James Houlahan
Los Angeles, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014
Music
Press
"[Seven Years Now] is such a great album—full of bittersweet lamentations and twanging guitars. There are a lot of good songs here, so let me name some highlights. “Paper Man” is so beautiful and plaintive—Houlahan is backed by an unnamed female vocalist who adds a haunting dimension. “Rocketship” is another really beautiful track…this is a great album chock full of melancholy but nostalgic tracks and I’d highly recommend it." - The Noise
"James Houlahan is clearly an artist that's in it for the long haul. How else could his sophomore record, Misfit Hymns, feel so natural despite covering just about every possible angle of the folk-rock shtick? From the unabashed twang of opener New Year's Day to the obligatory Bon Iver-esque Song for Janis, no two tracks on this album are much alike. It's a true relief to see an artist who, when faced with the post-debut dilemma of "what next?", decides to keep striking out for new ground...the variety in this record means there's a ton of depth for repeated listens. Likewise, when you consider the great production, the tight backing band, and the general sense of well-being that pervades the entirety of Misfit Hymns, there's really no question here. Anybody who digs folk and doesn't fear the word twang should grab this new release while there's still time..." - UNregularRadio.com
"This latest collection of songs ["misfit hymns"] is a heartfelt journeyman’s tale of love and life as influenced by the kindred minds of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Warren Zevon and Neil Young. His songs are earnest and intimate, yet meticulously arranged. While Houlahan straddles the line between traditional folk and country, there are occasional nods and pushes of musical boundaries seldom explored by singer/songwriters of this ilk. Rarely have music and words collaborated so closely to convey mood so effectively." - The Noise
This is such a great album—full of bittersweet lamentations and twanging guitars. There are a lot of good songs here, so let me name some highlights. “Paper Man” is so beautiful and plaintive—Houlahan is backed by an unnamed female vocalist who adds a haunting dimension. “Rocketship” is another really beautiful track…this is a great album chock full of melancholy but nostalgic tracks and I’d highly recommend it. - The Noise
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
James Houlahan is a singer, songwriter, and guitar player based in Los Angeles, California. A founding member of Boston-area bands such as Dogs on Television and The Jody Grind, Houlahan has come to be known as a songsmith who channels both tradition and poetic innovation. His 2012 solo release misfit hymns" has found airplay on over 100 radio stations in the U.S. and Canada, and was released in Europe on the Continental Record Services label. Houlahan's songs have been used in commercials, television, and film. He performs regularly in the L.A. area and tours throughout the western U.S.
Born and raised in New England, Houlahan began to seriously write songs in college as he juggled the possibilities for writing poetry with writing music. Influenced by writers such as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Neil Young, Houlahan is attempting a dynamic musicality, inextricably bound to a need for approaching human stories, half-stories, mythic themes and mental pictures with a sense of poetic innovation and a fierce urge for the truth. More recently influenced by writers such as Tom Waits and Townes Van Zandt, he has become interested in combining aspects of traditional music with evocative, more personal lyrics. Stumbling into Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music and the writings of Joseph Campbell have also opened numerous doors into What's Next.
In 2009, Houlahan released the debut solo record Seven Years Now. That album has gone on to achieve a dedicated following in the Boston area. Due to the positive response to this work, Houlahan decided to focus all of his efforts on a follow-up. That follow-up is misfit hymns, a place where folk meets rock, tradition meets noise, and stories both come together and fall apart. As mentioned, the new album has found airplay on over 100 radio stations in the U.S. and Canada, and has been released in Europe with the distributor Continental Record Services.
In performance, Houlahans shows can veer from quieter, intimate solo gigs to louder, band-rocking, exercises in face-melting bliss. He has performed shows all over California and the New England area and is intent on bringing his music to the largest audience possible.
Band Members
Links
