Christofer Drew~ “Mr. Funny Man”

I have a feeling I’m going to be putting out a new post every day until the 12th because I think I see a pattern going on. If I am not mistaken, Christofer Drew is going  to stream a  new single off The  Modern Racket on Alternative Press’s website everyday until it’s  release  on April 12.

The second track is titled, “Mr. Funny Man.” It’s all together simple. Just  Drew and his guitar.  There is nothing special about the song, which in a sea of auto-tunes and  synthesizers is what makes Drew’s new music so refreshing.

What makes this song so perfect it that it seems obvious that Drew has left behind most of his anger so often felt through his earlier songs. He manages sharp lyrics with little to no effort. Unlike the songs heard on Harmony and What is Love? where Drew was using his voice and more complex sounds to get his point across, I for see Drew is going to let his writing do most of the talking on his upcoming EP.

Christofer Drew~ “Livin’ the Dream”

Today is yet another installment of “Christofer Drew amazes me.”

Social networking has led to a lot of undone homework on my part, but it also constantly updates me on new music. Facebook is the latest to do so.

I am tra-la-laing at work and my Facebook auto-updates my news feed to read: Never Shout Never- “Check out the first song from The Modern Racket EP called “Livin’ The Dream.” Dont forget to donate to Charity:Water via themodernracket.com to get the EP on 4/12.” I listened and I am in love still. You can check out the song here.

The song is simple and free. It reminds me a lot of Harmony with very little computer aided music. Just Drew and his guitar. I cannot wait for the new EP.

The Modern Racket will be released on April 12 on the album’s website here.You get the album when you make a donation to Charity:Water through the website. You can also wait until April 19 and buy it from and digital media outlet like iTunes.

I am must say I understand Drew’s move away from the Never shout Never title. It can be hard to make new and evolving music when your 14-year-old fan girls want carbon copies of songs like “Trouble” and “Happy.” I have read interviews with Drew where he says  he is growing as a person and as an artist. He doesn’t want to let anyone down but he doesn’t want to be stuck doing the same thing forever. And most fans don’t take the time to think that Drew was 16 or 17 when he wrote his old songs. He was an immature artist and needs time to progress. I think he is doing just that and his hard-core fans, that like Drew for his music and talent, will stick around through what ever he decides to do.

Christofer Drew Can Do Anything

This is the picture of Julie's boy friend Joe, Me, Chris and Julie. Good Day!

On the bus home from class, my Zune was like “You want to listen to this 12 minute long interview with Christofer Drew.” And although I wasn’t in the mood for talking, I gave in and it was actually really interesting.

Drew is even more talented than I first thought. The interview was included on Melody, what Drew describes as a “Deluxe Digital Collection”, a three track treat that was put out before the release of his new full length album Harmony.

The interview was conducted in studio by Butch Vig the producer of Harmony, Garbage drummer and producer of one of my personal favorite albums Nirvana’s Nevermind.

In the interview Drew talks about how Harmony is coming together and what he thinks it will  mean to the fans.

“This last record it just kinda hit me. I kinda figured out what my fans want from me,” said Drew. “I wanna give that to them but at the same time I wanna keep growing and not limit myself to that. I just wanted to capture the sound that they want and say what I wanted to say.”

When I first listened to Harmony, I didn’t give two thoughts to how it was made or the instruments Drew used on it. In the interview he talks in detail about how he plays the piano on the record even though he had never considered himself good at it.

“I’m not the best piano player but whenever I’m under the pressure,” said Drew, “Somehow this intuition comes out and I can play. The pressure helps me.” He also plays the organ on the album even though he had never played it before.

Among his influences are Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and the Beach Boys. These have never been more evident than on the new album. It’s classic and pure at heart. It really does feel like he has found the greatest balance between what he wants to say and the music he sets it to.

I have been a fan of Never Shout Never since 2008 when my best friend and roommate played his EPs over and over. The funny thing is that I always had to ask, “Who is this again??” Now I can’t get his songs out of my head.

I am extremely affected by his music and that effect depends on the day. Some days I can be perfectly fine, turn on a NSN song and have to stop listening  because tears are in my eyes. It’s kinda like it’s soooo good that it hurts and I just can’t take it. Then there are other days when I play one of his songs and life gets a little less hard. I cannot put my finger on what it is about his music that has such opposite and intense effects on me, but I like it.

I have seen NSN in concert once and at Warped Tour once. Both were some of the greatest experiences in my musical life (minus getting spit on at Warped Tour).

I learned timing really is everything when my best friend and I arrived late to a NSN concert and who was walking towards us but Christofer himself. After an internal “Is that him. That’s him. No that’s not him” battle, he nonchalantly said hi and I professed my love for his music and asked for a picture. This is the convo that followed.

“Yes, but you have to promise me you will do something for me,” Drew said.

“Ok. What do you want?” I said

“I want you to promise me that you will tell all the people in that line,” said Drew, pointing at the long line of people waiting to get into the concert, “That I love them all.”

“Will do,” I said.

“You are the only people that I have taken a picture with,” Drew said. “You guys are really something special. Also I like that,” Drew said, in reference to the bag I was carrying which featured the late Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain.

We hugged and said our goodbyes and as I walked over to the crowd that was now gawking at my friend and I and said,  “Christofer wants you to know that he loves every single one of you.”

Which was answered by a bunch of fan girls screaming, “I’m so jealous.”

I just thought it should be known that even if all the little girls are screaming for his cute face, there is a very talented man behind the coon-skin cap, the hair and the sweet smile. Also, he smells good.