Chicago native Gary Calhoun James has been writing and recording as Box of Baby Birds since 2006 with two releases on his own White Owl Recordings label. Box of Baby Birds play delicately crafted folk rock/chamber pop that has an experimental under current. James currently resides in Austin TX.................................................................................................................................
Box of Baby Birds began in 2006 as a home recording side-project for multi-instrumentalist and Chicago-native Gary Calhoun James. James, with help from L.A. transplant Alance Ward on drums, multi-tracked his way through Box of Baby Birds’ self-titled debut (White Owl Recordings, 2007) in various Chicago apartments and the occasional borrowed studio. The resulting sound has a unique and unusual rhythmic backdrop layered with intricate guitars and keyboards upon which beautiful and hushed vocal melodies, harmonies and strings float. In 2009, James released a new batch of songs titled 'Arboreal' (White Owl Recordings 2009) which introduce an upbeat, vocal-driven twist to the softly intricate and melodic acoustic palette that is Box of Baby Birds signature. James continues to experiment in form and sound, mixing the familiarity of catchy pop with found sounds, noises and harmonic turns. Recorded at James’ White Owl Studio, ‘Arboreal’ features James’ lush vocal harmonies and multi-instrumental flourishes joined by alumni drummer Alance Ward and special guest violinist Tiffany Kowalksi.
Read more...