 | Richard McGraw Burying The Dead (CD) |
Bio:
“LIFE IS SUFFERING.” Upon this Nobel Truth, Richard McGraw is building a career in song. Following in the footsteps of the poet-songwriters like Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Nick Cave, Tom Waits, and Lou Reed -- McGraw contemplates the trials and tragedies of the human condition with beautiful and poignant honesty. His uncommon vocals tremor and plead heavenward, relaying woeful tales of love and loss, existential terror and a longing for transcendence.
[more]
Media Links & Downloads:
Hi-Res Photos:
 | 300 dpi JPG |
 | 300 dpi JPG |
 | 300 dpi JPG |
 | 300 dpi JPG |
 | 300 dpi JPG |
Hi-Res Cover Art:
 | 300dpi JPG |
On The Web:
www.richardmcgraw.com
www.facebook.com/pages/richardmcgrawmusic
www.myspace.com/richardmcgraw
www.twitter.com/richardmcgraw
Buy at iTunes
Buy at CDBaby
Bio (Continued):
McGraw's mournful voice and exquisite lyricism were first expressed in his remarkable 2003 debut, Her Sacred Status My Militant Needs. The song “Sidetracked” from that record landed him a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. That record also caught the ear of music industry producer/guru Rick Rubin. McGraw found himself playing songs for Rubin in his hotel room.
The following year found McGraw birthing songs at a staggering rate in an attempt to impress Rubin and enter the Kingdom of Major Labelhood. No major label deal was forthcoming, but with a new set of songs and a new found confidence McGraw made Song and Void Vol. 1, his sophomore release. The record was hailed by Performing Songwriter magazine as "a true masterpiece." Lian Lunson, director of “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man” would say about it, "I haven't liked a record this much in ages."
McGraw has now unleashed his third record upon the world. Burying The Dead, a lyrical tour-de-force, covering familiar themes (life, death, religion, love, heartache, God and Godlessness) with a candid freshness. With production from Andrew Spencer Goldman (of Fulton Lights) and musical direction from Jay Foote (bass player for The Welcome Wagon and Diane Birch) the record seamlessly covers diverse sonic landscapes and styles: from the orchestral rock ballad of Balmville Motel to the 70’s singer/songwriter style of “Young Men”; From the Tibetan overtone singing in “Asheville” to the Indian inspired “Grace”; From the sparse Matt Bauer Banjo in “On Our Knees” to the dark distorted guitars of “Her Town”. McGraw also pays homage on the record by covering Billy Joel’s “My Life” and Leonard Cohen’s “The Faith”. In the song “Balmville Motel”, McGraw rewrote the Cohen classic “Chelsea Hotel #2”, to tell his own tale of teenage heart ache and growing old.
In this digital age, the physical CD/record/tape is becoming a thing of the past. McGraw is trying to revitalize the dying idea of the physicality of music. He spends much time designing detailed and belabored album art. It’s the kind of art one wants to look at and hold, reminiscent of the days of vinyl. The first edition of Burying The Dead features metallic copper artwork by Kevin Sprouls (creator of the Wall Street Journal-style portrait). Each CD is numbered and signed by the artist. Soon to be released is the “deluxe” edition which will include a magnifying glass “lyric reader” and an existential tattoo kit.
Press Quotes:
"I haven't liked a record this much in ages." - Lian Lunson (director of "Leonard Cohen, I'm Your Man") on Song and Void Volume 1
"The record is a true masterpiece." - Performing Songwriter on Song and Void Volume 1
"Nick Cave. Bob Dylan. Leonard Cohen. Tom Waits... a man who is following in the footsteps of the greats in a massively competent way... He sings of misery, memorial, mortality, and loss. He evokes religious imagery, erecting church houses to pray in and supreme beings to beseech." - Chronogram
“McGraw expertly navigates the waters of our communal subconscious, showing us the beauty in even our bleakest moments.” - Performing Songwriter Magazine
“Was singer-songwriter Richard McGraw ever a Catholic altar boy? His combination of Nick Cave's religiosity and Leonard Cohen's sensuality sure qualifies him.” - BigO
“Just like Freud, McGraw will find a lot of incomprehension. God, Death and Sex….or can say that he just reveals what whirls and writhes inside of us.” - hanx.net
On The Web:
www.richardmcgraw.com
www.facebook.com/pages/richardmcgrawmusic
www.myspace.com/richardmcgraw
www.twitter.com/richardmcgraw
Buy at iTunes
Buy at CDBaby