Carlton Walker: News
Rock Opera Propels Carlton Walker Across the Musical Landscape - March 17, 2008
Theatrical devices include a rock opera within a rock opera.
For Immediate Release
LEBANON, Tenn./EWORLDWIRE/March 17, 2008 --- With the captivating title, "AVERY A ROCK OPERA about a guy who writes a rock opera," the debut release from Carlton Walker is a sonic excursion alive with adventure. It details the story of Avery Mann, a musician and composer who writes a rock opera based on the medieval morality play, "Everyman." When a major record label drops him and the rock opera is shelved, Avery heads off for a rainforest trek in Belize, a tiny Caribbean nation in Central America. Just as he receives word that an independent record label is willing to release his rock opera, things take an existential turn when Guatemala invades Belize and Avery is caught behind the lines: it's eco-tourism with a twist.
Although described as a rock opera for simplicity's sake, Avery actually surveys a broader musical landscape. Shifting from rock to prog rock at random, acoustic songs provide a buffer zone. Like a play within a play, there's even a rock opera within a rock opera. Ultimately, Avery is a triumph of the human spirit with underlying parables on globalization, free speech, and the environment - all that, in about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Walker provided all vocals on Avery and played bass, bass pedals, flute and most of the keyboards. He cites a couple of early rock opera masterpieces as his main musical influences for the album. As he puts it, "Take one disc from Genesis', 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway,' and one disc from The Who's, 'Quadrophenia' and shuffle them. I wore out several copies of both those albums, and they're still rotating in my brain." Prog rock selections such as, "Excerpt from Everyman," and, "Hot 'n' Humid Jungle," exemplify the Peter Gabriel-era Genesis influence. The impact that The Who has had on him are evident in the vocals and power chords of the second track on the album, "Sundog Days."
With 20 songs in all, Avery A Rock Opera fills a CD entirely. Listeners can check out full-length sound clips of 11 songs at 'http://www.carltonwalker.com'. Sound samples are also online on Carlton's MySpace page at 'http://www.myspace.com/carltonwalker'. From either site, it's easy to click through to online stores for downloading or buying CDs. The CD is available worldwide from independent music retailer CD Baby. Those who prefer to download it can do so at indie-friendly DigStation. The adventure is only a click away, and it all starts at 'http://www.carltonwalker.com'.
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CONTACT:
Carlton Walker
EMAIL: press@carltonwalker.com
http://www.carltonwalker.com
For Immediate Release
LEBANON, Tenn./EWORLDWIRE/March 17, 2008 --- With the captivating title, "AVERY A ROCK OPERA about a guy who writes a rock opera," the debut release from Carlton Walker is a sonic excursion alive with adventure. It details the story of Avery Mann, a musician and composer who writes a rock opera based on the medieval morality play, "Everyman." When a major record label drops him and the rock opera is shelved, Avery heads off for a rainforest trek in Belize, a tiny Caribbean nation in Central America. Just as he receives word that an independent record label is willing to release his rock opera, things take an existential turn when Guatemala invades Belize and Avery is caught behind the lines: it's eco-tourism with a twist.
Although described as a rock opera for simplicity's sake, Avery actually surveys a broader musical landscape. Shifting from rock to prog rock at random, acoustic songs provide a buffer zone. Like a play within a play, there's even a rock opera within a rock opera. Ultimately, Avery is a triumph of the human spirit with underlying parables on globalization, free speech, and the environment - all that, in about an hour and fifteen minutes.
Walker provided all vocals on Avery and played bass, bass pedals, flute and most of the keyboards. He cites a couple of early rock opera masterpieces as his main musical influences for the album. As he puts it, "Take one disc from Genesis', 'The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway,' and one disc from The Who's, 'Quadrophenia' and shuffle them. I wore out several copies of both those albums, and they're still rotating in my brain." Prog rock selections such as, "Excerpt from Everyman," and, "Hot 'n' Humid Jungle," exemplify the Peter Gabriel-era Genesis influence. The impact that The Who has had on him are evident in the vocals and power chords of the second track on the album, "Sundog Days."
With 20 songs in all, Avery A Rock Opera fills a CD entirely. Listeners can check out full-length sound clips of 11 songs at 'http://www.carltonwalker.com'. Sound samples are also online on Carlton's MySpace page at 'http://www.myspace.com/carltonwalker'. From either site, it's easy to click through to online stores for downloading or buying CDs. The CD is available worldwide from independent music retailer CD Baby. Those who prefer to download it can do so at indie-friendly DigStation. The adventure is only a click away, and it all starts at 'http://www.carltonwalker.com'.
###
CONTACT:
Carlton Walker
EMAIL: press@carltonwalker.com
http://www.carltonwalker.com