Alexi Murdoch

Alexi Murdoch

Murdoch at PopTech 2012 in Reykjavik, Iceland
Background information
Born (1973-12-27) 27 December 1973
London, England
Origin London, England
Genres Folk
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • multi-instrumentalist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
  • keyboards
  • drums
  • bass guitar
Years active 2002–present
Labels Zero Summer
Website aleximurdoch.com

Alexi Murdoch (born 27 December 1973) is a British musician and songwriter, currently living in Berlin.[1]

Background

Murdoch was born in London to a Greek father and Scottish-French mother and lived in Greece until he was ten, when his family moved back to Britain, settling in Scotland.[2][3]

Murdoch moved to America in 1992 to study at Duke University,[3] before moving to Los Angeles, California to be with a girlfriend.[2] He first gained notice when an influential Los Angeles DJ, Nic Harcourt, began playing his music on the radio station KCRW. It led to much interest from the LA's music industry, which Murdoch largely ignored, turning down advances from record labels and opting to release his music independently.[3]

Four Songs

He self-released the EP Four Songs through independent record stores and website CD Baby in November 2002.[3][4] CD Baby sold over 50,000 copies of the release, becoming the site's all-time best-selling record.[5][6]

In 2003, he performed at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference and that year's Sundance Film Festival,[3][7] and, in 2004, at the Hollywood Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music Conference.[5][8] In 2004, the song "Orange Sky" from the EP also became the most-played song on Philadelphia indie station WXPN.[9][10]

Time Without Consequence

Murdoch's first album, Time Without Consequence, was released on 6 June 2006 on his own label, Zero Summer. As with the EP, Murdoch continued to turn down the record deals he was offered from numerous major labels to maintain creative control. (The record was distributed nationally through Sony BMG.) Time Without Consequence peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.[11]

On 9 June 2006, Murdoch began a 34-city tour in conjunction with the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, with most bookings at independent record stores.[9]

The album became one of the most licensed albums of the decade, receiving placements on dozens of films and television shows. "Orange Sky" appeared in The O.C.,[2][5] House, Prison Break,[2] Ugly Betty, Dirty Sexy Money, Ladder 49,[5] Suburgatory {S2E5} and in promotions for Oscar nominated foreign film, Paradise Now, Southland and a Honda commercial.[9] "Home" appeared in a season 2 episode of Prison Break. "All My Days" was featured in The O.C., Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs, Without a Trace, Stargate Universe, and a promo for Southland. It has also featured as the opening song in the movie Real Steel and the final episode of Years of Living Dangerously. "Song For You" appeared in Everwood. "12" appeared in the shows "Brothers & Sisters" and "One Tree Hill." "Blue Mind" was featured in the 2008 adventure film The Sharp End,, played over the final credits sequence of the 2014 independent film WildLike, and was used in several episodes of Dawson's Creek.[2][3] "Breathe" and "All My Days" were used in Stargate Universe, and the 2008 film Tenderness, where the album Time Without Consequence is also shown on a scene of the film. "Wait" was used in the shows Defying Gravity and Parenthood. "It's Only Fear" was used in the Brothers and Sisters. Several songs were used in a surfing documentary One California Day. "Crinan Wood" was used in the episode Chuck Versus the Masquerade from the show Chuck.

Career

In the spring of 2009, Murdoch embarked on a rare US headlining tour, during which he has been distributing an early version of a new album entitled Towards the Sun in a limited edition packaged in a hand-printed, cardboard sleeve.[12]

Recent bookings by Murdoch include two concerts in Berlin, one small club appearance and a second as part of the City Slang label's 20th anniversary. In February 2011, he performed in New York City as part of Lincoln Center's prestigious "American Songbook Series".[13] Afterwards, he went on a sold out tour of major markets throughout North America. (i.e. Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, Chicago, Minneapolis.) 2011 also saw the official release of his third recording, "Towards The Sun".[14]

Critical reception

Murdoch is compared to the late British singer-song writer Nick Drake.[15] His first album Time Without Consequence was met with wide critical praise, gaining him five stars with Alternative Press as well as placing him on Rolling Stone's Top Ten Artists list. His newest release Towards the Sun is gathering higher praise still in both the US and in Europe. PopMatters, giving the record a 9/10 calls Murdoch's performance "hauntingly beautiful" and "heartbreakingly lovely".[16] Q magazine in the UK give the record four stars with this to say: "Acoustic troubadour makes stunning second outing. Anyone who harps on about how the songwriters of today don't match up to those of yesteryear should be directed to this remarkable second record."

Discography

LPs

Extended Plays

References

  1. ↑ Elms, Robert (22 April 2011), "BBC London 94.9".
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Hoard, Christian (21 September 2006), "Alexi Murdoch". Rolling Stone. (1009):24
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wise, Catherine (6 June 2003), "A New Reason To Say No." Entertainment Weekly. (713):78
  4. ↑ Langer, Andy (December 2003) "(Derek Sivers)". Esquire. 140 (6):173
  5. 1 2 3 4 Hay, Carla (6 November 2004), "Director Columbus Shopping 'Underground' Film". Billboard. 116 (45):12–26
  6. ↑ Newman, Melinda (10 December 2005), "Rock Hall of Fame Names Class Of '06". Billboard. 117 (50):44
  7. ↑ Newman, Melinda (29 March 2003), "The Beat". Billboard. 115 (13):9
  8. ↑ (2 November 2004), "Film & TV Music Confab Adds McG To Marquee Speakers". Billboard. 116 (47):14
  9. 1 2 3 Newman, Melinda (24 June 2006), "Spread The 'LDN' Love, Please". Billboard. 118 (25):58
  10. ↑ "CNN.com - The 'Britney' backlash: Budding songwriter rejects record contract - Dec. 2, 2003". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2016-04-12.
  11. ↑ Alexi Murdoch. "Alexi Murdoch – Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "Carry You Away: Concert Review: Alexi Murdoch". Carryyouaway.blogspot.com. 21 April 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "Alexi Murdoch". Alexi Murdoch. Archived from the original on 18 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  14. ↑ Hilton, Robin (27 February 2011). "First Listen: Alexi Murdoch, 'Towards The Sun'". NPR.org. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  15. ↑ "Alexi Murdoch - Time Without Consequence". sputnikmusic.com. 27 October 2010.
  16. ↑ Horowitz, Steve. "Alexi Murdoch: Towards the Sun". PopMatters. Retrieved 23 March 2013.

External links

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