Paul Curreri, the thirty-one-year-old guitarist and songwriter from Charlottesville, Virginia, unveils his fifth album, The Velvet Rut, this NOVEMBER on England’s Tin Angel Records & Brooklyn’s City Salvage Records.
“The beer fall empty and I fill up with fire. I’m walking toward your mouth repeating my mantra.” Goddamn. The Velvet Rut is off and running; and the sheer volume, guitar drive, & tangible had-it-up-to-here contained in this first track sounds nothing short of intimidating.
Internationally acclaimed as a songwriter, guitarist, and spirited live performer (“Curreri brings a renewed eloquence to the medium,” – The New Yorker) he now adds producer to the credits. The Velvet Rut is a sonic eruption, and Curreri played every note on every instrument.
The record is certainly unruly – boots stamp, telecasters telecast, acoustics pick so quietly they border on aggressive, and pianos make noises weirder than they were ever supposed to. As a guitar player, Curreri is renowned (“Spontaneous and poetic” – The Independent-UK / “You half-expect tears to appear on the face of his instrument.” – Oxford Town / “Furrowing a sonic field few musicians would be admitted to.” – Americana-UK). Here, in the layering – or in the choices to not layer – his playing twists & extends itself, revealing further meaning in these dynamically badass narratives.
Lyrically, he goes. Climbing from the bath, an ugly angel’s natty wings splash water against the window, “flooding dead mosquitoes and worse things.” Of the dream-murdering sloth in “Fat Killer At Dawn,” Curreri venomously barks: “[you] shoulda thought at church… skipped some class… smoked up in the bathroom stall… kicked that asshole’s ass.” Even in the calm, there’s movement – from “A Song On Robbing:” “This afternoon is like the others. / Nothing’ll blow up or collapse. / Between waking up and lying down, / that’s a nasty gap.” Characters seem to jump between songs. Pearls of insight emerge and then dive back into the fold. Everything snarls. “It was an odd year,” he says. At times a veritable rotisserie of anger, jealousy, loneliness, and cursing regret, The Velvet Rut wouldn’t be the background music of choice for a dinner with mom.
Raised in Richmond, Virginia, Paul now makes his home in Charlottesville with songwriter / guitarist Devon Sproule (the two were married in May of 2005). Curreri grew up playing music but ended up enrolling at Rhode Island School of Design to pursue painting and film. “My movies were okay, I guess,” he said. By the time Paul graduated from RISD, he'd composed over 200 songs on guitar and piano. Turning down an editing job at MTV he set to work carving out a life as a musician.
His acclaimed debut for City Salvage Records, From Long Gones To Hawkmoth, was released in 2002 (“Curreri is full of taste and truth, poetic jewels.” – 9X Magazine). A triumphant follow-up, 2003’s Songs For Devon Sproule – produced by Kelly Joe Phelps – was hailed by Vintage Guitar Magazine as “one of the very finest records in awhile. And, I don’t mean just in this genre. I mean, any genre.” 2004’s The Spirit of the Staircase found Curreri continuing to shoulder into new lyrical and musical terrain (“Curreri has sculpted a direction of his own. Dexterous guitar work and hushed insight, full of soul and originality. " – Americana-UK). With clarity of vision, & astoundingly visceral playing & singing, 2006’s Are You Going To Paul Curreri captured him stretching out in front of a live audience, electric and rocking.
UK PR CONTACT: rich@thetinangel.co.uk 07817437210
US PR CONTACT: info@paulcurreri.com 434-249-9898
Frank has gone to look for his reel to reel, because he wants to record
a new song,(that I am going to make a 'video' for.)So while he does
that, I thought I would send you this thank you note for becoming a
friend to reema-leema. We want to put up lots of new and old films up
on this site, and we hope you enjoy them.
Anyway, best wishes-
Brian Little.
ps: here is a new clip from "franksworld" -hope you like it.
Hello, it's me, Ruby Jane.To those who don't know me, I am a 14 year old fiddler, songwriter. I have some songs posted that are fresh out of the studio. Let me know if you like the new songs..be one of the first to hear, even before they are released!Thanks! new videos too! Ruby Jane
Hey man I miss ya (ya'll) so much! I just left Dev a huge ass message on her wall... i tend to do such ridiculousness-ness. Take care yo. Keep me in the loop. Like I told Dev, grad school def. does get me in the ass bu the awesome thing about is that im done with my coursework on tues... just gotta knock out the thesis. Take care luv!!
I don't know if I've already wrote you about the new Once Upon a Rooftop - but, it's fantabulous. I love the direction you took it. I've listened the hell outta the Song of the Week version, and this is a perfect match of freshness.
If you get the time, could you let me in what the song is about? I love the lyrics, but I can't figure it out - maybe it's meant that way, but the insight would be awesome.
Thanks Paul - hope you've been having fun recording. =)
I heard some of your music on the radio in farmville ( I can't remember the station... it was a few days ago), and also I realized that when I'm playing something I consider "hard" on the guitar I also clench my teeth. Anyway, I figured I would just say hi. Goodluck with all the recording/engineering/producing stuff you've got going on and I hope you and Devon are having a good spring.
Look in the sky, De sign! Hey Paul let me send you a copy of my new CD or buy it on credit for free, because no man is an Island. Just trying to make in Rhode see who School who on guitar (don't worry it's you!) It's a very short CD, but I was making it happenstancing. Write care Of MICAhl
Hi Paul, when I watched this TED talk on creative genius I wondered what you and Devon would have to say about it. Ole' to you all the time! http://...com/b6hs2k
Fuckin-A dude, you got Once Upon a Rooftop up! I love the new version!
Thanks for posting this! Seriously, this version is kickass. I know after listening to the original SotW one for a short lifetime, it's hard to top - but well done sir.
Ciao,Paul ,Thank you for the add and the friendship. you are very good, I like your stupendous music a lot,and stupendous voice. you are fantastic ..really. talk to you soon, and all of my best wishes to always listen to your good music. all the best.. from italy neal
