Chris Garneau
Encyclopedia
Chris Garneau is an American
singer and songwriter and musician
. Garneau's sound combines elements of folk
, Americana
, pop
, baroque, and carnival music
. Since releasing his debut album, Garneau has toured throughout the United States, Canada
, Brazil, Europe
, and Asia.
Garneau cites Jeff Buckley
, Nina Simone
, Nico
, and Chan Marshall as influences. He lives in Brooklyn, NY and recently finished his second full-length album, titled "El Radio," which was released July 7, 2009.
, lived with his family in Paris
during grade school, and later New Jersey
before moving to New York City
. Garneau discovered a love of music at a young age while learning to play piano. After high school, Garneau briefly attended Berklee College of Music
in Boston, but left after completing one term and moved to Brooklyn, NY. There he began writing music and playing live shows at small venues in the East Village
and Lower East Side
of Manhattan
, including CBGB's Gallery
and the Living Room.
-based record label. He was brought to the label by Jamie Stewart
and Caralee McElroy
of Xiu Xiu
. Garneau released his debut album Music for Tourists
in October 2006 and on iTunes
in January 2007. In March 2007 he did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon
. His next project, an EP called "C-Sides", was released in December 2007.
The soundtrack to season four of TV's Grey's Anatomy
includes Garneau's music. The episode "Love/Addiction" features his song "Castle-Time," and the episode "Forever Young" features the song "Black and Blue." The series premiere of Private Practice, "In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl From Somewhere Else," features the song "Sad News."
Garneau has also appeared on Logo
's NewNowNext Music television show where he talked about Music for Tourists and his video for "Relief."
He has been collaborating on a yet-to-be-named musical project with Caralee McElroy
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and songwriter and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. Garneau's sound combines elements of folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, baroque, and carnival music
Carnival Music
Carnival Music Company is an independent music publishing company located in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1999 by Travis Hill and Frank Liddell, who has independently produced Miranda Lambert, David Nail, Lee Ann Womack, Jack Ingram, the Eli Young Band, Chris Knight, and Charlie Pate...
. Since releasing his debut album, Garneau has toured throughout the United States, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Brazil, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and Asia.
Garneau cites Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
, Nina Simone
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon , better known by her stage name Nina Simone , was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music...
, Nico
Nico
Nico was a German singer, lyricist, composer, musician, fashion model, and actress, who initially rose to fame as a Warhol Superstar in the 1960s...
, and Chan Marshall as influences. He lives in Brooklyn, NY and recently finished his second full-length album, titled "El Radio," which was released July 7, 2009.
Early life
Garneau, a native of BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, lived with his family in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
during grade school, and later New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Garneau discovered a love of music at a young age while learning to play piano. After high school, Garneau briefly attended Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston, but left after completing one term and moved to Brooklyn, NY. There he began writing music and playing live shows at small venues in the East Village
East Village, Manhattan
The East Village is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, lying east of Greenwich Village, south of Gramercy and Stuyvesant Town, and north of the Lower East Side...
and Lower East Side
Lower East Side, Manhattan
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, including CBGB's Gallery
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
and the Living Room.
Career
Garneau eventually signed with Absolutely Kosher Records, an Emeryville, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-based record label. He was brought to the label by Jamie Stewart
Jamie Stewart
James "Jamie" Cyrus Stewart is the front-man of the American musical group Xiu Xiu , a former front-man of IBOPA and Ten in the Swear Jar and a current member of Former Ghosts. He was also a member of 7 Year Rabbit Cycle which has since disbanded...
and Caralee McElroy
Caralee McElroy
Caralee McElroy is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist who has played in the bands Xiu Xiu, XXL, and Cold Cave.-Biography:...
of Xiu Xiu
Xiu Xiu
Xiu Xiu is an American avant-garde group originally from San Jose, California. The band is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart, who has been its only constant member since its inception in 2002. His current bandmate is Angela Seo...
. Garneau released his debut album Music for Tourists
Music For Tourists
Music for Tourists is an indie pop album by Chris Garneau. It was released on January 23, 2007 on the Absolutely Kosher record label.- Recording :...
in October 2006 and on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
in January 2007. In March 2007 he did a Take-Away Show video session shot by Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon is an independent filmmaker from Paris mainly known for his field work music videos of indie rock related musicians as well as some notable mainstream artists like Tom Jones, R.E.M. or Arcade Fire. Besides making music videos he also makes experimental films and documentaries...
. His next project, an EP called "C-Sides", was released in December 2007.
The soundtrack to season four of TV's Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
includes Garneau's music. The episode "Love/Addiction" features his song "Castle-Time," and the episode "Forever Young" features the song "Black and Blue." The series premiere of Private Practice, "In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl From Somewhere Else," features the song "Sad News."
Garneau has also appeared on Logo
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
's NewNowNext Music television show where he talked about Music for Tourists and his video for "Relief."
He has been collaborating on a yet-to-be-named musical project with Caralee McElroy
Caralee McElroy
Caralee McElroy is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist who has played in the bands Xiu Xiu, XXL, and Cold Cave.-Biography:...
Discography
- Music for TouristsMusic For TouristsMusic for Tourists is an indie pop album by Chris Garneau. It was released on January 23, 2007 on the Absolutely Kosher record label.- Recording :...
(2006) - C-SidesC-SidesC-Sides is an indie pop EP by Chris Garneau. It was released on November 26, 2007, on the Absolutely Kosher record label.-Track listing:# "Love Zombies" – 1:40# "Blackout" – 4:56# "Runt" – 4:14# "Christmas Song" – 2:07# "Island Song" – 3:12...
EP (2007) - El RadioEl RadioEl Radio is the name of Chris Garneau's second full-length album, released on US label Absolutely Kosher Records, and European label Fargo Records, in July 2009.-Critical reception:...
(2009)