Christopher Wilson
Baltimore, Maryland, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
"Great work on this disc. We love it and look forward to hearing more in the future." -George Young, August 10, 2007 - Country Club Productions - Australia
"A great album that has been well received." -Tony Bates, Oct 7, 2007 - Highlands 100.7 FM - Victoria, Australia
"I really enjoyed listening to your CD. Keep up doing what you're doing. Your CD has tons of airplay in my program!! Lots of success!!" -Paul Van Kuik, April 28, 2007 - Radio 0162 Dongen, The Netherlands
"This music blew me away but I liked it and so do my listeners." -Chrissy Rasmussen, April 25, 2007
- Radio Logan 101 FM - Logan City, Australia
“We hiked the falls, exhumed with awe,
August of ’93.
An eddy of patchouli hovers next to me,
in wide open beautiful spaces.
And you and I know there’s no replacing,
nestled in ivy so weathered,
the angels, my vanquished love.”
(From “83”)
Sigh.
Guys don’t write like this anymore. Which is why I’m convinced that Christopher Wilson isn’t from this time. Sure, his bio says he’s from Houston. A likely story. He’s really a troubadour from olden times who’s just visiting this era. I hope he stays away from television sets because if he happens to see MTV, he’ll probably run screaming back to his own era. And we need him in this one.
“Wading the warmest waters, table tops and tides,
Lurking with such buoyancy, in spite of all you find.”
(From “Arnold Avenue”)
“East Mall Daze” is the solo debut from this artist who’s been singing and playing guitar since age nine. These twelve songs are poetic, often acoustic pop/rock, with a splash of Spanish Flamenco flavoring in the instrumental title track and “Arnold Avenue.” Through the upbeat pop songs and dreamier ballads, he sings memories of conversations and wanderings in a high voice with earnest delivery. He takes us exploring through meadows, mountains, and relationships.
The lyrics are captivating, and magical musical moments keep emerging to accompany them. The backing vocal harmonies on “Easel” are heavenly. And I like the easy strolling tempo of “Family Function,” which presents an artistic perspective of the different kinds of people that make up a family:
“How boring just one mold,
so squares and circles fold.
Triangles are nothing new,
Let them fuss and feud.”
By his own admission, his memories may not be 100 percent accurate (“Conjure up a history that is only time,” he sings in “The Last Party”), but I like the hazy images. He sings his dreams and the way things should have been if they didn’t turn out that way.
Let yourself wander through this one with him.
-Jennifer Layton, September 4, 2001 - Indie-Music.com
"Great feeling and conscience within all the tracks, yet each track appears to have its own identity within the lyrics and the way they are portrayed to us. My favorite track is No Such Thing. Well done." -Graham J Barclay, Apr 13, 2007 - Soundwave 88.7 FM - Napier, New Zealand
"Impressive peaceful tunes, an enjoyable sensation." -Billy Ifantis, Oct 8, 2007
- Skylight Webzine - Athens, Greece
"What a great sound you have. I have played several of your tracks to date and plan to schedule more in future programs. Keep up the good work." -Michael Criddle, June 20, 2007 - Triple H 100.0 FM - Hornsby/Kuring-gai, Australia
Con su guitarra acústica de cuerdas metálicas (a veces el sonido del disco se satura con ellas), Christopher Wilson entrega un buen disco de pop acústico, influenciado en algunos momentos por alguna tendencia de folk.
Wilson nos cuenta algunas historias notoriamente personales, como la que abre el disco "83" tratando de dejar un mensaje o simplemente recordar a quien dedique su mensaje...
El disco como indico gira alrededor de la guitarra y voz (y arreglos vocales) de Wilson y, aunque quizá podría explotar o balancear otros instrumentos, el resultado es muy bueno... y qué decir de la voz de Wilson.
El ejemplo marcado en mi favorita, que no la mejor del disco: "How, Why & When", simple, acústica, de ritmo alegre: Wilson puede entregar melodías y letras pegajosas (como dije anteriormente es buen contador de historias), caso igual en "The Last Party", igual de sencilla que su predecesora.
"Family Function", envía un mensaje positivo sobre la "disfuncionalidad familiar" haciéndonos pensar más en que somos diferentes a que somos funcionales. Igual que las anteriores, se vuelve tarareable... "make the family function". Esta aura positiva parecería rondar a lo largo del disco y el resto de sus canciones.
"Easel" continua con la tónica poco variable hasta ese momento del disco (cosa que no digo de manera negativa, todo lo contrario), y considero que es la canción más elaborada a lo largo del disco. ¡Excelente!
El disco se acelera un poco con "Pardon" y sobre todo, "Wildflower" (mi segunda favorita en el disco) y sus guitarras distorsionadas, que sin embargo no se alejan del mood del disco.
Wilson entrega un buen disco de pop, folk-pop que esperamos se mantenga o supere en su siguiente trabajo: hay con qué y queda demostrado en este trabajo.
¡Un saludo hasta Houston, Texas!
-Ciro Velázquez - May 26, 2002 - eufoniaradio.net
"It's poetry delivered through music, backed by guitar-driven, pop/rock rhythms. This compilation of thought-provoking lyrics is reinforced by strong, emotional vocals." -Andrea Rodricks, December 1, 2002 - Outsmart Magazine
"The presenters are very impressed with the level of talent and production on the CD." -Philip Arnold, June 28, 2007 - Radio Fremantle 107.9 FM Hamilton Hill, Western Australia
Después de East Mall Daze, el de Houston vuelve con un disco con más rock y -en mi opinión- bastante mejor en varios aspectos. Si el primer disco reseñado era un esfuerzo con buenos resultados, Read On muestra a un Christopher Wilson más maduro, colocando a los instrumentos en su correcto lugar, privilegiando más la canción que a algún instrumento.
Baste escuchar los primeros sonidos sintéticos y el ritmo de Out There Eddy un track más bien pop, aunque bastante movido, y las cosas comienzan bien, aunque la voz y todo ya te recuerda a Wilson y parecería que East Mall Daze continuara quizá con más energía y con mayor producción… sin embargo la música de Wilson madura y tiene hasta algunos momentos más duros, más de rock con The Loop, un track simple, aunque bien logrado, con momentos buenos (escuchen las partes donde hay coros, cómo suena la guitarra eléctrica) pasando del pop a algo más rock como dije, y sigue siendo un track mucho muy digerible.
Los sonidos del rainstick o palo de lluvia arrancan el track homónimo al disco, que parecería ser un track más folk hasta un poco antes de los dos minutos, en donde vuelve a generarse un cambio bueno en un track que se va acercando al neo-country con bastantita energía, igual sucede con If Only, casi entrando a terrenos folk-country, bien podría ser continuación del anterior album, aunque se nota bastante la madurez -sobre todo en la producción y composición- en Diane Drove vuelve a darse ese cambio que tan bien podría desarrollar Wilson hacia un pop rock o bien rock, que aunque puede pulirse, presenta ya una buena e interesante promesa.
Las cuerdas de metal vuelven a resonar en el inicio de la interesante Pulling The Wool, ya con el sello de Wilson. Buen track que navega entre el alt y el indie y sin ser un track “duro” tampoco puede considerarse una melodía tranquila. Casi sirve de introducción a otro tack del mismo corte… Opening The Lotus, bastante americana y con un sonido que Wilson puede explotar y ojalá lleve más allá.
Una movida Without Me (nuevamente del lado del rock) nos lleva a la que quizá es mi track favorito, desde el sonido inicial del bajo: Facelift, bastante fuera de lo normal dentro del disco y sin embargo, logrando combinar sonidos folk (escuchen los coros) y tonos de himno todo en un solo track.
Los siguientes tres tracks nos dejan con la sensación de que Wilson puede seguir evolucionando hasta llevar su música a niveles bastante más interesantes, sean temas dinámicos, como No Such Thing o más pausados como Circle Of Palms, la evolución que les mencioné es notoria en estos últimos tracks (incluyendo mi favorito Facelift) Buenas esperanzas, seguiremos -espero- escuchando de Christopher en el futuro y esperando que las cosas vayan cada vez mejor.
¡Saludos de nuevo hasta Houston (y pronunciado como “Hust’n”, no “Houseton”)!
-Ciro Velazquez - eufoniaradio.net
Discography
Blanket Party (four-song cassette demo) 1994 (out of print)
Wilson, Christopher EP (four-song cassette demo) 1996 (out of print)
East Mall Daze (CD) 2001
Read On (CD) 2006
Photos
Bio
2011 is ending on a good note for indie singer-songwriter Christopher Wilson. Both Out There Eddy and Diane Drove--from Wilson’s Read On CD, released on a Canadian American Records singles sampler in July--are again airing on independent radio stations worldwide in both Americana/Alternative Country and Rock-formatted stations. As of September 2011, Out There Eddy sits at #21 in the Top 40 most played independent country songs. Wilson’s name is also included on the Entry List ballot of potential nominees for Best New Artist at the 2012 Grammy Awards.
Christopher Wilson is currently recording Insular, his third full-length CD scheduled for release in 2012. Insular is a conceptual record of vignettes, each song portraying a human state of emotional isolation. The first single Point the Finger--a rock-reggae favorite at recent live shows--will be released to radio and retail in early 2012, with the full album release and tour as Christopher Wilson Band to follow.
Wilson's music is a sonic synergy of acoustic folk-rock, alternative pop-rock, and hard rock. Hailed as "a troubadour from olden times who's just visiting this era," by Indie-Music.com, Wilson draws from vast influences: rock bands Heart, Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, Rush; alternative bands The Smiths, R.E.M., The Church; unorthodox singer-songwriters Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, and Jeff Buckley; and folk legends John Denver, Joni Mitchell and Neil Young. The combination of Wilson's emotive, sometimes ethereal vocals, guitar prowess, and pop-rock writing sensibilities has garnered a range of positive reviews: "Triumphantly upbeat pop poetry reminiscent of R.E.M.” -Outvoice.net; "Impressive peaceful tunes, an enjoyable sensation."-Skylight Webzine; "Thought-provoking lyrics reinforced by strong, emotional vocals."-Outsmart magazine
This Pennsylvania native began playing guitar and singing in church at the age of nine in his hometown of Harrisburg. The fifth of seven children, Wilson's first indie outing was leaving home at seventeen to join the army. During his military years, Wilson frequently entertained fellow soldiers in stairwells of barracks and eventually formed his first rock band while stationed at Johnston Atoll. With a collection of original poetry and much ambition, Wilson exited the military and began writing and recording his own songs. By the mid-nineties he relocated to New York City performing regularly at Kenny's Castaways, CBs 313 Gallery, The Spiral, and Sidewalk Cafe as solo acoustic act Wilson Christopher.
In 1997, Wilson relocated to Texas and began releasing his music as an independent artist in Houston. Wilson performed in many Houston nightclubs and cafes most notably Last Concert Cafe, Rudyard’s British Pub, Sidecar Pub, Notsuoh, Dean's Credit Clothing, and The Wine Bar. In 2001, his debut CD East Mall Daze was released on his own Cattle Call Records label, distributed by Southwest Distribution. A video of the single How Why & When went into regular rotation on the Austin Music Network. In spring 2007, How Why & When was featured on the boarding music playlist of the entire Delta Air Lines fleet alongside major label artists Beck, Gwen Stefani, Keane, Bon Jovi, Kelly Rowland, India Arie, and Chaka Khan. In spring 2011, How Why & When cracked the top ten list of most requested songs at Indie104 in Los Angeles. Other songs from East Mall Daze that received airplay included Calling Kerry (90.1 KPFT in Houston), and Arnold Avenue (91.7 KOOP in Austin).
Wilson's second CD Read On, released in 2007, served as the soundtrack to the Jeff Faulkinbury independent film of the same name, which featured Wilson performing Smoke and Mirrors, a lyrical jab at the pitch-corrected, auto-tuned, studio-manufactured pop stars of today. By summer of 2007, Read On received airplay at over 300 college and public radio stations throughout the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Greece, Belarus, Macedonia, and The Netherlands. Read On also charted in the CMJ Top 30 at six college radio stations in the USA. Songs from Read On that received airplay included Out There Eddy, Diane Drove, No Such Thing, Circle of Palms, Smoke and Mirrors, and the acoustic ballad If Only. In February 2011, If Only was selected for inclusion on the compilation CD for the fifteenth annual Millennium Music Conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where Wilson performed for a hometown crowd.
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