SongVault Artist Profile
 James Curley Chicago
Illinois, United States Alternative Country / Folk Rock
Literate songcraft in a style sometimes described by the 'catch-all' term Americana. James Curley writes and performs 'Lyrically imaginative Electro-Acoustic Folk Rock Country Blues' supported by a cast of seasoned musical veterans from Chicago and Upstate New York.
Biography "...some of the best literate and articulate lyrics that have crossed our desk in some time.....highly recommended" - Acoustic Rainbow - Roots Music Airplay Sampler for Radio. "James's writing truly upholds everything good, right and true about American Roots music. Like Kristofferson, Prine, Goodman and Zevon, James Curley is a visionary way ahead of today's mainstream songwriters." - Timothy Edward Jones, journalist and author of 'Country Conversations' www.TEJBooks.com Chicago based songwriter James Curley writes literate Americana-Roots based songs in the tradition mined by songwriters such as Warren Zevon, Tom Waits, Steve Goodman and John Gorka. Primarily observing the broader human condition rather than relationship and love songs, James' keen eye for absurdity, hypocrisy, pathos and human interest is evident in the lyrics of his songs, especially those on his most recent CD 'Manufactured Meaning' from 2007. Appearing live in the Midwest with his band, Radio Fade, James performs rhythmic, rootsy Americana-tinged Folk-Rock in the tradition of The Band, Little Feat, Jackson Browne, John Hiatt & Little Village, etc. The sound is gutsy and authentic, featuring acoustic and electric guitars, slide guitars, Hammond B3 and Piano, and a veteran rhythm section to accompany James's literate songs. James' acoustic sets for more intimate listening rooms can feature piano, octave mandolin, guitar, accordion, dobro and rhythmic elements. On record, James likes to embellish the arrangements of some songs with horns and strings and other elements not easily reproduced live without a ten-piece band. The live 'club-oriented' show is roots-rockin' and features songs like 'Rest Your Weary Bones' - a syncopated bluesy 'welcome song' to alive crowd, '700 Parking Tickets - a swamp groove piece about scofflaws that serves as a vessel to showcase Ben Lansing's great bluesy slide guitar licks, and 'How Dumb Do You Think I Am?' - an alt-authentic country ballad written by Joel Pace, who handles keyboards, accordion and vocals. All this is held tightly together by rhythm section veterans Dave Heim on drums and George Callobre on bass to provide a rootsy groove under the songs. Instrumentation James Curley & Radio Fade James Curley - Guitars, Vocals George Callobre, Bass Dave Heim, Percussion Joel Pace, Keyboards, Accordion, Guitar, Vocals Ben Lansing, Slide and Electric Guitars, Octave Mandolin Discography 2007 - Manufactured Meaning 2003- Tom's Cafe |
