Sonic Crayons, by Ken Sharp

Sonic Crayons

by Ken Sharp

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Full Digital Discography

25

releases

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Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Welcome to Toytown, Comic Book Heroes/I'm Your Superman, I'll Remember The Laughter, Mr. Sun, Miniatures, Mr. Make Believe, Hold Me, Touch Me, Liquid Mercury, and 17 more. , and , .

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1.	Hello Hello 00:47	buy track
2.	The Man Who Couldn't Be Wrong 03:47	buy track
3.	Better Every Day 03:27	buy track
4.	Melody Hill 02:53	buy track
5.	New Attitude 04:02	buy track
6.	Orange Cellophane 03:54	buy track
7.	So Simple Radio 03:10	buy track
8.	Candy 03:47	buy track
9.	Get Yourself Together 04:12	buy track
10.	Rush Rush 03:51	buy track
11.	Why Girls Cry 03:53	buy track
12.	I Got Lost 04:06	buy track
13.	...remember 01:24	buy track

about

"Sonic Crayons" received a rave in USA Today and a 4 star review in Mojo magazine.

"All Music" review:

Anybody who recognizes Ken Sharp's name from his work as a rock critic and music journalist already knows that he has exquisite taste. Not only has he written (or co-written) books on the Beatles, the Raspberries, and Cheap Trick, he's done liner notes for Partridge Family, Hall & Oates, and Rick Springfield reissues, demonstrating that he has a keen ear for all kinds of pop. His love of pure pop is evident in his writings, but a better place to experience it is in his own music, where he fuses all these disparate pop influences into his own sound. His first two albums, 1995's "1301 Highland Avenue" and 2000's "Happy Accidents," were bright collections of pure pop, but 2007's "Sonic Crayons" is a genuine leap forward, both in composition and conception.

First of all, the title has quite a bit of relevance to the album itself since this is a colorful album, but it doesn't overemphasize its sonic hues: the sound isn't crisp, it's warm and gentle, not dissimilar to the comforting coloring of crayons. It's a sound that is an appropriate marriage for Sharp's new songs, which bear as much Beach Boys influence as Beatles here. But where many latter-day pop albums influenced by the Beach Boys spend far too much time in labored arrangements, Sharp taps into Brian Wilson's sighing melodies and enveloping elegance of the group's softer moments. He also doesn't linger too much on Wilson, either: the Beach Boys are just one of several soft pop allusions here, allusions that are highlighted by the tremendous "Why Girls Cry," a trembling ballad worthy of early Todd Rundgren. "Why Girls Cry" also ties into the album's cohesion, as its broken heart can also be heard elsewhere on "Sonic Crayons," as Sharp turns inward and infuses this album with a serious emotional undercurrent.

But far from being a gloomy album, "Sonic Crayons" is warm and welcoming -- any lingering melancholy is comforting, not alienating -- which makes it a record that's easy to return to for repeat plays. Of course, it also helps that Sharp evidences the same kind of care in the album's sequencing as he does in the individual songs: this album is not only tighter than his previous two, it also flows better, gliding from song to song with grace. This careful construction, combined with his ace songs, makes "Sonic Crayons" Ken Sharp's best album to date.

credits

released May 2, 2007

HELLO HELLO
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, electric guitar, bass
Ritchie Rubini-drums, organ, strings, background vocals
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

THE MAN WHO COULDN'T BE WRONG
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, electric guitar, lead guitar, piano
Ritchie Rubini-drums, harpsichord, piano, maracas
Rob Bonfiglio-lead guitar, E-bow guitar, background vocals
Tony Reyes-bass, background vocals
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

BETTER EVERY DAY
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, electric guitar, lead guitar
Rob Bonfiglio-electric guitar, lead guitar, slide guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, drums, Wurlitzer electric piano, keyboards, backgrounds vocals
Produced and engineered by Rob Bonfiglio

MELODY HILL
Ken Sharp-lead vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, handclaps
Rob Bonfiglio-electric guitars, bass, drums, background vocals, keyboards, tambourine
Carnie Wilson-background vocals, handclaps
Produced and engineered by Rob Bonfiglio
Recorded at The Cave, Manayunk, PA

NEW ATTITUDE
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, electric guitar, lead guitar, bass, tambourine
Ritchie Rubini-drums, organ, background vocals, maracas
Rob Bonfiglio-lead guitar, E-bow guitar, tremelo guitar
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

ORANGE CELLOPHANE
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lead guitar, bass, Wurlitzer electric piano, maracas
Ritchie Rubini-drums, Wurlitzer electric piano, maracas
Eric Eden-Wurlitzer electric piano
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

SO SIMPLE RADIO
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, lead guitar
Ritchie Rubini-drums, piano, harmonium, organ, tambourine, maracas, background vocals
Chip Z'nuff-bass, background vocals
Donnie Vie-harmony and background vocals
Rob Bonfiglio-lead guitar, background vocals
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

CANDY
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Leslie guitar, lead guitar, bass, Wurlitzer electric piano, vibes, xylophone
Ritchie Rubini-drums, Wurlitzer electric piano, piano, vibes, percussion, background vocals
Eric Eden-sleigh bells
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

GET YOURSELF TOGETHER
Ken Sharp-lead vocals
Rob Bonfiglio-all other instruments
Produced by Rob Bonfiglio

RUSH RUSH
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lead guitar, bass, tambourine, sleighbells, handclaps
Ritchie Rubini-drums, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, toy piano, wonder bass, mellotron, vibes, handclaps
Eric Eden-handclaps
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

WHY GIRLS CRY
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, cello, mellotron
Ritchie Rubini-drums, piano, cello, synthesizer, strings, backwards harmonium, sequencing, background vocals
Produced by Ritchie Rubini

I GOT LOST
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, acoustic and electric guitar, lead guitar, 12-string guitar, bass, Wurlitzer electric piano, xylophone
Ritchie Rubini-drum programming, mellotron, clarinola, tambourine, percussion
Rob Bonfiglio-E-bow guitar, ambient guitar, harmony vocals
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

REMEMBER...
Ken Sharp-lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Leslie guitar, bass, cello
Ritchie Rubini-drums, piano, cello, tympani, percussion, background vocals
Produced by Ritchie Rubini and Ken Sharp

All songs written by Ken Sharp
© 2007 Pop Toons, Inc. (BMI)
except # 4, which is written by Ritchie Adams and Mark Barkan

Tracks recorded at Wisteria Studios, Wilmington, Delaware (# 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13),
Ohm Studios, Newark, Delaware, (# 5, 6, 8, 10), The Cave, Manayunk, PA (#4),
Otsego Street Studios, Tarzana, CA (# 9), The Manor, Valley Village, CA (# 3)

Engineered by: Brad Newsom (# 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13), Alan Mazetti (# 5, 6, 8, 10) and
Rob Bonfiglio (# 3, 4, 9)

CD Design: Mike Nicholson
Mastering by Brian Gagnon BGM Productions, Toronto

Correspondence: sharpk@aol.com

Special thanks: Susan Katila, Carol Sharp, Margie Sharp, Carol Paula Sharp, Jim Sharp, Ritchie Rubini, Rob Bonfigilo, Jim Bullotta, Bruce Brodeen, Marlene Palumbo, Jaimie Vernon, Louis Hirshorn, Bernie Hogya, Don and Irene Robertson, Barry Sharp, Dave Mauk

Dedicated to the memory of Elvis Presley

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Ken Sharp Los Angeles, California

ken-sharp.com

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