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November 16th, 2009
We are pleased to announce that ARROW, the new album by Clare and the Reasons, is now available in Japan!
The Japanese release features an exclusive bonus track – so if you live in Japan, go out and buy it. If you don’t live in Japan, buy a plane ticket and visit! It’s a beautiful country!
November 16th, 2009
For the Japanese Fans!
1stアルバム『ザ・ムーヴィー』も、愛らしさの中に知的なウィットが見え隠れする素敵な作品だったが、2年ぶりとなる2作目『アロー』では、リズム的にもひねりを効かせ、持ち味である弦楽アンサンブルの魅力がより立体的に。ドリーミィであると同時にオルタナ的。世界でひとつのクレア＆リーズンズ“らしさ”が際立つサウンドスケープを展開している。以前来日した折り、新宿高島屋でのウィンドウショッピングを楽しんだこともあるクレアらしく、ジャケットでかぶっている帽子はヨージ・ヤマモト。「友達からの借り物だけどね」と笑う茶目っ気がまた、ひらめきに富んだソングライターでもある彼女らしい。
November 15th, 2009
New Fall Specials!
November 11th, 2009
Thanks to Athens Soundies for a nice afternoon filming these videos!
Wake Up (You Sleepy Head)
Cars, kids, squirrels and helicopters tried to stand in our way, but eventually we were able to get a take in without interference. This band has loads of personality. It felt like we were old pals after just a few minutes. For this first song we were headed to Founder’s Garden on UGA’s north campus, but we only made it to the outer walls before we decided on a spot.
That’s All
The hex against us continued as we ran out of daylight. In fact, our lens fell off of the camera on one of the takes. Why don’t more people cover Genesis? When I think about Genesis I think about the story of how they invented the moving light (intelligent lighting). More bands should invent stuff.
November 10th, 2009
Clare and the Reasons featured in PASTE Magazine
Clare Manchon embraces idiosyncrasies. With her band, Clare and the Reasons—essentially her and husband Olivier Manchon—she lends her feather-light voice, which somehow emerged from an upbringing heavy on blues and jazz, to space-age chamber pop melodies. On Arrow, the band’s second album (out now), new brass notes add welcome weight to the Manchon’s cinematic arrangements and a refined flair for storytelling—and despite its foundation on unexpected elements, the record feels like a natural progression from 2007 debut The Movie. Paste recently chatted with the singer/songwriter/bandleader about making records, rebelling with Phil Collins and the odd allure of Sweden…
November 10th, 2009
Thanks to My Crazy Music Blog for the nice interview!
This past Tuesday, 27 October, Clare & The Reasons played the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a week after releasing their second album, Arrow. The gig was sandwiched between two acts from Athens, Georgia: first Liz Durrett, then Vic Chesnutt, with a band featuring members of Fugazi, godspeed you! black emperor, and Silver Mount Zion. It was pouring rain but a respectable audience turned up, and Clare Muldaur Manchon kindly paused her costume and make-up assembly before going onstage to talk to us about high school, Genesis, and gimlets…
November 9th, 2009
Here’s a review of the 10.25 show at the Somerville Theater:
In general, when I arrive at a show and learn that I am walking in on an opening act that I was not aware of – I’m not very pleased. I had a timeline in my head of what I thought set times were going to be and realized that now, all of a sudden, every thing had been pushed back an hour. Sunday night however, it only took about five minutes for me to realize that I was going to be catching a great set of music from Clare & The Reasons, a band I had never heard of – in fact I did not know the name of the group until after their set was over and I swung by the merch table…
November 6th, 2009
(Pssst! Don’t forget that tonight’s show in Cleveland has been moved to the Beachland Tavern! Don’t go to the Grog Shop, kids!)
The music end of Ralph Lauren has gone wild for Clare and the Reasons. Here’s what they posted today:
We were so smitten by Clare Manchon and her Reasons at this year’s CMJ festival in New York, we wanted to bring you a download from her new album Arrow, out last week, so you can share the love. We tracked down the sweet soprano while she was en route to a performance in Newport, Kentucky, (”We’ve been reading the KISS biography, KISS And Tell, aloud,” she told us from the car) to ask her about the new record, how she made it and what else she’s listening to these days.
Download the single “Ooh You Hurt Me So“
“Did you know that Gene Simmons dated Cher and Diana Ross?” We didn’t, in fact — nor would we have thought that this velvet-voiced chanteuse would pick such heavy road reading. She assured us, though, that her musical tastes are about as far from flamethrowers and facepaint as you can get. “I love big melodies,” she says, “the Everly brothers, and stuff like that… there aren’t a whole lot of current bands doing that. Though of course,” she admits, “I love Grizzly Bear like any other Brooklyn girl.”
Swelling orchestral interludes — trombone, tuba, clarinet and violin intermingle with ethereal electric guitar — are certainly her band’s specialty. Members of Bierut and The National bring their special brand of indie shimmer to Clare’s sound, while husband Olivier Manchon, who has a background in French classical music, is adept at spinning the melodies she writes into intricate, vaguely Parisian arrangements. “To have it be complex and seem simple,” Clare says, “I think that’s the ultimate challenge.” Listening to the pristine compositions on Arrow, we just have to say fait accompli, Clare.
November 6th, 2009
Come check out Josh Mease on tour in November/December in one of these fine venues, in one of these fine cities:
11.06- PITTSBURGH- Howler’s Cafe
11.07- ATHENS, OH- Donkey Coffee
11.10- ST. LOUIS- Cyrano’s
11.11- CHICAGO- Empty Bottle + Daytime performance on WLUW 88.7
11.21- BROOKLYN- Sycamore
12.11- NYC- Rockwood Music Hall
12.15- HOUSTON, TX- Live on KPFT 90.1 FM- “Sound Awake”
12.16- HOUSTON, TX- The Mink
12.15- AUSTIN, TX- TBA
12.17- DALLAS, TX- TBA
12.18- DENTON, TX- TBA
For more details, click here!
October 31st, 2009
There’s nothing wrong with approaching life as a glass-half-full person.
If you prefer to concentrate on life’s positives rather than on the dreary realities of war, drug abuse and poverty, that’s your right.
Clare and the Reasons’ positive, spunky orchestral pop tunes won many hearts last week at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York….