Chad VanGaalen: New MP3s

Calgarian, Chad VanGaalen, has been critically lauded for his solo debut, Infiniheart (2004), and will be saddled with the same complications when his upcoming record, Skelliconnection, is released August 22nd. VanGaalen's Canadian label, Flemish Eye, started the ball rolling by offering the information that VanGaalen had been recording for the past ten years, in his bedroom, and had amassed 100's of songs. With this bit of info and the record playing in critics ears, well, let's just say that's kind of like setting an eight year old loose in an unsupervised candy store. From those beginnings VanGaalen got his fair share of 'made for PR' press. Now don't get me wrong, VanGaalen did release a stunner of a debut and has followed it with a work of obvious growth and experience. But it's sure to result in the predictable backlash suffered by all who rise above the rabble... It's the 'King of the Hill' syndrome (i'm not talking Mike Judge here).

On these mp3s, what will jump out at you is the thundering drums and bass, a la The Constantines, on "Flower Gardens", and the harmonica on "Dead Ends" always, ALWAYS, makes me think of Dylan, but VanGaalen's performance and the song structure and lyrical imagery, conjure Tim Buckley. And "Mini TV's"? It simply quavers and squawks like Neil Young.

This album, Skelliconnection, will find a safe home on many year end 'best' lists.



+ flower gardens
+ dead ends
+ mini tv's


VanGaalen's Myspace page

Skelliconnection - the album comes with bonus videos for two songs, animated byVanGaalen.
1. Sing Me To Sleep
2. Flower Gardens
3. Graveyard
4. Systematic Heart
5. Mini Tv's
6. Gubbish
7. Rolling Thunder
8. Dead Ends
9. Red Hot Drops
10. Wind Driving Dogs
11. Dandruff
12. See Thru Skin
13. Burn To Ash
14. Viking Rainbows
15. Wing Finger "