PRESSJEFF CAUDILL "TRY TO BE HERE" CD Did you notice how punk singers/songwriters, with age, seem to turn into some of the best pop country solo artists? ...Eddie Spaghetti (The Supersuckers), Joey Cape (Lagwagon, Bad Astronaut) the list is endless. The opening title track “Try To Be Here” is a tribute to his little daughter, a melody that sticks in your head with its catchy chorus and warm guitar tone. “Remember The Time” is the one track that resembles the old "Gameface" sound, a perfect soundtrack to memories of happy, careless days, with a smile and no regrets, followed by the heart-warming ballad “Stay Home”. No big names, no big fuss, no big money here, just heart, soul and music, and whilst it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I’ve been playing “Try To Be Here” for two days now and it keeps growing on me. – ALTSOUNDS.com JEFF CAUDILL "TRY TO BE HERE" CD Though he stops short of namedropping his former full-time enterprise on "I Was The Lead Singer," many who remember "the band," namely '90s popcore geniuses GAMEFACE, will find the songs instantly endearing. In its entirety, Caudill's second solo album doesn't quite spark the immediate charge that much of the Gameface oeuvre did, but it is a total grower, peppered with everyman philosophies and slice-of-life ruminations, predominately fleshed out on acoustic guitar. He earns a couple of extra punk points by inviting former FARSIDE mouthpiece Michael "Popeye" Vogelsang to chip in. Robbie Rist (yes, of Brady Bunch fame) is enlisted as an unlikely co-producer and percussionist as well. – THE BIG TAKEOVER JEFF CAUDILL "TRY TO BE HERE" CD Who would've thought that one of the best alt. country albums released so far this year would come from a retread, under-the-radar singer/songwriter from a no-name California record label? Sure enough, former Gameface lead singer Jeff Caudill has released his second solo album Try To Be Here and man oh man is it something... read more – Gregory Robson, Absolutepunk.net JEFF CAUDILL "TRY TO BE HERE" CD Shifting a few country miles from his punk and metal roots, with ‘Try to be Here’ Jeff Caudill fully embraces a pop-country style and from the opening riff intro of the title track he proves he’s got it nailed, kicking up a dust cloud of joyous, rocking Americana at every turn. He can do a love song too, as he proves with ‘Let’s Get Lost’, which reaches power-balladeering heights with a ‘Live Forever’ style guitar solo thrown in (lighters at the ready please). It’s also a song that ably demonstrates the knack Caudill has of grabbing the attention with lyrics of intelligent simplicity, and whereas at times they may be a little too heart-on-sleeve for some tastes (see ‘I Was The Lead Singer’), any cringe-worthiness is forgivable and more than made up for by the opening line of ‘Dreaming in Realtime’, after all has that popular 70’s toy Etch-a-sketch ever been mentioned in song before? – Richard Stokoe, LOSINGTODAY.COM JEFF CAUDILL "TRY TO BE HERE" CD On Try To Be Here, former Gameface frontman Jeff Caudill (and a cast of backing musicians) play what should really just be your typical but slightly rootsy pop-rock (think Gin Blossoms or something like that) but it ends up being so much more. Perhaps it’s Jeff’s obvious passion for his music as that bleeds though. It could also be the overall feeling of the comfort of family that permeates that record as well. Maybe it’s just Jeff’s warm and inviting voice. Maybe it is all of the above. All I know is that Try To Be Here is played without pretense and is playing it for an audience of one. – Can You See The Sunset JEFF CAUDILL "TRY TO BE HERE" CD Jeff Caudill used to front the punk pop band Gameface and has been solo since 2003. Try To Be Here finds him combining his catchy hook skills with a more alt-country sound that makes for a solid eleven tracks beginning to end. It is this balance that his sincerity comes through on the ballad "Dreaming In Realtime", while being able to crank out the more rocking tracks like "Remember The Time". Caudill is a likable artist with a likable voice that makes Try To Be Here better and better with every spin! JEFF CAUDILL “TRY TO BE HERE” CD WELL, I GUESS THIS IS GROWING UP. 4 out of 5 stars JEFF CAUDILL "TRY TO BE HERE" CD This guy has missed his vocation. He should be out selling his songs to the rock bands of the world. Extreme, Nickelback, John Cougar and Bon Jovi would lap up ‘Remember the Time’, ‘Stay Home’, ‘Spend’, ‘Transition City’ and ‘Reminder’. The royalties would buy him a couple of houses in Malibu and a few sports cars when they hit the top of the rock charts. They’re sure fire anthems. This guy is rock’n’roll through and through. His songs simply jump out of the speakers and unlike the multitude of middling bands that grace the charts he’s got what it takes. Fiercely independent, Caudill was in punk-pop band Gameface in the early 90’s and his ability to come up with a memorable hook and melody has continued with this, his third (if you count the seven track album ‘The Way Back’ he released in 2002) solo album. Caudill sings about past glories, childhood memories, his daughter, the future and being comfortable in his own skin. The aforementioned ‘Stay Home’ indicates how he can’t imagine life without his daughter and states “But nobody sleeps in the afternoon, a little girl without shoes, dancing to daddy’s guitar on the living room floor, and I don’t know what I did before her”. ‘Reminder’ brings in some great pedal steel and brings a semblance of a slight country feel on what is primarily a rocky Americana album. ‘I Was The Lead Singer’ is revisited from his 2007 EP release with Drive Til Morning. ‘Song About A Pisces’ would slip easily into The Replacements or The Lemonheads song list with no problem. But it’s not all rock stuff, ‘All Things New’ is a keyboard led ballad which rounds the album off nicely and ‘Dreaming in Realtime’ is just him with acoustic and electric guitar and a piano. Caudill deserves to be more widely heard, but then that would mean him giving up his independence and I don’t think he’d do that without a fight. As he says “I don’t need to write a hit, but I want someone to sing along with it”. And he does that in spades on ‘Try To Be Here’. 9 out of 10 JEFF CAUDILL "TRY TO BE HERE" CD Jeff Caudill’s second solo album is maybe best described as a labour of love. Artists simply don’t come more independent than this Californian, and that’s no bad thing. From song-writing through to production and graphic design, it might all take a little longer, but the freedom allows Caudill to wear his heart on his sleeve and answer to no one. Kicking off with the title song - an ode to his young daughter - the theme of the album is finding comfort in your family and own skin, topics which are bound to strike a chord with Caudill’s fanbase, and provide something for new fans to latch onto. If it all sounds like he's gone soft, nothing could be further from the truth, with the album being a triumphant blend of indie, pop and country. ‘Remember the Time’ harks back to former band, Gameface, with its rough and ready harmonies and memorable chorus which shows he’s lost none of his fire, whilst ‘I Was The Lead Singer’ is a more wistful look back to bygone days. Elsewhere, the album is a both a continuation and advancement on his debut. Channeling great Americana bands like The Replacements and The Lemonheads with his own pop sensibility on ‘Transition City’ is trademark Caudill and sounds familiar and warm. Elsewhere, album closer ‘All Things New’ is a piano-led ballad which represents new territory and possibly hints at things to come. 8 out of 10 Two nice reviews of the FLOORMODEL "Random Access Memories" CD on CYSTSFTS and BLACK PLASTIC. JEFF CAUDILL & THE GOODTIMES BAND Although this disc initially has something of a ‘one for the completist’ feel about it, the first offering from this new UK-based, a five track EP recorded in a single day, contains plenty of material for old and new fans of the ex-Gameface frontman alike. The primary attraction is previously unreleased track, ‘I Wouldn’t Wait’, which is a timely reminder that although higher-profile singer-songwriters often get away with wild inconsistency, Caudill remains as reliable as ever. You know where you stand with his output; it’s going to be melodic as hell with nicely though out lyrics. Standout track, ‘Everybody Shines’ originally appeared on tentative debut solo release, ‘The Way Back’ but approached by an artist who’s audibly more comfortable in his own skin, it fully justifies the revisiting it’s afforded. The remaining three tracks are re-recordings of tracks from the ‘Here’s What You Should Do’ album. The helping hands of Michael Vogelsang and long-term collaborator, Michael Bains, adds a new depth to the sound, which sees things come together on ‘My Side Of The Bridge’, which is kicked up a gear. Pinning down the easy charm of the band’s sound remains as elusive as ever, but if you’re a fan of American bands such as The Replacements, REM and The Lemonheads, you’ll find something here for you. The vibe of the EP is one of a good time being had by all, and it’s refreshing to hear that in an age when bands seemingly reform every other day, musicians are still coming together to create something new. As well as being a quick departing nod to the past couple of years, the ‘Sessions at the Boathouse’ also suggest an interesting future path for Jeff Caudill and his band. Let’s hope the next album continues the momentum. 8 out of 10 JEFF CAUDILL & DRIVE TIL MORNING "I WAS THE LEAD SINGER" EP “With co-anchor Francis Garcia (of Drive Til Morning) on board, "I Was The Lead Singer" is another step into the “relaxed fit” ambience that comes entirely natural to Caudill, despite a full decade of belting his guts out as a mouthpiece for one of the ‘90s most charismatic popcore bands...Caudill and Garcia flatteringly trade licks, covering a couple of each other’s tunes, culminating in a must-have EP for initiated fans, and then some.” THE BIRTH OF MUSICAL CHANGE FOR JEFF CAUDILL SINGER/SONGWRITER Jeff Caudill used to be at the forefront of the American underground indie rock and power pop scenes, but the 35-year-old former Gameface singer now says he's comfortable performing music outside of the communities that gave him his start. "I don't live and breathe the scene anymore," Caudill says. "I've grown far away from it, and it's OK if I'm uncool and don't know what the cool bands are. I know what I like, and like discovering new stuff. Having a kid puts you on the fast track to uncool-ness." JEFF CAUDILL & DRIVE TIL MORNING "I WAS THE LEAD SINGER" EP "Never mind the length, feel the quality. Following Jeff Caudill’s excellent debut record from 2005 ‘Here’s What You Should Do,’ Jeff now follows this up with a collaboration with Drive Til Morning. Brooklyn based Drive Til Morning is essentially Francis Garcia who spent the 90s in Austin with little known rock bands Fourth Grade Morning and Pop Unknown. JEFF CAUDILL & DRIVE TIL MORNING "I WAS THE LEAD SINGER" EP "It really shouldn’t work; two former punk-pop stalwarts, Jeff Caudill and Francis Garcia, choose to showcase their development into Americana singer-songwriters by covering songs from each other’s back catalogues. As a way of laying the past to rest, it’s certainly more inventive than most. TEN YEARS ON, CAUDILL SIDE PROJECT RINGS TRUE SINGS LIKE HELL PRESENTS TODD SNIDER & JEFF CAUDILL – Santa Barbara Independent JEFF CAUDILL "HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO" CD "For any self-respecting power pop fan the answer to the title is: go out and buy this record. From the powerful opener ‘Favorite Version of Your Life’ which sounds like Mathew Sweet fronting Sugar, it’s obvious that it’s not only power pop fans who should be offering up their cash; there are enough changes of pace and interest to snare the general Americana fan. The pretty ‘Getaway Car’ is tuned up street racer posing as a family saloon with fluid guitar lines and a coating of electric sitar and E-bow with enough horses under the bonnet to pull along the heaviest of hearts, redolent of prime Buffalo Tom. ‘My Side of the Bridge’ glistens gently with steel guitar, snapping mandolin and harmonica like Jackpot in laid back mode, his voice gliding gently through the songs, a thing of clear sweet honeyed beauty. ‘Stop Writing Songs’ avoids the slide towards mawkishness exhibited by the once excellent Promise Ring on their ‘Stop Playing Guitar’ - ‘Songs’ possesses barbed and bristled hooks as well as depth and a middle eight that you wish was a middle sixteen. Broken chips of percussion and acoustic guitar give ‘Destination’ a muscular Pete Krebs feel, each songs throwing up a distinct personality and image. ‘Nite Lite’ is a garland of party bulbs lightning the night sky; the guitars of ‘Never Been High’ are militarily tight, spit and polished, while the softer ‘Then There’s Me’ is pliable and gentle with drips of piano-like notes giving an REM (prime early REM) feel and when stripped right back to just vocal and guitar as on ‘Change Everything’ he manages to hit the same highs as when the guitars are set to stun. There’s not a lot of invention to what he does; he just takes a simple song, gives it the right vocal treatment, leaves out the superfluous and serves up a fine performance time after time. Even when he does approach the experimental as on the closing ‘I Just Disappear’ with its drum loops and guitars that reverberate rather than chime he still manages to convince me that there’s a real talent at work." JEFF CAUDILL "HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO" CD If evidence was ever needed that old punks don't die, they transform into singer-songwriters with an itch to scratch, Jeff Caudill personifies this. Cutting his teeth fronting acclaimed US pop-punkers Gameface, his solo career sees him ease his foot off the pedal and kick-back without losing any impact or bite. Caudill's trump-card is his ability to craft instantly memorable songs that swing with an outrageously catchy hook. Combing this rare quality with a dash of great American acts like The Lemonheads and Jesse Malin, as well as adding a touch of Elvis Costello, this debut full length release is all the more rich and engaging for it. Although 'Here's What You Should Do' is most definitely Caudill's brainchild, that feeling of having a live band playing for you in your room owes a debt of gratitude to collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Robbie Rist. Caudill isn't afraid to tackle the bigger issues that have had a profound impact on his life. The beautifully understated 'Destination' talks of his love for his native California while 'Change Everything' is a delicate acoustic ode to his young daughter. The only thing that stops 'Here's What You Should Do' from being an out-and-out classic is that at 55 minutes long, a little more brevity would carry more impact. Some ruthless pruning would undoubtedly pare this down to a more focused set of songs. Although Caudill's undoubted strength lies in his ability to create three-minute mini-masterpieces, this gets a little lost in translation on occasion. However, the upside of this is that he isn't afraid to give record space to more experimental works like closing track, 'I Just Disappear', which with its drum loops and sparse instrumentation displays the influence of country-rockers turned avant-garde popsters, Wilco. On 'Here's What You Should Do', Jeff Caudill has continued to evolve musically to produce an album full of emotive music that has real heart. It's his unique spin on combining power-pop, country and indie-rock that makes for such vibrant and exciting listening. – Nick Quantrill, Joyzine/ThisIsUll |
