Ex Norwegian Delivers a Blistering Indie Rock Cover of Ed Hale’s “Never let me go again”

On the Sidelines album by Ex Norwegian

Indie Rock band Ex Norwegian just recently released a raw and upbeat rock version of singer-songwriter Ed Hale’s 2012 ballad Never let me go again” on their new compilation album On The Sidelines. The song originally appeared on Hale’s Ballad On Third Avenue album, which Ex Norwegian lead singer Roger Houdaille performed on and co-produced along with Hale and Fernando Perdomo.

Hale, Houdaille and Perdomo have been recording and performing together, along with four other core members — Ricardo Mazzi, Bill Sommer, Matthew Sabatella, Karen Feldner — in the long running, loose-knit musical collective Ed Hale and the Transcendence and on Ed Hale solo albums since the early 2000s.

Listen to “Never let me go again” by Ex Norwegian”
Listen to “Never let me go again” by Ed Hale

Ed Hale Makes Magnet Magazine a Mixtape

Ed Hale takes a solemn note upon the release of his band’s latest All Your Heroes Become Villains

It’s tricky for a musician who started as young as Ed Hale to be seen as anything other than the 17-year-old “Eddie Darling.” But impressively, Hale has made a name for himself with his various outings over the years, the most recent being Ed Hale And The Transcendence, which just released All Your Heroes Become Villains (Dying Van Gogh). With this band, Hale has pioneered the idea of “planetary music”: a combination of modern-rock aesthetics and world-music sounds. In his own solo career, his output is still deeply personal, but it focuses more on the acoustic instead of his sonorous and genre-spanning songs with the Transcendence. Also an activist, writer and businessman, Hale is a man with many talents, all of which influence his inspired sound. Hale made this awesome mix tape below for MAGNET.

“Solaris” (download):
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Lou Reed “Street Hassle”
I placed this first because out of all the songs that have ever been recorded in modern pop/rock history, it still stands as one of the most unique and innovative of all time. I still listen to it and just don’t get how Lou managed to pull it off. Three separate parts all tied together, but not like a concept album or anything. To me as an artist, innovating is still really important. And that’s why I dig Lou so much. He’s always reaching for something new. Video

Laurie Anderson “O Superman”
First time I heard this song I was in college. I couldn’t understand what I was hearing. Running both her electric violin and voice through numerous harmonizers to create a sound that we had never heard before. But, that’s not enough. She wasn’t just innovating. This song also happens to be beautiful. We have to give her props for how far she’s pushed the envelope for us all. Video

Phoenix United
I know I’m cheating a little here because this is an album rather than just a song, but United is one of those records that’s like a “treasured little secret” among people who know it. They recorded this album back in 1999, long before the ’80s New Wave Revival got kicking here in the States. Because of that, Phoenix remained an unknown band for years because they were so far ahead of the curve. But for people who love super-catchy West Coast breezy pop, buy this albumVideo

The Strokes “Someday”
The Strokes released their now-classic Is This It album in 2001. I started turning on to the Strokes like everybody else, and they just grabbed me. Now I can’t imagine a world without them. This whole first album is filled with awesome songs. The distorted vocals, the melodic guitar lines, the bouncy pop rhythms, the fuck-it-all attitude. They’re just very appealing, and this song is one of my favorites on the album. Video

T.Rex “Spaceball Ricochet”
There are 100 songs that I could list that Marc Bolan wrote that are great. He nailed one of the sexiest male rock singer voices of all time, and nowhere did he do it better than on his two biggest selling albums, The Sliderand Electric Warrior. I discovered Bolan when I was a kid, but all of his work had a huge influence on me. He had already passed away, but then later on I learned that he was also a huge influence on David Bowie and Bono and a lot of other people, so it all makes sense in the big picture. Video

Fleet Foxes “Helplessness Blues”
This may seem the “politically correct” choice of the moment, because everyone in the world is currently talking about Fleet Foxes right now, but there’s a reason for that. Like every other song on this list, “Helplessness Blues” is one of those songs that from the very first moment that you hear it, you find yourself asking, “Who the hell is this?!” More than anything, that’s what we’re all aiming at as artists. They recorded this album less than a mile from my house in Washington state, and they deserve as much “ink” as they can get. Video

David Bowie “Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise)”
These three songs are all tied together on Bowie’s Diamond Dogs album. Bowie is a huge influence on me as an artist, and Diamond Dogs was Bowie’s best Ziggy album as far as I’m concerned. It was also his darkest. Anyone who likes anything from Bowie should buy this album. Diamond Dogswas full-on concept, from the artwork to the way all the songs were tied together lyrically and musically. Without that album, I don’t think we’d be doing this mix tape. There’d be no All Your Heroes Become VillainsVideo

Caetano Veloso And Gilberto Gil “Desde De Que Samba E Samba”
This is a very hip, laid-back bossa-nova song by Caetano and Gilberto. The reason I chose this one for you is because of the profound effect this song and this album had on me as a musician. I was living in Brazil for the summer, studying the language of Portuguese and learning how to play bossa-nova guitar. Brazilian people live through their music, and the samba is their life. It pulses through their veins. It’s not just “a dance” or a style of music. It’s a whole culture. If you dig the song, try to find someone to translate the lyrics for you. They are very moving and intelligent. Caetano is a God. Video

Bruce Springsteen “Backstreets”
I still remember sitting on the floor of my bedroom with this album in my hand, Born To Run, and listening to this particular song over and over again. I chose this song for you all because of its seething passion. The way he hits those high notes in the chorus. This song is so damn real and sincere and passionate and emotional. Bruce was just letting it all hang out emotionally in this tune; he killed it. In the process, he became “The Boss,” and I think it’s a well deserved title. Video

Bob Dylan “It’s Alright Ma I’m Only Bleeding”
How the hell do you choose just one Dylan song for a mix tape? Well, obviously, you’re gonna want to buy the whole Blood On The Tracks album. But where’s that one nugget of brilliance? It’s this one, man. Grab the lyrics, put the needle down and listen to it. The falling chords beneath the melody are deceptively simple and yet eerie as all hell. Foreboding. And then there are the lyrics. This idea that “he not busy being born is busy dying”—that’s Bob. He said that. That’s why he’s Bob Dylan. Video

Posted in Magnet Magazine

NOTHING IS COHESIVE

A bold and beautiful collection of post-modern garage rockers and lush seventies-style piano ballads that the band recorded in their garage studio just may be their best effort to date. And that says a lot coming from the very prolific and experimental group that features the impassioned vocals of Ed Hale and the guitar histrionics of their well known and much respected guitarist Fernando Perdomo. Nothing is Cohesive, the band’s third CD, is raw, unrefined, and surges with an honest musical sensuality that is breathtaking at times. It mixes a variety of classic and modern rock styles in a surprisingly cohesive listen for how far-out the band was willing to travel in their sonic explorations to achieve something completely different from last years Sleep With You. Transcendence has been enjoying major radio success across the country with their latest hit single “Superhero Girl,” while bridging the gap between passionate new-rock with an old-school melodic seventies rock. While their over the top electrifying live performances have been taking indie-music audiences by storm, there has been a slow-brewing flurry of anticipation over their soon to be released new CD entitled Nothing is Cohesive. The album’s off the cuff schizophrenia has been described as ‘Radiohead meets Lou Reed or somewhere in between.’ The new CD, which the band recorded in a garage studio with no producer on-hand, may be their most honest work to date.

CREDITS:

Ed Hale, Fernando Perdomo, Roger Houdaille, Jon Rose, Bill Sommer, Ben Belin. Recorded at Perdomo Sound, Summer of 2003. Mastered by Fred Freeman

SLEEP WITH YOU

Ed Hale and the boys deliver 13 new tracks (plus bonus material) on this follow up to 2002’s worldly Rise and Shine. Sleep with you is darker (Junkie, Vicodin) and rocks harder (I’m not the only one, Sleep with you) than its predecessor. Its mood is at once passionate and romantic (Beautiful one, Veronica) and cheeky (Minnie Driver, Girls) and fun (Super hero girl). Gone are the multi-cultural world-music leanings as the band delivers over the top alt-rock and brit-pop ear candy dressed up in beautiful melodies and soaring guitar. This is the heaviest the band has ever sounded, and the most authentic as a “rock band” as evidenced by the pounding bass and drums on almost every track that warrants such. Not that Sleep with you is all rock. As much as it rocks, its not. Guilty is as radio friendly pop as you can find, and Keep moving on could be an alternate track from U2’s All that you cant leave behind. The album closes with the delicate and gorgeous fire-side ballad Little tree, and then explodes into a thunderous one chord anthem complete with Zeppelinesqe strings and some seriously head-spinning guitar before trailing off into dreamy samples and feedback.

CREDITS:

Recorded between June 2002 – February 2003 at Dungeon Recording Studios, Miami, FL
Produced by Fred Freeman and Ed Hale
Musicians:
Ed Hale – Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards
Ricardo Mazzi – Drums, Percussion, Machines
Jon Rose – Pianos, Keyboards, Machines, Vocals
Fernando Perdomo – Guitars, Sitar, Theremin, Sound Effects, Vocals
Roger Houdaille – Bass Guitars, Vocals
Head Engineer: Fred Freeman
Assistant Engineers: Manny Rodriguez, Michael “Lets Go” Lukacina
Mixed by Jeremy DuBois & Fred Freeman
Mastered by Brent Lambert at Kitchen Mastering, NC
Bass Guitar by Howard “Stro” Stroman on the songs Minnie Driver, Sleep With You, Beautiful One, Vicodin & Keep Moving On
Zach Ziskin played Guitar on Keep Moving On & Vicodin
Photography by Jill Kahn
Drawings and Paintings by Veronica Saenz
Art Direction & Digital Illustrations by Eduardo Silva
All songs arranged by Transcendence

RISE AND SHINE

The debut album for Ed Hale and The Transcendence is a exciting combination of classic pop rock with elements of world music. Features the hit “Better Luck Next Time.”

ACOUSTIC IN NEW YORK

Acoustic in New York is a collection of 10 previously unreleased songs Ed Hale recorded as demos while in New York City in late 1995. The songs were recorded live to a two-track as record company demos only and were never meant for public release. Although the sound quality of the recordings themselves is less than perfect ”evidenced by the honking of car horns and the ringing telephones in the background” the power and the passion that comes through as Ed sings and plays each song has a tremendous impact and tells a lot about the artist in the peak of his craft as a guitar player and as a singer/songwriter. There is an ambition and a hunger and a passion that pours out of his voice and guitar on these tracks that is breathtaking. And so it was that this collection was put together as a compendium of some of Ed Hale’s most complex and intricate compositions during this particular time period. The anthemic “Bored” (also re-recorded and re-released by TRANSCENDENCE for their Nothing is Cohesive album) is almost 10 minutes long. More than anything else this collection showcases the versatility of Ed Hale as the songwriter and illustrates the ease with which he can spin a great song. It highlights the start of the open tuning phase of his guitar playing and song writing style, where the songs take on an almost orchestral tone, with long and lush instrumental introductions before the vocals are even introduced. It provides an intimate environment in which to soak up some of “the paradise spilling all over us” when Ed Hale sings some of his best songs ever. His voice is the strongest it has ever been on record. And there is an optimism that comes through in most of the songs that is entirely different than his previous work with Broken Spectacles.

CREDITS:

Produced by Ed Hale Recorded November 1995 at Terry’s Studio, New York, NY Engineered by Patrick Naidl Remixed by Cliff Rawnsley Jr. at Sunflower Studios, Hollywood, Florida Ed Hale: Vocals, Guitar All songs music and lyrics written by Ed Hale except where noted. Photos by Vanita Gupta. Graphic design by Eduardo Silva for TMG Records.

The Eddie Album

Ed Hale The Eddie album CD cover
The first ED HALE album was released on the independent record label Alarming Talent Records when Hale, who went by the name Eddie Darling then, was 17 years old and still in high school. The album was simply titled EDDIE. Hale was discovered by pop-music historian and critic Murray Silver—author of the Great Balls of Fire Jerry Lee Lewis Story book and movie who had started a small record label in the burgeoning Atlanta music scene. Though it is clear now, looking back there was no way one could predict the many stylistic roads Hale would travel down throughout his career as a recording artist. Described as a musical Picasso he is known for creating entirely different landscapes, little worlds each unique and special, with each new album he releases. More like movies than music albums. Some fans find it difficult to keep up with Hale’s voracious appetite for exploring different musical styles.
It may be due to the fact that Hale was still in his teens, new to the business, and under the guidance of heavy-handed executives and the pressures of the business, but the Eddie album did not foreshadow the style-surfing of Hale’s future work with jangly-pop college rock darlings BROKEN SPECTACLES, nor his later world-music forays with his current group TRANSCENDENCE. It did not indicate Hale would over the course of three years steer from middle-eastern and Brasilian music on Rise and Shine, to heavy commercial alt-rock on Sleep With You, to garage-pop and indie-rock on Nothing is Cohesive. The Eddie Album is a relatively consistent work. The influences are easy to spot, the Beatles, T. Rex, Dylan, though it is also slightly marred by when it was recorded. The music of the eighties had a very distinct sound, and this album was no exception.
For those searching for the quintessential starting point of the Ed Hale sound and story, the EDDIE album is it. It is moody, dreamy, bouncy, romantic 80’s euro-pop. His voice is soft and whispery, neither matured nor fully developed, he was often compared to a young Marc Bolan or David Bowie. He comes off like an innocent but daring young Casanova, ambitious and romantic, and a touch too cheeky. But the album is filled with catchy melodies that fans would soon come to expect. Raw passion, plenty of lust, and teenage emotion and angst.
Lush, orchestral production, and punchy eighties beats are the focus of this ten song disc. Standout tracks on the newly re-mastered release include She Says You’re the One, and You and Me. There is a yearning in both songs which is touching and poignant and similar to many songs Hale would write and record on future albums. Then there are the hints of what would soon be a trademark song style that he would explore deeper in Broken Spectacles — the anthemic and operatic long-song form in the likes of I’m Not Crazy, in which he ominously pleads “I’m not crazy/but I’m on my way.” It features an intriguing orchestral break in the middle of the song. Very Bowie, Elton John. Depending on whom you ask. Just Don’t Matter At All finds the artist waxing philosophic on growing up with a characteristic Beatlesque sing-a-long multi-voiced outro.
There is the misogynist dance-club hit Since I lost You which was all the rage in the dance clubs of Atlanta in the summer of ’89 which Hale still claims to prefer to forget, and the ego-infested rocker Obsession with Hale chanting “I’m the solution to all this talk about revolution” in the chorus with hubris typical of an American teenager, a super-hero confidence theme that dominated the lyrics of his early records; until the middle period of his Broken Spectacles work when his songs became more introspective and pensive, taking on an a nearly nihilistic and self-deprecating nature.
Ed Hale’s Eddie album is a classic for collectors of his work, but not a classic album. One can clearly hear the singer still developing and searching for a sound of his own. And the album as a whole is a much simpler transparent work than what we are used to by this point. But there are however four must-haves on the album: the aforementioned You and me, She says you’re the one, I’m not crazy, and Just don’t matter at all. These songs are classic Ed Hale and say much about what was to come. The purity, passion, and raw romanticism of each still bring goosebumps and a skip of the heart.
1. You And Me
2. Obsession
3. Just don’t matter at all
4. She says you’re the one
5. Since I lost you
6. Irrelevant babbling
7. I’m not crazy
8. And it’s you
9. My Wendy
10. I found you
11. My Wendy (original demo)
ALBUM CREDITS
ORIGINAL RECORD LABEL: Alarming Talent Records
ORIGINAL Release Date: October 20th, 1989
RECORDED: August 1988 – October 1988
STUDIO: Important recording studios, Ft. Meyers, FL
PRODUCED BY: Murray Silver, Ed Hale, and John McLane
ENGINEERED BY: John McLane
DIGITALLY REMASTERED BY: Eddie Mashal at Alle Audio; Hollywood, FL
MUSICIANS: Ed Hale – vocals, guitars, keyboards. John McLane – guitar, bass, keyboards, sax, and background vocals, Max Mazzone – Drums. Diane Kerri – background vocals.
All songs music and lyrics written by Ed Hale

Spectacularly Broken

The 3 disc compilation of the best of Ed Hale’s work with underground rock group Broken Spectacles featuring over 40 songs, out-takes, home demos, live in concert tracks, and radio interviews. Remastered and Released in 1998 (currently out of print).

Song Hear Free Price Buy

The Eddie Album

The first ED HALE album was released on the independent record label Alarming Talent Records when Hale, who went by the name Eddie Darling then, was 17 years old and still in high school. The album was simply titled EDDIE. Hale was discovered by pop-music historian and critic Murray Silver, author of the Great Balls of Fire Jerry Lee Lewis Story book and movie who had started a small record label in the burgeoning Atlanta music scene. Though it is clear now, looking back there was no way one could predict the many stylistic roads Hale would travel down throughout his career as a recording artist. Described as a musical Picasso he is known for creating entirely different landscapes, little worlds each unique and special, with each new album he releases. More like movies than music albums. Some fans find it difficult to keep up with Hale’s voracious appetite for exploring different musical styles.
It may be due to the fact that Hale was still in his teens, new to the business, and under the guidance of heavy-handed executives and the pressures of the business, but the Eddie album did not foreshadow the style-surfing of Hale’s future work with jangly-pop college rock darlings BROKEN SPECTACLES, nor his later world-music forays with his current group TRANSCENDENCE. It did not indicate Hale would over the course of three years steer from middle-eastern and Brasilian music on Rise and Shine, to heavy commercial alt-rock on Sleep With You, to garage-pop and indie-rock on Nothing is Cohesive. The Eddie Album is a relatively consistent work. The influences are easy to spot, the Beatles, T. Rex, Dylan, though it is also slightly marred by when it was recorded. The music of the eighties had a very distinct sound, and this album was no exception.
For those searching for the quintessential starting point of the Ed Hale sound and story, the EDDIE album is it. It is moody, dreamy, bouncy, romantic 80’s euro-pop. His voice is soft and whispery, neither matured nor fully developed, he was often compared to a young Marc Bolan or David Bowie. He comes off like an innocent but daring young Casanova, ambitious and romantic, and a touch too cheeky. But the album is filled with catchy melodies that fans would soon come to expect. Raw passion, plenty of lust, and teenage emotion and angst.
Lush, orchestral production, and punchy eighties beats are the focus of this ten song disc. Standout tracks on the newly re-mastered release include She Says You’re the One, and You and Me. There is a yearning in both songs which is touching and poignant and similar to many songs Hale would write and record on future albums. Then there are the hints of what would soon be a trademark song style that he would explore deeper in Broken Spectacles” the anthemic and operatic long-song form in the likes of I’m Not Crazy, in which he ominously pleads “I’m not crazy/but I’m on my way.” It features an intriguing orchestral break in the middle of the song. Very Bowie, Elton John. Depending on whom you ask. Just Don’t Matter At All finds the artist waxing philosophic on growing up with a characteristic Beatlesque sing-a-long multi-voiced outro.
There is the misogynist dance-club hit Since I lost You which was all the rage in the dance clubs of Atlanta in the summer of ’89 which Hale still claims to prefer to forget, and the ego-infested rocker Obsession with Hale chanting “I’m the solution to all this talk about revolution” in the chorus with hubris typical of an American teenager, a super-hero confidence theme that dominated the lyrics of his early records; until the middle period of his Broken Spectacles work when his songs became more introspective and pensive, taking on an a nearly nihilistic and self-deprecating nature.
Ed Hale’s Eddie album is a classic for collectors of his work, but not a classic album. One can clearly hear the singer still developing and searching for a sound of his own. And the album as a whole is a much simpler transparent work than what we are used to by this point. But there are however four must-haves on the album: the aforementioned You and me, She says you’re the one, I’m not crazy, and Just don’t matter at all. These songs are classic Ed Hale and say much about what was to come. The purity, passion, and raw romanticism of each still bring goosebumps and a skip of the heart.
ALBUM CREDITS
ORIGINAL RECORD LABEL: Alarming Talent Records
ORIGINAL Release Date: October 20th, 1989
RECORDED: August 1988 – October 1988
STUDIO: Important recording studios, Ft. Meyers, FL
PRODUCED BY: Murray Silver, Ed Hale, and John McLane
ENGINEERED BY: John McLane
DIGITALLY REMASTERED BY: Eddie Mashal at Alle Audio; Hollywood, FL
MUSICIANS: Ed Hale – vocals, guitars, keyboards. John McLane – guitar, bass, keyboards, sax, and background vocals, Max Mazzone – Drums. Diane Kerri – background vocals.
All songs music and lyrics written by Ed Hale

Song Hear Free Price Buy

Acoustic In New York

Acoustic in New York is a collection of 10 previously unreleased songs Ed Hale recorded as demos while in New York City in late 1995. The songs were recorded live to a two-track as record company demos only and were never meant for public release.
Although the sound quality of the recordings themselves is less than perfect – evidenced by the honking of car horns and the ringing telephones in the background – the power and the passion that comes through as Ed sings and plays each song has a tremendous impact and tells a lot about the artist in the peak of his craft as a guitar player and as a singer/songwriter.
There is an ambition and a hunger and a passion that pours out of his voice and guitar on these tracks that is breathtaking.
And so it was that this collection was put together as a compendium of some of Ed Hale’s most complex and intricate compositions during this particular time period – the anthemic I’m so fucking bored is almost 10 minutes long. More than anything else this collection showcases the versatility of Ed Hale as the songwriter and illustrates the ease with which he can spin a great song.
It highlights the start of the open tuning phase of his guitar playing and song writing style, where the songs take on an almost orchestral tone, with long and lush instrumental introductions before the vocals are even introduced. It provides an intimate environment in which to soak up some of “the paradise spilling all over us” when Ed Hale sings some of his best songs ever. His voice is the strongest it has ever been on record. And there is an optimism that comes through in most of the songs that is entirely different than his previous work with Broken Spectacles.
Many of the songs are uplifting and spiritual in nature, such as The Greatest Gift and Promised Land. The longest song on the album, the Dylanesque Rooms of My Mind, is another standout track, and like the album as a whole, it is raw soul-music, pure expressive poetry set to music on a six-string. Acoustic in New York is a deep and heartfelt exploration of the soul of the artist as a young man in one brief moment in a tiny studio in New York City.

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