in my life proving to me that music is a true Art form capable of bringing both heartbreak and perspective. The music these bands/artists created captured something about the human experience and put it on display with a frailty so intimate that one could begin to use the word "damaged" in a good way; Damaged like a pair of well-worn hands.
With minds, hearts and hands The Champion and His Burning Flame is searching for the importance in Art. Some day He'll find it, trap it, teach it to sing, and then you'll be in for it; yes, in for it.
The Champion began as a friendship between Dave and Trevor; two young song writers who are heavily influenced by pop music, literature and friends. After a summer recording session, two of those friends, Jeremy and Tim, joined the band and the foursome set to work on their first project. The result is an indie-pop EP, that is both full of energy and thought-provoking; two qualities that also describe their live shows. The Champion seeks to initiate a dialogue about what it means to be both human and an artist.
contacts: dave@thechampionandhisburningflame.com or myspace.com/thechampionandhisburningflame
Links
