A year after Soft Airplane was released, Chad is offering up a companion EP as a free digital download to fans. Birthed in the same creative timeframe as Soft Airplane, the songs on this EP show another side of the magic that happens in Chad's basement. Enjoy.
A notorious homebody, Chad VanGaalen is well known for rarely leaving his basement in Calgary, endlessly drawing, recording and making art. Fortunately, he has an uncanny knack for creating music that is sweepingly beautiful and undeniably genuine, and with his third full-length Soft Airplane, this celebrated multi-talented artist has created his most complete album to date.
With Infiniheart (2005) and Skelliconnection (2006), Chad displayed an innate understanding of simple pop melody and a penchant for intellectually playful arrangements. Compiled from years of hidden back-catalogue and lo-fi CD-R releases, both albums went on to receive critical acclaim from across the globe. While his first albums hinted at musical reference points (that even Chad seemed to be reluctant to embrace), Soft Airplane reveals an artist utterly in stride – confident enough to span genres, while working with a determined and deliberate focus.
Sometimes the most powerful of musical expressions come from the most hushed and unassuming sources; with Soft Airplane, Chad Vangaalen has created one of these rare, heartfelt and gripping moments from the depths of his cluttered basement. Fortunately for him - and us.
Happy Thanksgiving with the gift of music from the RNN band in Seattle. Hope you feast with all our friends and yours, too. Peace and harmony ahead . . .
I would love to interview you for a research paper that I'm writing on the death of the CD and the album. If you could e-mail me at lynne.hogan@hotmail.com, I can send you the questions to answer.
If you could, please spare a moment to enjoy the newest work from Oakland-based musician Dave Smallen. His new album titled 'Everything Changes and Nothing Changes' will be available everywhere on December 1st.
Click on the flyer to take a listen:
Congrats on being included in the I(Heart)Music poll 'No one has done more to kick-start the scene in Calgary than VanGaalen. His Flemish Eye label and trademark lo-fi sound has inspired several acts from Cow-Town. His impact is still being felt a year after the release of Soft Airplane'
In celebration of this frightfully-fun holiday, everyday of this last week leading up to the big night, one of my horror-themed music video scripts will be posted to my blog.
Hello Chad VanGaalen! Interesting music here as usual! Keep it up! Preview for all tracks of my debut album Symbiosis of Contradictions are now available on my myspace page through zimbalam player. Mp3 release is now available in all the major stores worldwide. Greetings from the rainy Moscow/Russia /Ivan