Album Notes

Paying more attention to the space between the notes than the notes themselves, San Francisco-based trio The Simple Things pursues the art of musical simplicity, eschewing the sticky butterscotch that is bash-you-over-the-head witty pop (not that the band isn\'t clever, mind you!). The realm of strummy-strum-stum singer songwriters has competition in the form of well thought-out arrangements, minimalist instrumentation, and kite-string melodies. Dreamy and raw, ethereal and intense, The Simple Things’ music represents the meeting place of understated virtuosity, sublime songwriting, and guts. And they can’t wait to share it with you.

Starting as a duo of Kaitlin McGaw (vocals) and Raymond Ruiz (bass), The Simple Things earned the moniker \"the punk rock of easy listening\" for their musical intensity and short song structure, their DIY approach to everything and their take-no-prisoners ambition. The band skipped the standard bar and club performance scene, opting for dinner parties and art gallery performances to bring their personal, intimate stories to a rapt audience. Staying true to the same ethos, The Simple Things truly came to form when virtuoso pianist Michael Gallant joined the band in 2007 and added a touch of class and sophistication with his jazz and classical roots.

Songs come from various directions in this band. Imagine McCoy Tyner, Rickie Lee Jones, and James Jamerson coming together for a low-fi, high class performance with all of the rawness of dreams and heartbreaks, and the refined notion that music and its infinite forms will always triumph. A song might take form in late night bass chords and Nyquil inspiration or from Sunday afternoons unwinding the fury of the week into simple, sweet melodies and cascading piano rivulets. Each member of the band claims a musical homeland of varying stylistic soils – and the simplicity of the trio format allows for the interaction of three unique musical voices. Together they create music that is unapologetic, sparse, and emotionally vivid. Simple, yet beautiful.

As one sound engineer said, “This kind of music makes me feel like I’m sitting on the porch waiting for my girlfriend…” Or sitting on the curb, drinking a nice Merlot. It’s listening music. Close your eyes, visualize the images, and enjoy.

\"The Simple Things\" was produced by the band, with vocal production by Raz Kennedy (Metallica, Counting Crows, Los Tigres del Norte), engineering by Scott McDowell (Birds & Batteries), and mastering by Michael Romanowski (The Lovemakers, Jacqui Naylor).