Geoff Byrd: Press

"With a rare gift for perfectly cast, universally approachable pop
craftmanship (he's written themes for Cheerleader Nation and ESPNs
Wanna Go Fishing, chiseled features (something like a 'roided-up
Courtney Taylor-Taylor) and an indie marketing nous (three years ago
he became the most downloaded artist absent any traditional push),
Geoff Byrd seemed set to become the frist true internet superstar-and
then he signed with a majorish label. Byrd's now returned to the gal
that brung him, releasing new album Featurette exclusively through his
website. Though typically beautiful, Byrd channelled his inner Brian
Wilsom for this album, playing every single note from theramin to
bongo to a 16 vocal-tracks-of-Geoff choir. He's always had a talent
for melodic craftsmanship, but his songs are now matched by a greater
lyrical complexity. Byrd could still be the first internet superstar
after all."

Geoff Byrd is not a man who’s willing to sell his soul to become a platinum-selling singer/songwriter; for that matter, he’s not even going out of his way to seek out a major-label deal.

Some would say that those two particular paths meet more often than not, and if Byrd was more desperate and short-sighted, it’s likely that that would be the case. A lesser man would probably settle for an iffy major-label contract in order to get major-label distribution, then play umpteen gigs to promote the album, only to be dropped because some corporate bigwig doesn’t think he sounds enough like Justin Timberlake to make it worth spending the money on advertising him. Byrd, however, has spent the last several years building a name for himself – getting a major buzz going, selling thousands of copies of his CDs at his live shows and via the Internet, and inspiring coverage in Billboard and Radio & Records as well as on CNN and CNET – and he knows quite well that there are label deals to be had whenever he wants one…if he ever wants one.

Right now, however, it’s pretty clear that he definitely doesn’t want one. Byrd’s left his manager, left his label, and has decided to release his new album, Featurette, exclusively through his website. There’s indie, and then there’s really, really indie, but when you’re making an offer to personally autograph every single CD? Dude, that’s pretty damned indie.

Byrd’s last record – 2005’s Shrinking Violets – was produced by Steve Sundholm (a collaboration which led Byrd to appear on Jim Brickman’s 2006 album, Escape), but Featurette is a self-produced affair. In fact, everything was in Byrd’s hands this time around; in addition to handling production duties himself, he also recorded and mixed the disc, played all the instruments, and wrote all the songs, and the inevitable result is an album that feels just as personal as you’d expect it would. Byrd seems to realize, however, that you can be personal without falling into a pit of despair in the process.

Mind you, the lyrics are a little obscure at times – after several listens to the title track, which opens the album, I’m still not entirely sure what Byrd’s on about – but the music is a mix of jaunty pop (“Provocateur”), romantic ballads (“For Whatever It’s Worth”), and even a two-minute foray into country rock (“The Ballad of Patch Walker”). There’s even a gospel-styled choir on “Insignificant Others.” With the song “Summer,” Byrd begins with a few seconds of perfectly Wilson-esque harmonies; they recur briefly later in the track, but Byrd knows that a little Beach Boys tribute goes a long way, never allowing them to overwhelm; same deal with the Queen-like backing vocals that occur on “Terra Firma.” The album closer, “Under the Sun,” might be a little pretentious, given that it opens with a spoken-word proclamation, ends with a vaguely-Medieval-sounding choir, and has a JFK soundbite somewhere in the middle, but, damn, anyone who attempts put together a rock opera in under four minutes deserves some kind of praise, if only for trying something different.

As with Shrinking Violets, Geoff Byrd hasn’t gone into Featurette with an eye toward commercial success; he’s just out to make the music that he wants to make. It’s a mindset that the major labels will never accept, of course, but at the rate Byrd’s fan base is growing and the number of albums he’s selling, he’s probably giving less and less of a flying flip what they think, anyway.

~Will Harris

wharris@bullz-eye.com

Here is the exact link:

http://www.bullz-eye.com/cdreviews/harris/geoff_byrd-featurette.htm

Plenty of musicians have probably fantasized about walking away from their record labels, but Portland singer/songwriter Geoff Byrd actually up and left the label nest after months of legal fighting with his manager and label. So he's taking a somewhat unusual route with his new album, "Featurette," selling it through his Web site, www.geoffbyrd.com. The album (for which he wrote all the songs, played all the instruments, produced and mixed.¤.¤. I'm tired just writing all that) is full of gentle songs, accessible without being cloying, enjoyable without being defensive. That simplicity is their strength, as the songwriting feels particularly strong on the album. Download "The Sentinels" for a taste of the album. Or hit up his CD release show on Sunday at Dante's, at 8:30 p.m., 3rd and West Burnside; $6.

This Grammy nominated Portland singer-songwriter will celebrate the release of his new album, "Featurette." There's very little, if anything, about his music that's not clean. His voice sparkles and his guitar flourishes in all the right places. And so while no unprecedented, his music, caught in a tradition of pop and soul fusion, is well-wrought.

"One independent artist who seems to be making headway on his own is Portland, OR singer/songwriter Geoff Byrd. Labels are knocking, and the buzz is spreading through the radio community. Sheryl Stewart, music director at KRSK, "The Buzz" in Portland, OR explains: 'we suggested that Geoff add more guitars to "Silver Plated" and the next day, we had a new mix in our hands. We put it on the air, and it instantly became one of our most requested songs. We've since had Geoff open up for The Calling at our Cheap Date show. He and his band are on par with any national band out there!"
~Radio and Records~

"Geoff Byrd might be the most popular artist you've never heard of. The Portland native has worked hard and racked up a list of impressive accomplishments that include having four out of five most downloaded songs on MSN simultaneously. Byrd also has been played on a list of influential mainstream radio stations and has been invited to tour with Hall and Oates - all without the support of a major label. His latest album, "Shrinking Violets" is full of well-crafted, radio-friendly pop-rock. Catch this former Reynolds High School teacher and his ace band tonight at Dante's."

"Geoff Byrd is a Goldmine! And the band is tighter than a condom!"
-Isaac Hayes

Geoff Byrd's "Candy Shell" mixed "down south" in Los Angeles by the recently relocated Portland, Oregon wunderkind Steve Sundholm (Geoff Byrd, Lowcraft), these tracks literally storm the castle, displaying desperate yet unshakeable confidence, shotgun wed to worldclass songcraft. Now cometh the roar...these songs bespeak a firebrand urgency and intensity- and they display sheer creative range that most bands are either too timid or too unskilled to ever, ever, EVER attempt.

"Geoff is a star on the rise. He's talented, hardworking and his extraordinary vocal range delivers a fine mix of funk and soul." ~Tamara Allegra Conniff/Executive Editor/Billboard~

"Geoff has everything going for him. He's got immense talent, good looks, a superstar personality and most important of all for us radio folks, a great song, "Silver Plated." It's a perfect fit for Hot AC. I'm sold on Geoff Byrd! ~ Alisa Hashimoto, Music Director, KPLZ ~ Seattle.

"We all listened to the song and it is one of the best to come out of the Northwest in a long time! Best of success!" -Kent Phillips, Program Director KPLZ, Seattle

"Geoff's sound is exactly what this format needs! Fresh, unique and most of all, memorable. Geoff Byrd is the next superstar at the Hot A/C format!" ~Dan Persigehl Program Director, KRSK "The Buzz," Portland~

"Geoff Byrd is truly a breath of fresh air but at the same time
reminiscent of the glory days of the best pop and soul. He covers the
entire spectrum of what it takes to be a great artist - infectious
melodies, pop in it's finest and most basic form, vocal deliveries from
the heart, and a tornado of soul especially when seen live. Geoff was an
absolute Star!" ~Jon Pleeter, CAA~

"GarageBand.com receives daily submissions from 120,000 bands, and every
song gets rated by randomly-assigned members from our community of
450,000 listeners. Out of hundreds of thousands of songs, a few good
songs rise up the charts because hundreds of listeners have consistently
given them high ratings. It's rare that GarageBand.com sees an artist with such outstanding ratings as Geoff Byrd. Out of a deluge of submissions by hundreds of thousands of musicians, Geoff's music has consistently risen to the top because hundreds of randomly-assigned GarageBand.com listeners have consistenly given it high ratings. Geoff Byrd has not just one, but three songs in the top 10 of GarageBand.com's "Pop" or "Pop/Rock" charts, an exceptional accomplishment for any artist." ~ Ali Partovi, CEO, GarageBand.com~

"If good looks and a little bit of talent are all you need to make it big in pop music, then Portland recording artist Geoff Byrd is one step away from his own platinum paradise. Standing well over six feet 6 inches tall, with chiseled good looks and a face that screams both boy next door and rebel without a cause, Byrd is a looker, but like his debut record Candy Shell, there´s a lot more substance inside this indie rocker once you make your way passed the sugary sweet exterior. He´s zealous, warm and sincere — rarities in the often fake and fickle world of the music industry." ~LA Independent ~

I JUST LISTENED TO THE NEW GEOFF BYRD CD, AND I THINK HE IS THE BEST NEW SINGER SONGWRITER I HAVE HEARD IN A LONG TIME!!!
~RUSS REGAN~ (former president of Motown Records, signed Elton John, named the Beach Boys, responsible for over 1 BILLION records sold and countless hits!)

"Geoff's got a great sound and if there's more where that came from, he's more than likely to be one of 2005's Newest Star's!" ~, KIOI/STAR 1013 San Francisco