Artist of the Week: Chad VanGaalen

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As the weather begins to get cooler and the memories of summer adventures fade for yet another year, Chad VanGaalen’s genuine songs serve to reheat both the heart and the soul. September is a busy month for the Calgary native – not only is he a nominee on the Polaris Music Prize’s Short List for the second time, but his music is currently being featured through multiple placements in the feature film Cole, which debuted this week at the Toronto International Film Festival. Music supervised by Vapor, Cole tells the story of a young man’s agony in striving for big dreams in the face of even bigger obstacles, and is perfectly complemented by the sincerity and uniqueness of VanGaalen’s tracks. To top it all off, a free EP of B-Sides from his revered album ‘Soft Airplane’ was released for download on Tuesday.

For more Chad, be sure to check out his experimental instrumental alter-ego Black Mold, whose debut album ‘Snow Blindless is Crystal Antz’ is out now.

Sounds Like:
VanGaalen calls his music “soundscapes,” which could often be described as singer/songwriter tracks with the occasional synth-rock and accordion thrown in for good measure.

Similar to: Mark Kozelek, Iron & Wine, Band of Horses.

About:
“A notorious homebody, Chad VanGaalen is well known for rarely leaving his basement in Calgary, endlessly drawing, recording and making art. Fortunately, he has an uncanny knack for creating music that is sweepingly beautiful and undeniably genuine, and with his third full-length Soft Airplane, this celebrated multi-talented artist has created his most complete album to date.” (MySpace)

“The proof is in the songs themselves. They have heart. They have pain. They have hope. They have humor. And most importantly, they have fun.” (Sub Pop)

Upcoming Tour Dates:
September 19, Toronto, Church of the Redeemer
September 25, Calgary, Ironwood
October 8, Regina, The Exchange
October 9, Winnipeg, Park Theatre
October 10, Saskatoon, Broadway Theatre
October 14, Victoria, Alix Goolden Theatre
October 15, Vancouver, The Rio Theatre
October 16, Kelowna, The Habitat

Links:
Official Website
MySpace
Polaris Prize 2009 Shortlist
Self-animated video for “Molten Light”, off ‘Soft Airplane’
Self-animated video for “Flower Gardens”, off ‘Skelliconnection’
Self-animated video for “Red Hot Drops”, off ‘Skelliconnection’
“Molten Light” Acoustic Video, iMuzzik Sessions (Paris)
Black Mold MySpace