KIFF
You Can't Keep it Down
© 2006 Chris "KIFF" Gallagher (837101126441)
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Previously compared to 'Maroon 5 w/ a dose of Stevie Wonder' (SF Examiner), Kiff comes into his own with rare songcrafting talent -- made of rich chord progressions, wicked grooves and the "velvet blanket" of his soulful voice. This CD is a must listen.
tracks
- 1 Now
- 2 Coming Home
- 3 Lies
- 4 Die 4 the Cause
- 5 Starting Line
- 6 How it Feels
- 7 Just Give it Up
- 8 Your Body
- 9 Talk to Me
- 10 Follow the Leader
- 11 In This World
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notes
"a cross between John Mayer and Maroon 5 w/ a dose of Stevie Wonder. Music lovers have responded well." - SF Examiner
"...with layered harmonies, a midtempo strut, and clever lyrical turns... it's stunning." - SF Weekly
"Will and Surrender is a breath of fresh air, soaring with Gallagher's raspy smooth vocals - a velvet blanket laid over groove jams" - theowlmag.com
"Here is a new guy for us all to check out...pure melodic pop heaven - that with an ounce of soul in the mix. Cool for sure..." - Melodic.net
In 2003, Chris (Kiff) Gallagher walked away from an impressive career in business and politics, and sat down to write some music. In less than a year he'd created "Will and Surrender." Though it was his first attempt at writing and producing pop songs, it was instantly clear that he had a gift. "Will and Surrender" was a top seller at CDbaby.com for months, and the single, "Wide Open" charted on Garageband's top 20, all-time, for best male vocals and best love song, out of more than 17,000.
Before long, Kiff was getting attention in his hometown, San Francisco. Over the next year, he played to crowds in the Bay Area (Independent, Slim's, Café du Nord, Sweetwater), NY (Makor, Bitter End) and LA (Hotel Café, Temple Bar). With "raspy smooth" vocals, evocative songs and a charismatic stage presence, Kiff headlined sold- out shows and opened for acts as diverse as Gavin DeGraw, Aqualung and Maktub.
In early 2005, Gallagher began work on his second album. The strength of his demos attracted top session talent (from acts like Macy Gray, Fionna Apple, Seal, The Matrix, etc), and landed spots in independent film, "best-of" compilations and Clear Channel's prestigious "New" artist buzz page to be streamed on more than 300 stations nationwide.
The self-produced album titled, "You Can't Keep it Down," also got the attention of award-winning studio veterans, Mark Needham (The Killers, Fleetwood Mac, Chris Isaak) and Joe Chiccarelli (Elton John, U2, Beck, etc) who split the job of mixing the 11 songs. The CD will have a limited release (PeaceLabs Records) before the '05 holidays and broader distribution with tour support in 2006.
Kiff's unique brand of classic song-writing and groove-oriented soul has evolved into something far more raw and relevant than his buzz- worthy '03 debut predicted. "You Can't Keep it Down" breaks through the clutter of indie mediocraty with rare artistic gravity and real commercial viability. 3 years of nonstop writing, producing and performing has paid off for Kiff and his fans with a fresh, engaging sound that's ready for action.
Discography:
2003 Will & Surrender (full length)
2005 You Can't Keep It Down (full length)
Recognition:
* Clear Channel New: Selected for Clear Channel's "New" page, streaming the hottest emerging artists on over 300 stations nationwide.
* Garageband *****: Awarded 4-5 stars on several songs, charting Top 10 in many categories including Best Male Vocalist.
* CD Baby Top 20: Debut CD tops sales charts for 5 months among 50,000+
* "Best Of" Compilations: New single, "Now," selected for "Unbelievably Unsigned Vol. 1" (http://intellectiverecords.com) and
TheOwlMag's "Who's Who of Bay Area Vol. 1". (http://theowlmag.com/features.asp)
reviews
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AMAZING can't get tired of this CD
author: DevinSo great- became my favorite cd ever- so fast. All the songs are amazing, and the lyrics are so well written. I thought JOhn Mayer and Jason Mraz were the best out there- not true!
WOW!
author: GeorgiaOnce this CD starts playing a mellow feeling comes over me and any problems I might be having are gone until the last song ends. I listen to this CD over and over - It's one of my favorites...I can't wait for the next CD!
It's all about the hooks.
author: B.J. BarrattMelt a base of Maroon 5, add a heaping handful of Kenny Loggins, a generous pinch of Richard Marx, and dash of Rob Thomas and maybe a hint of Peter Cetera...and you've got something very tasty, indeed....they call it KIFF. Sexy, powerful vocals, beautiful, catchy tunes and some really smart lyrics from San Francisco based artist Chris Gallagher, who goes by his nickname, Kiff, (even the name is catchy). It's all about the hooks. Hooks can come in different packages. A "hook" can be a killer "sing along" chorus, or a gut wrenching chord change, clever lyrics or a catchy rhythm. In this case, Kiff uses them all...very often using multiple hook techniques in a single song. You can't learn how to do that - especially so consistantly - that kind of talent is something your born with. Strangely, the songs I seem drawn to are not necessarily the ones written with a more obvious "Hit" formula, but rather the sexier, more sensual songs like Kiffs "Your Body" and "In This World". That's not to say that I'm not completely bowled over by the addictive qualities of pop radio ready songs like "How It Feels" or "Die 4 The Cause". In fact, if the latter doesn't get this guy a major label deal, then the labels deserve the horrible fate that they are causing themselves, and I'll dance on their graves while playing Kiff on my iPod.
- author: Lynda Creighton
Amazing CD! Shows artist's wide range of talent. It is one I can listen to over and over. Enjoy the various moods and styles of the collection of songs.
A stupendous work of art!
author: ThatcherIf anything, this CD is even better than his last one, with his slightly raspy vocals and amazing piano skills combining with the rest of the band to make a masterful work of art.
Really great album, just like his first one
author: JSThe first album was great and this one matches if not tops. More smooth grooves, great melodies, kicking sound overall. Hooray!
Great album, almost exactly what I was looking for
author: nollBest album I've got on CDbaby yet. The crisp production is great and the music is better.
My best buy from cdbaby since Vinyl Kings debute
author: Joachim Stokstad, SwedenGuitar dominated his debute, which was promising, but not great. Also feels quite dated. But on his second album he lets the piano dominate over the guitar, and it gets real interesting. Extremely melodical tunes, good singing, nice arrangements - I play this over and over and don't get bored!
Simply Incredible throughout
author: Joe StevensFrom the first notes this CD jams and doesn't let up anywhere. Solid songwriting, performance, etc...some clever stuff for overaverage ears as well as simply catchy moments for the casual listener.
Smokin'
author: JoeyCThe title of this follow-up gem is appropriate. But it should read: you can't keep Kiff down. This man's on the rise. Vocals, lyrics and songwriting just keep getting better, and the musicians on Kiff's latest are sensational. A great listen. Highly recommended. Buy it now.
- author: Flow
à mon humble avis, cet album pourrait faire un carton en France (je suis prêt à parier), les compos sont classes, le son est énorme. beau boulot !
- author: Kim
This album is even better than last album!
Crisp, interesting, and a keeper!
author: AndreaThis CD has a stellar combination of pop, soul, funk, and rock, all overlaid with sweet and tight lyrics. More interesting than anything in its genre I've heard in long time.
Dynamite! Music stays with you,lyrics will blow you away. Move over John Mayer.
author: RudyCan't get enough of this guy. His melodies stick with you long after the CD is tucked away.