Music
Press
"'King Comfortable' from their self-titled album, Sleeps Till Dusk, sounds like a lilting, piano stomp. Champion’s lyrical style flows with his smooth, smoky lounge, croon. The lyrics themselves paint a whimsical portrait of a man who appears to the public eye in control and calculated, rather, the listener finds the subject isolated, confused, and unsure come the morning. “Waking from daydreams over my plate/Of fear and confusion and lingering days/I wake up to comfort in beautiful eyes/A stranger whose questions are different than mine”. As the song continues on Sleeps Till Dusk carry a slight sonic assault to drive home the point that the speaker is “crazy with sorrow” and is slipping into despair. The delicate state of Champion’s character is depicted through the tinkling piano lines accompanied with a sonically rich undercurrent. It is with these opposing aspects that Jerrod Champion Sleeps Till Dusk crates an enticing sound that will enjoy numerous listens."
-Michael Potvin
Indie In-Tune
- Michael Potvin
"...ivory tickler Jarrod Champion and his Sleeps Till Dusk entourage of notable Detroit musicians play songs that move like lullabies for the 18-and-older crowd. At turns melancholy, hopeful, haunting and beautiful, Champion's quasi-jazz and -blues piano, dusky vocals and his band's pop-oriented instrumentation create a sound that is both smart and soothing, compelling and convincing."
-Megan O'Neil, The Metro Times
(Dec. 31, 2008) - Metro Times
"Stylized folk balladry, nocturnal narratives and closing time croons, burn with the romanticism of Jeff Buckley. This tight-knit quintet burns classy, brooding blues."
-Jeff Milo, The Real Detroit Weekly
(Dec. 30, 2008)
- The Real Detoit Weekly
Jarrod Champion Sleeps Till Dusk 1st Place
"Jarrod Champion Sleeps till Dusk brought piano and other instruments to the stage for a new and dynamic approach to their battle plan. They played alternative rock with very original song writing and a flare for the dramatic. They put on a great show as fans couldn't help but sing along."
- Nathan Mazur
bodogmusic.com
- Nathan Mazur (Bodogmusic.com)
I really didn’t care what he sounded like. Just seeing the handmade case impressed me enough to give him a listen and a nod. Slick production, smoky and jazzy piano, and rough vocals (think a dustier Michael Buble without all the Sinatra charm). Sleeps Till Dusk and Jarrod Champion deserves a frickin’ record deal. He knows his music and how to make a tune. Each one seems to come out of nowhere and sweeps me into an open field, eyes gazing at the sky. - Jake Nuckolls
"...The band’s record is a refreshing turn into the piano based, jazz leaning sound that a lot of popular bands are emulating these days. It seems like most bands that dive into this genre of music are just waiting for the moment where MTV or some teen show picks up their song and it becomes the ringtone on some 13-year-old girl’s phone. But, Champion’s music is far too smart to fall into any of those trappings"..."There are some truly hauntingly appealing moments on the record: On tracks like 'Sober', Champion comes off chilling, but his vocals hit an emotional chord with the listener. At some points, the music heads into a throwback of singer songwriter types of the past on tracks such as 'Owed' and 'Language'."
-Art Michaelsky, DetroitBuzz.com
- Detroit Buzz
"King Comfortable is a great track, and very well-orchestrated. Champion's vocals come through very well and remind the listener of the late, great Jeff Buckley and his amazing voice."
-Chris Kaptur, The Madonna Herald (Madonna University)
- Madonna Herald
Cath the astonishing musicality and engaging performance of piano-based indie-pop kids Jarrod Champion Sleeps Till Dusk this Friday night at the Belmont Bar in Hamtramck. - Real Detroit Weekly
“Interesting and assertive lyrics sung with passion and conviction, set against alternative/pop guitars and drums. The fusion of these elements with blues/jazz keys give Jarrod Champion Sleeps Till Dusk a unique sound with the feel of Radiohead, Lenny Kravitz, and even Freddie Mercury at times.”
-IndiePro.com
- IndiePro.com
Discography
Jarrod Champion: (piano, guitar, bass, drums, organs, vocals, arrangement, production)
The Napkin Diaries (1999) 5-song ep
The Basement Tapes (2002) 11-song lp
The Always: (bass)
Kamakaze ep (1998)
Sfumato: (keys and vocals)
Brundel Fly (2003) 3-song ep
The Devilphone: (organ, vocals)
The Devilphone EP (2003)
Alpha Wave: (backing vocals)
Inside/Outside (2001) 14-song lp
Self Titled (2002) 14-song lp
Quixotic: (drums, backing vocals)
Rose (2004) 5-song ep
Jarrod Champion Sleeps Till Dusk: (vocals, piano, guitar, organ, percussion, writing, arrangements)
Self-titled (2005) 11-song lp
Photos
Bio
The forces of nature in conjunction with your basic "process of elimination" philosophy have brought together five musicians in hopes of accomplishing something timeless; or maybe there was just nowhere left to go but up. In any event, while sifting through the ashes of passing projects, we find these diamonds in the rough with more than enough sensibility to know what to do with something beautiful when it’s handed to them.
Jarrod took the remnants of certain faded endeavors and assembled a self-proclaimed “super-group” with former band-mates and friends with whom he’d acquired a special chemistry. The “Sleeps Till Dusk” band consists of Erik Maluchnik (the Holy Fire, Shadiamond LaFreedom, the Devilphone) and his wall of sound guitar stylings, Bryan Brozowski (the Hand-Me-Downs, Bad Faces Clan) and his slick and unique bass wielding, Matt Stahl (countless Detroit blues, rock and jazz projects) and his steady and playful jazz/rock drumming and Jeff Moats and his atmosphere. Together they provide the perfect compliment and contrast to the smoky, rusty-romantic aura of Jarrod’s songwriting and delivery. Some would say it’s a divine marriage of past and present.
Since he can remember, Jarrod has been writing and performing music. Taking notes from heroes such as Tom Waits and Nick Drake he came up through the local coffee-house scene. He has since broadened his vision to include the more experimental and resonant sound that we hear today.
Jarrod Champion has, to date, recorded two e.p.’s and two full length albums. The most recent is the first endeavor with “Sleeps Till Dusk” and has received rave reviews and support from 88.7 FM (89X Detroit and Canada), WRIF Detroit, WHFR (University of Michigan), WDET (NPR), Riff 2 (HD satellite) and over 100 different online radio stations and podcasts around the world. Jarrod and crew have frequented the local hot-spots, participated in many music festivals (including The Hamtramck Labor Day Fest, the Detroit Taste-fest, Detroit Sounds and Spirits, and others) as well as the annual South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. They have shared the stage with acts such as Mike Watt and the Secondmen, Twinemen, Idlewild, John Ralston, Cary Brothers and others. They have also been nominated for a 2007 Riff2 music award for "BEST INDIE-ROCK BAND" and featured in Detroit circulars such as Real Detroit Weekly, the Main Street Press, the Metro Times, the Madonna Herald, national circulars such as Playback STL and numerous e-zines such as Detroit Buzz, Indie-Pro and Indie In-Tune. They are currently in the studio recording the follow-up to their self-titled debut and can be found playing throughout the Midwest.
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