"The Low Growl of Peter Gabriel with the guitar chops of Suzanne Vega and we don't hand out such compliments lightly" - BOSTON GLOBE

11 MP3 Songs
POP: Folky Pop, ROCK: Folk Rock



Details:
Jordan Carpâs latest release The Dark Architecture is a tapestry of beautiful melodies crafted over inticately woven musical textures. Dark yet hopeful songwriting with stark lyrical imagery is set against lush guitar playing with occasional Moog and Mellotron voices. This is Jordan Carpâs third album and his news songs show the depth and growth of his already polished songwriting abilities. Jordanâs musical acumen combined with the guidance of the ultra talented producer JP Bowersock (Ryan Adams, the Strokes) makes The Dark Architecture his finest effort yet and has him poised to leap from being a Boston artist to a burgeoning American songwriter. So far the critics agreeâ¦The Boston Globe writes, âA homegrown source of inspiration with the low growl of Peter Gabriel and the guitar chops of Suzanne Vega and we donât hand out such compliments lightly." While the Aquarian Weekly writes, âCarp makes full use or rich, harmonic textures, contrapuntal melodies, and jazz pop progressions. All 11 songs on this album utilize some sort of tool to take the listener to a place they just couldnât go with their âeveryday" CD collection. Grade: A."

âMy dad is a classical musician so it was always in the house and that sparked the motivation behind my quest for a musical voice." Jordan remembers, âThis formed my sense of Harmony and Melody and I began discovering all the odd chord voicings that have found there way into my own writing. I was listening to Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Peter Gabriel, Joni Mitchell. Before really getting into harmony though, I played guitar and would learn Bob Dylan songs and later became a huge Elliot Smith fan."

The Son of an Oboist/English horn player, Jordan grew up taking piano lessons. During High School he played the drums in various rock bands and school musicals. He purchased a guitar when he was 15 and began learning rock and pop songs and made his first attemps at singing by trying to immitate the vocal style of as Peter Gabriel.

After High School he moved to New Orleans where he spent 4 years bartending in a live music venue, exploring Jazz and writing songs. He began taking traditional music and creative writing classes during the third year in âThe Crescent City".

Jordan then enrolled at the Berklee College of Music in 1998 and while mastering his craft in compostion/guitar, he played hundreds of shows throughout the Northeast, building a following on the College music scene while also Busking (street performing) in Harvard Square (Cambridge, Massachusetts). Jordan managed to sell over one thousand copies of his self produced records in 2005 at shows and during street performances.

Where Jordan may have made his greatest strides as a musician is during his live performances. With all of his songwriting prowess Jordan has crafted a live shows that should not be missed. Whether itâs solo or with his band, Carpâs energy and years of hard work, draw on his musical influences, studies and travels to make his music come alive and engage audiences everywhere.

But Jordan doesnât stop there. He was commissioned by film makers Phil Lane and John Givens to score the documentary âWorking Title" about the lives of five artists, one of whom is Jordan Carp. His career is on the rise and the release of his third album The Dark Architecture brings his harmony and subtle freshness to the world of music that has Jordan on the verge of reaching many people.
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ABOUT THE SONGS

âWalking at Nightâ
The loss of Elliott Smith is probably the most unfortunate in the world of singer/songwriters. Elliott would often go walking at night by himself. This oneâs for him.

âLuckyâ
The record âGiant Stepsâ by John Coltrane is an essential and there was a period where I listened to it every day, numerous times. At least 6 months , maybe even a year. The Song âNiamaâ changed my life. I began making interpretations of what I thought composers were saying through instrumental music. I drew an interpretational conclusion on âNaimaâ, and later learned that I had interpreted correctly. This gave me confidence with the music I began to write.
âNaimaâ is a pedal in Bb, meaning the bass note is the same throughout the composition. âLuckyâ is a pedal in D. The chord voicings in âLuckyâ and overall harmony of the song is âdarkâ and kind of âexperimentalâ for a pop song. The pedal in âLuckyâ represents me - an individual who has explored many avenues to find a voice, but always comes back to being âthe selfâ to make the artistic statement.
These are the little things in art that only the creator of the work is aware of, but perhaps the stuff that gives us the confidence with our work to withstand the pressures and difficulties of a career in this field.

âSimple Pleasuresâ
Everyone needs a song that has the lyrics âoh yeahâ. Lotâs of Hip Hop songs start off with âawe yeahâ. Iâm ending with âoh yeahâ.

âGiant in a Tiny Universeâ
Whatever/Whomever it is that makes you larger than life

âSpacemanâ
Another song where I use Jedi Mind tricks via Harmony. The odd melody and dissonant harmony of this compostion represents (I hope) the subject of the song - feeling estranged and rejected.
A guy that just got out of a House of Pain concert came into the room next door where I was playing one night and yelled âthis is the worst song Iâve ever heard!â I knew then itâs one of the best things Iâve written because it works every time I play it.

âNew Orleansâ
I spent 4 years in the crescent city just after high school. I went there probably because the drinking age was 18. I left knowing what I was going to do for the rest of my life. I knew I would never be able to go back unless I was on the bill at Jazz Fest.

âDistant Satelliteâ
A bigger tragedy than a broken heart is one thatâs been broken by someone or something that you canât communicate with.

âFallenâ
When bad things happen some people just donât like talking about it.

âTorchâ
If you need it enough you will make it happen

âOde to the Diseaseâ
Another one from my happy/feel good song book. If youâre down and troubled, and need a helping hand, maybe you just need some time to your self and write a song about it.