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Rob Owen |
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Wednesday, 19 March 2008 |
 One thing is guaranteed when you pick up singer-songwriter Rob Owen’s CD: you know that you’ll be feeling a little bit better once you hit “play.” Owen’s songs are simple, intimate gems: equally at home over a cup of morning coffee or a glass of wine well past midnight they celebrate all the wonderful—and not so wonderful—things we each go through everyday. And with his smooth but soulful baritone; pared-down, interesting arrangements and the incredibly visual element running through all of his songs, the melodies stay with you long after his CD runs out. And for that reason, Rob Owen is one of the top up-and-coming singers in Northern California. However, these same songs almost never saw the light of day.
For five years, Rob was the lead singer with Oka Road, a progressive rock outfit that toured California pretty heavily, released three critically-acclaimed independent albums and afforded Owen something of a rock-star lifestyle. The band received a short feature on MTV Real World, and before he knew it, they were offered a contract and a chance to be included on the Jenny Lopez swimsuit tour. And it was exactly at that point that the whole thing became a drag: the company, a subsidiary of a major label, wanted all rights to Oka’s current songs and all creative rights to their next CD. “At that point,” recalls Owen, “it turned into a business, and that’s when we all started to get burnt out.” And this is exactly when Owen had his own personal catharsis: he wasn’t looking to be a rock star; instead, he wanted to write honest music, and connect with listeners. The result was Barefoot in the Rain, his 2007 debut—and Owen hasn’t looked back since.
Owen’s realizations about himself, music and creative integrity have completely opened up his music. For the first time in a long time, he is perfectly happy to be exactly where he is, as he states in his new single, “Clear Day in July”: “I don’t pray for tomorrow, I give thanks for today.” That celebration of the ‘here and now’ gives his songs a sense of immediacy and they become living, breathing creatures in their own right. It also helps that Owen has an incredibly visual style of writing, as shown later in “Clear Day,” when he sings, “My eye caught light as the shadows splattered, against my faded gray paint job; And all I knew that the tank was full, and the road went past the state line.”
Musically, Owen draws on a wide range of colors to paint his songs. Whether it’s a driving indie pop number, laidback ballad, or a more up-tempo John Mayer-esque pop song, there’s always something in his songs to differentiate them: unusual chord progressions and voicings, an unexpected break, or some change in feel or time signature. But nothing is done for effect—only to better tell the story at hand. Anchoring all of these songs is Owen’s voice, which can be achingly beautiful on an acoustic number, and soulful and rocking on his harder numbers. Imagine Jack Johnson’s clear, laidback vibe mixed in with some of the range and tones of Peter Gabriel, and you can appreciate what a singular, compelling vocal sound Owen has developed.
Rob Owen is currently finishing up two singles, “Let’s Just…” & “Clear Day in July.” He is continually expanding his fan base: he has gotten considerable airplay on 105.1 KVMR in Nevada City/Tahoe, was featured on the 2008 Yamaha Cubase DVD and has been garnering buzz online at
www.myspace.com/robowenmusic and
www.robowenmusic.com . This summer he’ll be performing at a number of shows across the Bay Area, including the Foster City Art and Wine Festival, Palo Alto Festival of the Arts, Santa Clara Art and Wine Festival, Kuumbwa’s Songwriter’s Showcase, and Santa Clara Songwriter’s Showcase—as well as a west coast tour from Santa Cruz to Seattle in June to support his new singles. Most recently, “Clear Day in July” was selected for Versailles Records’ compilation Surf Rock 1 & 2, to be released this summer. The CD will be distributed nationwide at Wal-Mart, Target and Virgin Mega Store. Rob Owen is currently seeking representation and a label.Not praying for tomorrow—just giving thanks for today:
Rob Owen writes well-crafted adult alternative/pop songs that are upbeat, catchy—and perfectly in the moment
For more information, contact:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Press Release &
Reviews:“From the first track of the CD right through the last song, something about his songs, his lyrics and how the music is so beautifully understated spoke volumes.”
- The Santa Cruz Sentinel
“His voice is rugged but soothing, with great range and emotive qualities. His songs are laden with tell-tale signs of a well-trained artist from his melodic transitions to his rich poetic lyrics”
- FNO
“Rob Owen has a very unique and relaxing sound. His songs tell a story and have a distinct feel. Rob’s voice is truly amazing—and unforgettable”
- Melissa @ Beta Records
“(Rob Owen’s songs) are uplifting, almost poppy, and they are filled with gems of lyrical insight…”
- San Francisco Voice
"When I need to clear my head, I listen to Rob."
- Polar Records recording artist, Michael J Kaisner
“Music for any mood...I found myself leaning back, and doing nothing but listening to the lyrics and music as I prepared for show”
- Frank from the JM Show, online station: RadioX
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
· Versailles Records’ compilation Surf Rock 1 & 2
· A spot on MTV’s Real World series
· Two appearances on KMBY’s “Acoustic Breakfast”, one of Monterey Bay’s largest radio stations
· Multiple plays on KZSC and KJCC
· Several public television appearances
· Placed in the Top 5 out of 100 songwriters in the 2004 MARS Songwriters contest
RECENT SHOWS:
· Red Victorian - San Francisco
· Barefoot Coffee - Santa Clara
· Kuumbwa - Santa Cruz
· Palo Alto Festival of the Arts
· Foster City Art and Wine Festival
· MARS Songwriter symposium
· Mission Ale - San Jose
· Defense Language Institute - Monterey
· Vivas - Monterey
· Black Box Cabaret – Monterey
· Santana Row - San Jose
· UCSC AAR Benefit-Santa Cruz
· Santa Clara Songwriter's Showcase
· Santa Cruz Songwriter’s Showcase
· Club Octane – Monterey
· Earth Wave Records - Rohnert Park
· Santa Clara Art and Wine Festival
· Zelda’s - Santa Cruz
· North Light Books - Rohnert Park
· Barefoot Coffee Roasters-Santa Clara
· Coffee Catz – Sebastopol
· KMBY – Monterey
· Blake’s on Telegraph – Berkeley
· Great Bear-Los Gatos
· Ugly Mug-Soquel
· Rosie McCann’s-Santa Cruz
Studio Z- San Francisco
· Bocci’s Cellar-Santa Cruz
· Red Rock Café-Mountain View
· KJCC – San Jose
· Danville Art and Wine
· Borders Books-Los Gatos
Current Singles:
“Let’s Just…” and “Clear Day In July”
To be released: February 2008
Featuring:
Rob Owen: vocals guitar
Damon Danielson: lead guitar
Andy Zenczak: bass
Mark Quin: drums
Gianni Staiano: piano, organ
Producers: Andy Zenczak and Rob Owen
Available for sale at: CDbaby.com and ITunes
Visit Rob’s website at: www.robowenmusic.com
or ( www.myspace.com/robowenmusic )
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| Webpage: http://www.robowenmusic.com |
| Location: Soquel, Ca, USA |
| Description: Imagine Jack Johnson’s clear, laidback vibe mixed in with some of the range and tones of Peter Gabriel, and you can appreciate what a singular, compelling vocal sound Owen has developed. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 08 August 2009 )
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