Major find! Todd Bowie writes totally lovely and monumentally satisfying songs. Almost every moment on "Lucky Space People" finds a rich harvest of exceptional material. Fans of Jon Brion, Michael Penn, Jason Falkner, Adrian Belew, XTC, Elliot Smith this is manna, this answer to prayer, this is, well, `a must`. Strains of "Ziggy"-era Bowie or "Sgt. Pepper" Beatles glide and float in and out this highly textured music. All of it infused with indelible melodies, warm harmonies and the production values that picky pop fans will appreciate.
Grade: Solid "A".- Not Lame Recording (www.notlame.com)
Todd Bowie: chosen as one of the top ten best new artists of 2004 by Chicago Tribune and Metromix
Biography
Let's just cut to the chase right away by stating that, yes, multi-instrumentalist / singer / songwriter Todd Bowie is related to another famous Bowie...19th century American frontiersman Jim Bowie, that is.
There, now that we've got that sorted out we can talk about what really matters, and that's the fact that Bowie - a musician who's covered the world as a touring guitar and keyboard tech for not only Beck and The Flaming Lips, but The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac as well - has just released his own debut album entitled Lucky Space People on Machine Records. With bright, beautiful and, at times, even amusingly eccentric pop music this New Hampshire native's transformation from behind-the-scenes technician to engaging recording artist is nothing short of out-of-this-world.
Lucky Space People was co-produced by Bowie and longtime music associate Chris Buttleman, along with Mike Hoffmann (EIEIO / Willy Porter) who also provided the lion's share of bass parts for the album. Although Bowie plays the majority of the instruments himself, he's also incorporated the talents of bassist John Munson (Semisonic), cellist Melaniejane and drummers Derek Crawford (Starch Martins), Doug Corella and Donny Brown (both from The Verve Pipe) to add more spontaneity to the mix.
The album was recorded last year in Buttleman's home studio, Sumter Lounge, in Lake Geneva, WI in between Bowie's hectic tour schedule with Beck and The Flaming Lips. The two polished up a dozen tracks from an extensive vault of Bowie's material, resulting in a richly textured collection of slightly askewed pop rock infused with indelible melodies, warm harmonies and production values that are, despite the album's title, extremely human. In fact, the organic nature of how the album was actually produced - with all the artists working and living together under the same roof - is evident throughout.
While Bowie may wear a few of his influences (such as XTC, Elliott Smith and The Beatles) on his sleeve, his unique approach and honest delivery distills the very essence of these many styles singularly into his own. From the bouncy pop of "Holiday Fun" to the driving anthemic chorus of "Eiffel" to the angst-ridden vocals that brings closure to the track "Justify," the results are electrifying. Adding a broader spectrum of sonic color to his palette, Bowie has also infused a bit of spicy boss nova ("Victoria") and even a gliding waltz rhythm ("Karmaphobe") into this well rounded, yet decidedly off-center brand of rock. Toss in the more introspective numbers ("Could Be" and "Cotton-mouth") and what you have is one of the most unique and enjoyable albums to come around in quite some time.
"These songs are the soundtrack of my life," Bowie readily admits. A soundtrack that should be enjoyed by all who have long tired of the norm.
...he relocated to Chicago from New Hampshire and, with the help of co-producer Chris Buttleman, he recorded a self-titled debut that layers snappy snares, simple piano chords, swelling strings, wailing guitar and multiple vocal harmonies. The result is an album that echoes the driving force of Faith No More, Weezer's playful harmonies, the piano chops of Ben Folds Five and singing that channels the late, great Elliot Smith - Chicago Tribune/ Metromix
...While his name may initially draw comparisons to another famous rock artist, the similarities end there as multi-instrumentalist / singer / songwriter Todd Bowie's music is uniquely his own.
... the bright and beautiful compositions that fill his debut album Lucky Space People are every bit as engaging as his former employers' own material.
The songs that spill from the New Hampshire native-turned-Lake Geneva, WI resident's album are infectious slices of eclectic pop rock that lightly hint at other creative pop composers, such as the late Elliott Smith, Andy Partridge, Lennon & McCartney and even another one-time Lake Geneva resident Adrian Belew. - The Week
Website
http://toddbowie.com
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