New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Adam Sullivan Official Website) - On Adam Sullivan's gripping new CD 'The Room is Spinning Faster,' the singer/songwriter/pianist delivers a dramatic range of original songs that at times evoke the understated cinematic landscapes of '70s-era Billy Joel, the sense of heartache in Todd Rundgren's iconic 'Hello It's Me,' and a flair for theatrical melancholy as well.
The album is a wistful travelogue, consisting of songs written over the past two years in a variety of locations both in the U.S. (NYC, Nashville, Vermont, Virginia) and abroad (Ireland, The Netherlands, London, Iceland). Highlights include the dense 'Rainy Morning in Amsterdam', complete with lush strings and operatic cries; the memorable 'These Are the Thoughts', featuring doubled vocals and lyrics that convey a literal unrest; the haunted 'Come Down,' which wrestles with unrequited infatuation; and 'Nothing Like Being Alone,' which finds Sullivan questioning his sanity. Listen to streaming audio of the album, here: https://adamsullivan.com/room/
Available now digitally, and set for brick-and-mortar release via Dweeb Records in late October, the lush production reflects the album's pedigree: Produced by John Mark Painter (Ben Folds, Sixpence None The Richer), the album features Bobby Huff (Tim Finn, Julian Lennon) and Lindsay Jamieson (Ben Folds, Matt Kearney) on drums; JMP on bass, guitar and horns; and guest appearances by Matt Slocum (Sixpence None The Richer), Fleming McWilliams (Fleming and John), Pat Severs (Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr.) and The Love Sponge Strings (Ben Folds, Train, Indigo Girls). Though some might favorably compare Sullivan to contemporary artists such as Ben Folds, his style of writing and performing hearken back to another era...he counts rock music of the 80's, Randy Newman and REM among his influences - see more about Sullivan's unique background, below. Further setting him apart from the pack, Sullivan happens to have two Masters degrees, a PhD, and he teaches online courses in accounting, statistics and business.
He is known for his intense international touring schedule - often performing over 100 concerts per year - and the coming months are no exception. A series of U.S. dates are planned for Fall/Winter, and details will be announced soon.
Here are Sullivan's song notes:
'Songs such as Nothing Like Being Alone and Across the Wires address the loneliness and disconnect of being on the road for long periods of time. Other songs such as Nothing Needs To Happen, Rainy Morning In Amsterdam, and Something To Lose deal with various aspects of loss. However, there are uncharacteristic notes of hope on this record. In Providence, I'm unsure of a new relationship, but I'm glad that it exists. These are The Thoughts finds me revisiting memories (both of things that have happened and things that haven't yet) of someone I care about. Even with the bursts of hope, though, the melancholy permeates. This City and Take a Cab both explore the frustration of finding traction in New York City, both personally and professionally. Come Down explores an unrequited infatuation. In the song, I'm wiling to stick it out (until the candle burns out and the bottle empties) to get what I want, but consider that the best thing I can do might be to let go. Still, I've put this person on a pedestal and wish that she would come down. While the record explores multiple themes, and touches on a variety of genres - I think there's a consistent feel, and a basic message. It's very easy to feel alone, and loss is inevitable; so it's important to make connections with people when we can, and to not close ourselves off to possibility.'
Adam Sullivan - The Room Is Spinning - Biography
'One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things,' Henry Miller once wrote.
For his latest release, The Room Is Spinning, singer-songwriter Adam Sullivan took Miller's words to heart. Following his restlessness across borders, oceans and international time zones, he found himself happily bumping into inspiration at nearly every stop.
'I have a hard time staying in the same place for very long,' Sullivan says. 'I have a base in New York City, but I travel a lot. And these songs were written everywhere from England to Ireland to The Netherlands to Iceland. I played over a hundred shows last year in the US and Canada and Europe, so I was constantly meeting new people and experiencing new things. The record is a collection of stories from my life - kind of like a diary, really. I'm very honest about the details, and I tend to write about things that make me feel something.'
Like receiving funny, detailed postcards from a friend abroad, there's a vicarious thrill in hearing Sullivan share his experiences. Whether its the candid doubts about his own sanity in the sweeping opener 'Nothing Like Being Alone' or the complications of a love triangle in the angular rocker 'Dinosaurs,' you find yourself feeling empathy for his plights. Even when the mood shifts, from the autumnal chamber pop of 'Amsterdam' through the lush late night meditation of 'Providence' to the heart-racing beauty of 'Cab,' Sullivan conveys a sense of embracing life with all its crazy funhouse mirrors and trap doors.
'It's bizarre when you spend so much time alone on the road,' he says, 'but at the same time I kind of feel like there's a sense of self-discovery. You really realize who you are.'
With eight EPs and three albums under his belt, the piano-playing Sullivan certainly knows who he is as an artist, but for The Room Is Spinning, he upped the ante by working with producer John Painter (Ben Folds, Sixpence None The Richer). With arrangements that include everything from middle eastern-flavored strings to spy jazz flourishes, Painter creates a dazzling widescreen palette that perfectly complements Sullivan's sweet melodicism and relaxed, conversational vocals.
'I've been a fan of John's ever since I was a kid, so this was kind of a like a dream come true,' Sullivan says. 'John was easy to work with. The atmosphere in the studio was really fun, with a lot of joking around. We took what we were doing seriously, but there was never pressure. I brought thirty or forty songs in, and we spent a couple of days just listening and refining the list. The collaboration was great.
'Everything I've done previously has been self-produced and self-recorded,' he continues. 'So it was amazing to watch John work, because he has such a discerning ear when it comes to arrangements and mixes, and how to shape a complex sonic vision into something that makes sense. It took everything to a new level, in a much more hi-fi way. I think it goes beyond a typical singer-songwriter record.'
Sullivan's background also goes beyond typical singer-songwriter stock. Born and raised in Virginia, he was on the fast track to be a concert pianist, with Julliard and recitals in his future. Then he discovered rock music and it was bye bye Brahms. Not that his parents approved at first.
He recalls, 'I was sheltered as a kid. My mom and dad were strict, and I had to sneak records into the house and hide my Walkman under the mattress.'
Finally, he made a deal with his parents. He'd practice Mozart and Beethoven for a few hours a day, and in return, he'd get to play some of the contemporary music he liked.
'It wasn't even cutting edge stuff that I got into,' Sullivan says. 'Mostly '80s rock and pop. But it was totally new to me, so I was like, 'This is amazing! This is the promised land of music!' And even though later I got into artists like REM and Randy Newman, all those '80s records influenced me, in that I tend to write in a lot of different genres.'
Further setting himself apart from 99% of the sensitive troubadours out there, Sullivan also has two masters degrees, a PhD and he teaches online courses in accounting, statistics and business.
With a chuckle, he says, 'I always joke that I went to school to be Batman. I loved the idea that Batman had these two lives. During the day, he was a businessman, and at night, a superhero. I enjoy teaching, and the interactions I have with my students. However, music is my passion, and I look forward to the day I can support myself that way.'
If The Room Is Spinning is any indication, that day may be just around the corner. But as he looks forward to more globe-trotting and performing, Sullivan acknowledges that being a singer-songwriter is still an uphill struggle.
'I'm the worst self-promoter, so I haven't figured out how to shove my records in everybody's faces yet,' he says with a smile.
'But I hope that people find something to relate to in these songs. That's one of the reasons I write. It's really easy to feel alone, and I've always found comfort in songs that I can relate to. Those songs reassure me that I'm not the only one that feels the way I do. I really hope that I can provide that same reassurance to others through my own music. It's important to me to that I make a connection with people, whether on record or in a live performance. Not for the album sales or recognition - but for the benefit of having had that shared mutual experience.
Biography by Bill DeMain (featured music writer for MOJO, Performing Songwriter, Musician, Mental Floss, Entertainment Weekly)
