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Hey guys, I'd like to ask a favor...


Anderton

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I'm planning to get music out on a more regular schedule this year, and have taken the plunge with putting an album on cdbaby.com to see what happens (and if you have any questions about the process, let me know...I found it pretty painless).

 

The favor part is I've started the process by posting my most recent album "Simplicity," and would love to get some reviews. You can audition all the cuts in their entirety (no 30-second clips) at:

 

http://store.cdbaby.com/cd/craiganderton

 

 

You need to create an account to write a review. If it's a hassle, then forget it but it takes only a few seconds. I'd love to get some traction on this out of the gate, and I think reviews would help. Of course, if you hate it, feel free to pretend you never read this post :)

 

Thank you!!! And of course...happy new year!

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I'if you hate it' date=' feel free to pretend you never read this post :)[/quote']

 

It takes a lot of guts to ask anyone to listen to your music, most musicians are more critical of themselves than others and because of this bravery, you have my support.

 

Besides; given all of the tremendous contributions you have made to our industry, this is the least I can do.

 

Thank you for everything Mr. Anderton.

 

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

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Thanks much! I'm realistic enough to know that for any given piece of music, some people will like it and some people won't...the only thing that changes is the ratio of one to the other :) I think the group Boston was turned down by over 20 labels before finding someone who would sign them...and of course, there was Rolling Stone's infamous slam of the first Led Zeppelin album. Oooops.

 

Anyway, thanks for the vote of support and I hope you enjoy listening to it.

 

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Thanks for the heads-up! I asked for full previews. I'll check with cdbaby tomorrow. Maybe 30 seconds is the default until I approve the album for final release.

 

I reviewed your album and I was able to listen to the full songs.

The Gift of Goodbye is a gem. :)

 

It's evident you put a lot of time and effort into this project.

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Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked the album. I've always said I'd make music regardless of whether people liked it or not, but I'm happier when they do :)

 

Your "time and effort" comment is interesting. The "Neo-" album took me four years, albeit with several interruptions like moving. "Simplicity" was 9 months from first track to master, which for me is extremely fast. It was one of those albums that just kind of wrote and mixed itself. I think the key was not recording too many tracks. Think about it...if there's only one track, the mix is really easy! There's only so much you can do if there are eight tracks or so, and it's also easier to adjust EQ to carve out appropriate sonic spaces.

 

Also because there was so much emphasis on the lead vocal, as long as that was mixed fairly high up it accomplished 80% of what the song set out to do.

 

I get the feeling that after playing music professionally for over half a century, I'm finally starting to figure it out...well, at least a little bit :)

 

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Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked the album. I've always said I'd make music regardless of whether people liked it or not, but I'm happier when they do :)

 

Your "time and effort" comment is interesting. The "Neo-" album took me four years, albeit with several interruptions like moving. "Simplicity" was 9 months from first track to master, which for me is extremely fast. It was one of those albums that just kind of wrote and mixed itself. I think the key was not recording too many tracks. Think about it...if there's only one track, the mix is really easy! There's only so much you can do if there are eight tracks or so, and it's also easier to adjust EQ to carve out appropriate sonic spaces.

 

Also because there was so much emphasis on the lead vocal, as long as that was mixed fairly high up it accomplished 80% of what the song set out to do.

 

I get the feeling that after playing music professionally for over half a century, I'm finally starting to figure it out...well, at least a little bit :)

 

I have to tell you, I heard an Harmonica and Ukulele and I was just blown away. Not because of the instruments but because of the daring to go there.

I mean, there are so many layers and you could have went lean but you went all the way. I think it speaks volume as to what you think of the listeners but most importantly your respect for music.

 

It's a work of art and there is something for everyone.

 

Thanks again for sharing your music.

 

 

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I purchased the album Buddy. This weekend I'll listen to the whole album as you have it sequenced and will follow up with a review on the site. I think I've already heard most of the tracks due to your sneak releases, but want to hear the whole thing as you've assembled it.

 

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Hey Luke - caught your comment before you hid the post, and the Buddy Holly reference was spot-on. I've always liked his songwriting, and "Radical Faith" does have some of that vibe. However, I think "(Sometimes You Gotta Kiss a Lot of Frogs) Before the Princess Arrives" is even more Holly-like in its ruthless exploitation of three chords :)

 

As to some other influences, the blues harmonica on "I'll Take You Higher" is a direct result of playing on the same bill as Chicago blues bands back in the 60s. Harmonica + dynamic mic + Fender Twin driven into distortion = cool sounds.

 

The whistling on "Lucky Weather" was because I had just mastered an album by Quist (Bryan Ferry's guitarist) and he used whistling on a couple cuts with an otherwise very electronic album. I thought that was both cool and daring, and besides, none of the other instruments I tried for doing the solo worked.

 

And regarding the Philly comment, you can take the boy out of Mandrake, but you can't take Mandrake out of the boy...or in this case, out of "the old guy."

 

Oh one more thing...the ukulele being all over the album came about by accident. I was waiting for one of Windows' longer updates (you know, the kind where you can go watch a movie) and had a ukulele I hadn't touched in months, maybe years. I started playing it and the chord progression led to one of the songs. So then I would pick it up when a video was rendering or whatever, and every time I did, something musical came out and I started recording. Go figure.

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Hey Luke - caught your comment before you hid the post, and the Buddy Holly reference was spot-on. I've always liked his songwriting, and "Radical Faith" does have some of that vibe. However, I think "(Sometimes You Gotta Kiss a Lot of Frogs) Before the Princess Arrives" is even more Holly-like in its ruthless exploitation of three chords :)

 

As to some other influences, the blues harmonica on "I'll Take You Higher" is a direct result of playing on the same bill as Chicago blues bands back in the 60s. Harmonica + dynamic mic + Fender Twin driven into distortion = cool sounds.

 

The whistling on "Lucky Weather" was because I had just mastered an album by Quist (Bryan Ferry's guitarist) and he used whistling on a couple cuts with an otherwise very electronic album. I thought that was both cool and daring, and besides, none of the other instruments I tried for doing the solo worked.

 

And regarding the Philly comment, you can take the boy out of Mandrake, but you can't take Mandrake out of the boy...or in this case, out of "the old guy."

 

Oh one more thing...the ukulele being all over the album came about by accident. I was waiting for one of Windows' longer updates (you know, the kind where you can go watch a movie) and had a ukulele I hadn't touched in months, maybe years. I started playing it and the chord progression led to one of the songs. So then I would pick it up when a video was rendering or whatever, and every time I did, something musical came out and I started recording. Go figure.

 

Craig, Sorry..I tried to edit the post and add some more comments after listening to some more tunes , but this dumbass went and deleted it by mistake.

 

Was going to write it over today...but so glad you got to see the original!

Luke

Damn...Almost hit 'delete' again instead of 'save.'

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Don't want to belabor the 'Philly' flavor/vibe of some of the songs but I am really liking Our Independence Day.

nice lyrics, harmony...

 

Ironically it reminds me of the sound and structure of one of my favorite post Mandrake bands of Philly, The Hooters who ruled the charts with some catchy singles in the 'Big Eighties'

 

The were a great live club band...but alas, they tended to be too careful cleaning things up for their albums, thus losing some of the urgency/ exuberance of their live performances.

 

That's one of the reasons I am liking your stuff, Craig..

It's a nicely polished album, but still has that 'Live' feel to it.

 

Back to the 'Hooters'...wouldn't it a 'koinky-dinky' if Eric Brazilian and Rob Hyman ( the principal singwriters/ singers/ musicians of The Hooters) listened to some of some Mandrake music as kids and were influenced by YOUR music.?

just sayin' 😉

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Don't want to belabor the 'Philly' flavor/vibe of some of the songs but I am really liking Our Independence Day.

nice lyrics, harmony...

 

I thought the world needed a "happy breakup song" :)

 

Ironically it reminds me of the sound and structure of one of my favorite post Mandrake bands of Philly, The Hooters who ruled the charts with some catchy singles in the 'Big Eighties'

 

Agreed, they were a fine band.

 

That's one of the reasons I am liking your stuff, Craig..

It's a nicely polished album, but still has that 'Live' feel to it.

 

Thanks for noticing. I really tried not to beat the songs to death, but instead preserve my "hey, gonna record a song tonight!" vibe. I'm doing the same with the "Joie de Vivre" album even though it's a bit more layered...sort of splits the difference between "Simplicity" and "Neo-".

 

Back to the 'Hooters'...wouldn't it a 'koinky-dinky' if Eric Brazilian and Rob Hyman ( the principal singwriters/ singers/ musicians of The Hooters) listened to some of some Mandrake music as kids and were influenced by YOUR music.?

just sayin' 😉

 

I've corresponded with Eric, and he definitely listened to Mandrake. Small world, isn't it?

 

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Listened all the way through tonight and it's a Triumph My Man! I'd also reference "Them" as an influence via "I'll Take you Higher". Loading it onto my trucks HD tomorrow so I can turn some other people on to it! The production on all the cuts is first rate, top drawer...Fill in your own superlatives.

 

The guitar work is really standout on all the tunes...Hope some day you'll write a tune where you can really stretch out and rip off some long solos..Would be curious/grateful to hear more about how you got your sound on the cuts.

 

kudos, Maestro!

 

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Wow, thanks much! I'd be happy to tell you how I got the sounds, but any ones in particular?

 

Well...for starters..That creamy lead tone in "Radical Faith"! Harkens way back to the 60's in my ears...Reminds me a little of the tone Micheal Knust with Fever Tree used to get...

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