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Soft Airplane
Soft Airplane

Chad VanGaalen

Soft Airplane

2008 | CD / LP | FLCR017

$ 12.00
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  • Freed somehow from expectations or restrictions, Chad’s musical expression seems both focused and unfettered. The songs trace stories of birth and death, reflecting changes in his life over the two years since Skelliconnection, and cocoon the listener in a distinctive and unique world. Layered with a lush and complex mix of found sounds, vibraphone, corrupted synthesizers and drum machines, accordions, cello, clarinet, guitars and many others, Soft Airplane remains spacious and surges with pop-informed sophistication despite its lo-fi recording origins.

    1. Willow Tree
    2. Bones of Man
    3. Cries of the Dead
    4. Inside the Molecules
    5. Bare feet on wet griptape
    6. Phantom Anthills
    7. Poisonous Heads
    8. TMNT Mask
    9. Molten Light
    10. Old Man + The Sea
    11. City of Electric Light
    12. Rabid Bits of Time
    13. Frozen Energon

         Vinyl Bonus Tracks:
            LTD Edition Vehicles
            Eyes Like a House on Fire

  • While his first albums hinted at musical reference points (that even Chad seemed to be reluctant to embrace), 'Soft Airplane' reveals an artist utterly in stride – confident enough to span genres, while working with a determined and deliberate focus.

    Freed somehow from expectations or restrictions, Chad's musical expression seems both focused and unfettered. The songs trace stories of birth and death, reflecting changes in his life over the two years since 'Skelliconnection', and cocoon the listener in a distinctive and unique world. Layered with a lush and complex mix of found sounds, vibraphone, corrupted synthesizers and drum machines, accordions, cello, clarinet, guitars, and many others, 'Soft Airplane' remains spacious and surges with pop-informed sophistication despite its lo-fi recording origins

    Liner Notes

    Written and recorded by Chad VanGaalen.

    Matt Flegel played accordion on Willow Tree.
    Eric Hamelin plays with me all the time! Sara and Ezzy my lover and love child!

    All drawing Chad V.

    Thanks to Tony Klewel and all the lovelies at Sub Pop and Ian Russell at Flemish Eye!
    Super thanks to all my family and friends that are the foundation of everything.

  • An intimate, intelligent, and always transporting cycle of songs that sends VanGaalen closer to his own voice and, in the process, closer to us.

    PITCHFORK 7.7 / 10

    If VanGaalen's aim was to make a cohesive pop record, he's come pretty close to perfection.

    CHARTATTACK

    Soft Airplane is probably the best record I've heard all year - from Canada or anywhere else - and should solidify VanGaalen as the musical talent his fans have long been been screaming to anyone that would listen

    HEROHILL

    Soft Airplane is an album that is truly flawless in every possible way

    THE SPILL

    This is the sound of a young artist wise beyond his years

    THE COAST

    It's his best work yet.

    TORONTO STAR

    Calgary’s Chad VanGaalen has fast become one of Canada’s most prolific — and acclaimed — singer-songwriters.

    NATIONAL POST

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