The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, The Zombies, The Kinks, The Who, The Divine Comedy, Scott Walker, David Bowie, XTC, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, The Smiths, Morrissey, Belle and Sebastian, Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Teenage Fanclub...
"Charles Ramsey is perhaps the most proficient and tasteful guitarist to perform in the [2008 Williamsburg Live Songwriter Competition] thus far. Add to this natural (rather extraordinary) songwriting ability, thoughtful lyrics, and a really great voice, and you have yourself a singer-songwriter to keep an eye on."
About "Something New" - Charles Ramsey's debut album (released April, 2005)
"Incredibly likeable...with songs such as 'Up and Down' and 'One in a Crowd' immediately finding a niche deep inside your brain."
-Brian J. Stokes, Centre Daily Times (Central PA)
"Truly remarkable...If 'So Much Better Off' doesn't get your foot tapping, then you probably don't have a foot."
-Jason Mulgrew, www.jasonmulgrew.com (NYC)
"Similar to The Cars, The Smiths, and The Cure, Charles proves that there is indeed such an animal as quality pop music."
-Dan D'Ippolito, Jezebel Music (Brooklyn, NY)
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Charles Ramsey released his first album, Something New, in 2005. Recorded in Philadelphia, the album's nine songs were acclaimed by the Centre Daily Times as "incredibly likable…immediately finding a niche deep inside your brain", and by New York City-based writer, Jason Mulgrew, as "excellent…sentimental without being schmaltzy; catchy without being kitchy." The album features Charles Ramsey on vocals, guitar, piano, and trombone, along with Jake Munch on drums and Dave Munch on bass.
Since the album's release, Ramsey has performed at such venues as the Grape Street, Tritone, World Cafe Live, and the M Room in Philadelphia. In June of 2006, Ramsey was invited to perform at The Basement in Nashville, TN, where he shared a bill with Cerys Matthews (from Catatonia) and Brakes (Brighton, UK). Ramsey has also performed at Nashville's Mercy Lounge.
Ramsey has been featured four times at the Jezebel Music Songwriter Showcase (now known as Resonance) in Brooklyn, NY, an event that has played host to some of New York City's top singer-songwriters. In March of 2009, JezebelMusic.com described Ramsey as "one of the finest songsters to perform at Resonance to date." Ramsey has also performed at such New York City venues as Pianos, Sullivan Hall, Sidewalk Cafe, Matchless, Lucky Cat, Laila Lounge, Royal Oak, and Kenny's Castaways. In December of 2006, Ramsey released an EP-single, So Much Better Off, and finished the year with a performance at the State Theatre in State College, PA in support of Sean Lennon.
Raised in Flourtown, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia, Ramsey attended St. Joseph's Prep in North Philadelphia. In 2003, Ramsey earned his MA in Music Theory/History from Penn State University. While at Penn State, Ramsey joined the Bullet Parade, an indie-rock outfit based in State College, PA. Between 2001 and 2005, Ramsey played lead guitar and trombone with the band, performing regularly in State College, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington DC. Ramsey currently lives in Philadelphia and is preparing to release his second full-length album.
For more information, visit http://www.charlesramseymusic.com and www.sonicbids.com/charlesramsey2
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About the "So Much Better Off" EP-single (released December 12, 2006)
“If ‘So Much Better Off’ has a flaw, it is definitely one of brevity. With only four songs, the EP paints two distinct sides of Ramsey -- that of incredible pop troubadour and another of acoustic bard who is down on his luck. It's a tempting sound of things to come, and Ramsey pulls off both with ease. Though when in the guise of Liberace on valium, he brings us the pop magic that's hard to forget.”
-Dennis Fallon, Centre Daily Times, WEEKENDER (Central PA)
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Tracklisting
1.) So Much Better Off
2.) In a Million Years
3.) Something New (Acoustic)
4.) One in a Crowd (Acoustic)
"So Much Better Off" is taken from Charles Ramsey's 2005 debut album, Something New. "In a Million Years" was recorded in April of 2006 and is previously unreleased. The recording features Charles Ramsey on vocals, piano, and celesta, Vince Fiore on drums, Dave Biser on bass and flute, Derek McDonald on flugel horn, as well as the Penn State Graduate String Quartet. The final two tracks are acoustic renditions of songs from Something New. They were recorded in Philadelphia on September 29, 2006 and feature Charles Ramsey on vocals, guitar, and harmonica.
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Charles Ramsey performs solo and with a band, depending on what his horoscope says that day.
Something New and So Much Better Off can be purchased at City Lights and Webster's in State College, PA, or online at www.charlesramseymusic.com.
Something New is now available on iTunes. Click below to go to the iTunes store:
Hey Chuck, just dropping by to listen and say hello! : ) Your music sounds really great, I'm looking forward to hearing the new album. And I hope we get to play together soon! Stay in touch, see you soon ; )
What?!? Now that I've left Northeast Jersey to be back at school in Baltimore, I hear you're going to perform in NYC! Not fair, I tell you! Anyway, can't wait for the new album. :)
Hey, will you be doing that open mic night thing again at the WCL tomorrow night? I am 90% sure I will be there, but for how long I don't know. I liked your music the last time...well only time...I saw you. =]
The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, The Zombies, The Kinks, The Who, The Divine Comedy, Scott Walker, David Bowie, XTC, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, The Smiths, Morrissey, Belle and Sebastian, Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Teenage Fanclub...
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