Chris Robley

By time, Chris Robley is normally a mild-mannered worker on the trendsetting, on the web music outlet Compact disc Baby. During the night he sheds his inhibitions and delivers music wherein the pushes of darkness and light duel for the souls of women and men within a dark, moody design that pieces him aside from your typical indie rocker. Single, or with a little support combo he phone calls Concern with Heights, Robley pulls you into his tortured globe view using a poetic sensibility that provides his music a depth and intelligence many youthful songwriters absence. In the studio room, he plays nearly every instrument imaginable, as well as the eclectic agreements on his second record, The Drunken Dance of Contemporary Man in Like, are always astonishing. It implemented in the gloomy footsteps of his debut, 2005’s THIS IS ACTUALLY THE, another established that combined ambient folk, ominous pop, darkly introspective vocalist/songwriter fare, and psychedelic bedroom electronica to explore a landscaping of desperation and anguish. In an assessment of the record one smart critic tagged him as the “Stephen Ruler of indie pop.” Robley was created at Kent State Medical center, Warwick, RI, not really a spot for music skill. An only kid, he spent lots of time only, inventing tales and music to maintain himself occupied inside a city he characterizes like a “secure small bubble.” He created a flavor for solitude and songwriting in early stages after a life-changing encounter hearing Paul Simon’s concert in Central Recreation area, the main one without Garfunkel, go on Radio One. He’d cued up a tape recorder and after looking forward to weeks captured a acoustic guitar single in “The Boy in the Bubble” that thrilled him above all else he’d have you ever heard. He instantly ran in to the living space and informed his parents he needed a guitar. Keeping in mind that he’d stop piano lessons after 3 years, these were dubious. They recommended renting a acoustic guitar, but non-e of the neighborhood music shops rented lefty guitars. Robley stuck with acoustic guitar and performed in the senior high school jazz music group. He also found trombone to try out in the concert music group. He continuing playing jazz electric guitar in university ensembles in Richmond, VA, where he previously a music scholarship or grant. When his college did away using the theory/structure focus, he turned to an British major, which might describe his poetic method of lyric composing. As his electric guitar playing improved he returned towards the piano and began determining Beatles music, piecing together the fundamentals of music theory by himself. Following that he began discovering Wurlitzer, Fender Rhodes, organs, and synthesizers. Electric guitar resulted in banjo, mandolin, drums, and primitive electrical bass. Robley’s early executing was playing electric guitar in various university jazz/fusion rings. He constructed jazz and faux traditional stuff for college and various groupings he performed in. The Shanghai String Quartet performed one of is own pieces within a school structure task. Behind locked doorways, nevertheless, he was a secretive pop vocalist/songwriter who under no circumstances sang in public areas. The very first time he ever performed one of is own personal tracks, for classmate John Stewart, he was shaking uncontrollably. Both became close friends and Stewart is currently drummer in worries of Heights and his collaborator in the type Ofs. The duo didn’t take up a “genuine” rock and roll/pop music group until their this past year of university. On graduation, Robley, Stewart, as well as the music artists they’d been using continued a road visit to find a spot to live that was definately not their hometowns. Since many had been East Coasters, they loved Portland and Austin greatest, but early July in Austin presented 114 degree temps and poison oak, while in Portland it had been 80 levels and pleasantly sun-drenched. Little do they understand that the city would shortly become an indie music mecca. After getting in Portland, Robley got wedded and began focusing on his very own music. He also ultimately got per day work at Compact disc Baby, where he manages the client service section and helms the Compact disc Baby DIY Musician Podcast (http://www.cdbabypodcast.com), a combined mix of interviews with bookers, promoters, managers, designers, and performers and informal circular table conversations that disseminate details and wisdom helpful for the D.We.Con. musician. In 2005 Robley lower his debut, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE, on a restricted budget, ten paths of moody folktronica with poignant lyrics and soft, romantic melodies. It had been documented in four times on 16-monitor analog tape at Type Foundry with Adam Selzer creating and collaborating. The recordings had been going to become demos, but finally morphed into an recording, with most paths laid down in a single or two requires. On the recording, Robley forced the boundaries a little, but he’s clear of notions about as an experimental musician. He dwells for the cusp between your fringe and mainstream pop, pleased to become too unusual for strict enthusiasts of contemporary radio and as well poppy for those who like post-rock sound Drunken Dance, his second work, was captured in fourteen days on 24-monitor analog tape, once again at Type Foundry with Adam Selzer. It’s even more orchestral and even more organic at the same time, with a whole lot of quiet areas and subtlety, an record that’s diverse without having to be totally chaotic. Robley deposit basic monitors with classical guitar and vocals, after that quickly laid over the overdubs, the majority of which he’d created out and organized in advance. Furthermore to his single career, Robley has in several other Portland rings. He’s the keyboardist/sound guitarist for the Imprints, a Portland rock-band led by ex-Baseboard Heating units vocalist Rob Stroup, performs guitar/bass/tips for Norfolk & Traditional western, Adam Selzer’s epic, sepia-rock music group, and tips and electric guitar for pop Americana clothing the Imprints. He also bangs on plaything devices with Rachel Taylor Brown’s unusual trio and fronts the agitprop-prog-pop music group the type Ofs, which really is a keyboard-driven, intense, political clothing he began years back again with John Stewart. THE TYPE Ofs released the Stress on Parade recording in 2006 and so are planning a complete recording for sometime in 2008.