Color Theory

Color Theory is the musical alter ego of Huntington Beach, California singer-keyboardist-songwriter Brian Hazard. Hazard creates electronic indie piano pop, layering classical piano with sonic ingredients from Depeche Mode and The Postal Service. "Hazard writes songs that are intensely personal and uses technology to enhance material that is as emotive as the best folk." (Robert Kinsler, Orange County Register)

From 1994-2001, Hazard developed his signature piano plus electronics sound over four Color Theory albums. In 2002, he received a grant from Jim Beam to record Something Beautiful, an all-acoustic set that could likely double as a Broadway musical. The next year he released Color Theory presents Depeche Mode, a one-man tribute to the forefathers of electronic pop. The album reinvents eleven of their most underappreciated songs, and also includes the track "Ponytail Girl", the Color Theory original that was mistakenly credited as a Depeche Mode track from their Exciter album.

Five years in the making, 2008's The Thought Chapter features a Death Cab for Cutie classic and eleven new originals. “If It's My Time to Go” won both a Lennon Award and the Grand Prize in the Electronic category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Judged by music industry veterans and recording artists such as Bob Weir, the Veronicas, and Al Jarreau, the Lennon contest is one of today’s most prestigious international songwriting competitions. Hazard received over $8,500 in cash and musical equipment in connection with the awards, as well as free CD manufacturing for 2010’s The Sound. Color Theory’s eighth full-length album features nine new originals and a cover of “Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale” by synthpop legends a-ha.