Jumping off the success of the success of his last TOP 10 hit single “New Orleans Dreams”, singer/songwriter Ed Hale has hit the ground running in 2012 with the release of the second single from his latest solo album Ballad On Third Avenue. Another acoustic-pop gem, “Scene in San Francisco” is a catchy beat-driven romantic ballad that features Hales’ traditionally heartfelt singing and poignant lyricism. But this time Hale turns his attention toward the heart and turns the heat up with a timeless and heartbreaking story of “two lovers lost in the heart of San Francisco”. The result is a gorgeous melody that stays in your head for days and a story that nearly everyone can relate to.

Credits:

Produced by Ed Hale and Fernando Perdomo. Mixed and mastered by Zach Ziskin.

Ed Hale – Vocals, acoustic guitars
Fernando Perdomo – Acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards, background vocals
Derek Cintron – Drums
Greg Byers – Cellos
Matthew Sabatella and Zach Ziskin – Background vocals

After seeing the footage from the latest natural and man-made disasters to strike the South, Ed Hale decided to release the song “New Orleans Dreams” from his Ballad On Third Avenue album as the next single to radio to raise money for the American Red Cross to help people struggling down there who have lost their homes and more. Thus a portion of all proceeds from sales and digital downloads of the song will go directly to the American Red Cross.

“After seeing what’s been happening down South, I just felt like it was the right choice [to release this single] for where we are right now. We wrote the song based on what I’d seen down in Biloxi, Mississippi doing reconstruction work with Habitat for Humanity. And this was Hurricane Katrina we’re talking about. Years later, things were just as bad as they were right after the hurricane hit. It was very sad, very hard to see how little was being done by the government. So that’s where that song came from. But the people we helped, you know, the looks on their faces after they saw their houses rebuilt… man that was why we were down there. It was priceless. Then came the BP Oil Spill, right? And then this new series of floods and tornadoes… it’s like when will it ever end?! So the song just works. It’s still appropriate even though the country has elected a new president and everything appears to have changed…. for some of us maybe, but not for everyone. Not for the people of New Orleans.”

The original album version of the song has been remixed and edited by Zach Ziskin for release as a single for radio. Of this latest venture, Hale commented “Man I hope that every living breathing person on earth buys the song or downloads it so we can raise a truckload of money for the people down there. It’s only ninety-nine cents, yes, but collectively we could make a huge difference.”

Credits:

Produced by Fernando Perdomo and Ed Hale
Single Version Mixed by Zach Ziskin
Recorded at The Cave, Miami Beach, FL
Published by Transcendent Music Publishing (ASCAP)

Musicians:
Ed Hale – Lead and background vocals, acoustic guitars
Fernando Perdomo – Acoustic guitars, bass, balalyka, keyboards
Matthew Sabatella- Background Vocals
Greg Byers – Cello

Executive Producer: Nahal Mishel-Ghashghai
Photography: Flavia Molinari

Contact: pr@dyingvangogh.com
Dying Van Gogh Records
304 Park Avenue South 11th Floor
New York, NY 10010
800.827.7763
www.dyingvangogh.com
www.edhale.com
www.transcendence.com

Thanks to: Fernando Perdomo and everyone at Cave Studios for your brilliant musicianship, Zach Ziskin for your superior mixing skills, Roger Houdaille and the whole staff of Dying Van Gogh Records, Flavia Molinari for your vision, Brian Johnson and Anim8ter Freelance, Amanda Alexandrakis & South Beach Marketing & Promotion, Greg Byers, Matthew Sabatella, FMQB, friends and family, and most of all my beloved princess Little Tree

At first listen The City of Lost Children could be, more than anything else, a testament to how much great talent we have been lucky enough to work with over the last eight years in ED HALE AND THE TRANSCENDENCE. From musicians to songwriters, producers, engineers and singers, we have been very lucky and truly honored by all the brilliant hearts and minds that have worked and played with us. ED HALE AND THE TRANSCENDENCE has always been more of a community rather than simply a band of five guys. It’s a community of music, about music, founded on music, flowing out of music. Music was from the start the spark that ignited the formation of ED HALE AND THE TRANSCENDENCE. We came together as strangers attracted to one another because of our shared love and passion for music. Music of all shapes and sizes and styles. We stay together for the same reason. Over the years we have been blessed almost divinely to be open to anyone who wanted to stop by the studios, say hello and talk shop, and ultimately lay down something of their own on whatever project we happened to be working on. This album perhaps owes more to this idea than anything else we have ever released simply because it pulls together 15 songs from various phases of our working together as a group and spans a period of over 8 years.

Stylistically the Lost Children collection also bears witness to the fact that those pesky critics may be more accurate in their assertion that ED HALE AND THE TRANSCENDENCE has been “all over the map” than we ever cared to admit… hence the Nothing Is Cohesive album title… but where has it ever been written that artists — of any medium — are supposed to stick with the same style throughout their careers or even within the context of one work? ED HALE AND THE TRANSCENDENCE has always gotten off on exploring different musical territories as a group. In fact the more diverse and eclectic our musical explorations are the more stimulated we as individuals become. Truth be told, writing and recording a song such as Whenever I’m With You, a song which at first listen might appear to be far removed and light years away from “our usual sound,” was no more difficult or challenging than one of our more typical indie rock or brit-pop styled songs. With a few more listens it gets easier and easier to recognize the same five guys in that song. This collection of songs, as disjointed as it may be when gathered all under one roof, does run the gamut from R&B to straight ahead alt-rock to Brasilian pop to avant-garde experiments in sound, and yes it may seem odd that the same group and various other stragglers and fellow explorers found it so appropriate and commonplace to try our hands at so many different styles of music. But luckily for all of us we never questioned this aspect of ourselves. We just forged onwards, critics be damned, and did whatever we wanted to in order to get ourselves off and maintain that high and inspiration that compelled us to come together in the first place.

Because of the general over the top eccentric nature of each member of the band, I have noticed that we have actually found it more difficult to create straight ahead commercially accessible pop and rock at times compared to the more esoteric and experimental stuff that has managed to make its way onto our albums. But that’s TRANSCENDENCE. At times this yearning to branch out and cover as many bases as possible has created problems for the band. With producers, with engineers, with record labels, distributors, DJs especially, critics, other musicians, and perhaps even with fans. Over the years we have had to make sacrifices artistically and cut certain tracks off of albums in order to make them more cohesive and streamlined. Even if we were madly in love with those tracks. At other times it was more of a question of just space or just having too many songs for one disc. And occasionally a single or two has gotten recorded and for whatever reason never found a home and made it to an album.

So more than anything else for us as a group these various reasons make The City of Lost Children a very special album indeed. It was an idea we had been harboring for years and just never had the time to see through. It may seem odd, and perhaps even strategically impractical, to release an album such as this when we have two new albums coming out in the same year. Most artists and labels save projects like this for dormant periods in between recording sessions or when the band is on tour. But as trite as it sounds because so many musicians say the exact same thing about their songs, almost every song we birth and take the time to explore and record as a group does have a very special place in our hearts regardless of whether or not it ever gets released. This makes The City of Lost Children a very very special project to each of us. For the first time we were able to sit down and reflect and reclaim all of our lost children and pool them all together so they had a permanent home and were lost no more. Compiling this album gave us all a sincere feeling of relief and satisfaction and completion. For music fans we hope that some get as much pleasure from being able to have access to all of these rarities for the first time under one roof as we did in putting the album together. As always thank you for listening.

The majestic acoustic-pop and soft intimacy of Ed Hale’s Ballad On Third Avenue will feel right at home to the same crowds that love the music of Wes Anderson movies, Rubber Soul-era Beatles, Bright Eyes, Simon and Garfunkel, or even Nick Drake. The lead singer of the popular Brit Pop/modern rock band Transcendence with hit singles and songs in films and television shows over the years – snuck into the recording studio late last year and produced the most personal and intimate album of his career. The tracks are a luxuriant tangle of acoustic guitars, pianos, organs, xylophones, lush cello lines, and mellotron flourishes that set a gorgeous sonic backdrop behind a lyrically poignant and confessional masterpiece of infinite beauty that from start to finish sucks you in and leaves you moved and dreamy-eyed. Ed Hale has always been hard to keep up with – over the years playing the role of writer, populist blogger, controversial YouTube star, outspoken political activist, or civilian diplomat but on his first solo album in six years at his very core Ed Hale is a passionate and possessed singer and songwriter capable of crafting magnificent musical jewels that captivate and sound instantly classic.

Credits:

Produced by Fernando Perdomo and Ed Hale.

Reviews

• Folk and Acoustic Music Review
• Miami New Times
• New Times – Broward/Palm Beach
• Louisville Music News
• The Phantom Tollbooth - While this is not an essential disc for your desert island, it has at least seven songs that earn their place easily, and several of these are pretty strong. You never feel that this is a disc that is wasting your time or electricity; rather, it is one to enjoy – unless you have just split with someone you love!
• babysue - We had to spin this disc several times before coming to some conclusions about the music. Not because the songs sound all that different…but because it wasn’t immediately obvious from which universe Ed Hale was coming from. After letting his music soak in, we were reminded of several different artists who Hale reminds us of at one time or another. We can hear some traces of Harry Nilsson in his music as well as some of the softer elements of the band Johnny Society. But on other occasions some of the melodies remind us very much of John Vanderslice. Ultimately, we determined that Hale isn’t really trying to sound like or copy anyone. The songs on Ballad on Third Avenue are basic, smooth pop tunes with smart arrangements and intelligent lyrics. We particularly like the fact that Ed has a cool restrained voice that is particularly appealing. We definitely found that the more familiar these tunes became the more impressed we were. Eleven smart reflective cuts here including “Scene in San Francisco,” ”Hello My Dove,” “It Feels Too Good,” and “Never Let Me Go Again.” Cool stuff. (Rating: 5+)
• Indie Music Stop - “In his first solo effort, however, he can add another accomplishment to his list: creating a magnificent album that instantly draws in even the most finicky music aficionado and holds them there until the very end.”
• Eartaste -“The stars lay scattered in the open sky and these lights by the bridge shine through the night of my eyes.” The poetry is enhanced by the musicians each walking through the melody in a sparse but meaningful way. A fine composition. The heartfelt desolation is honest. “Flowers bloom in the middle of deserted lawns. When the winter comes these flowers will be dead andgone.”
• Bootleg Magazine (August 2009) -Ed Hale has recorded a solo album away from his Brit Pop band Transcendence but hasn’t left the pop sentimentality too far behind, using the skill to help shape something acoustically raw and introspective. Ballad on Third Avenue is rich in memorable and pleasantly catchy songs that eschew common trappings of a larger sound in favor of recording more sparse and intimate material. It succeeds in practicing restraint and in also telling stories weaved through American landscapes.
  The album recalls the jingly soft sounds of late sixties bands that seemed to crystallize sugary melody versus stomping easily all over it. Hale, at times, will sing in a near hushed whisper that is guttural, careful and crackling. He sounds like a gritty version of Bono. That’s not a slight, Hale’s warm singing style is a plus and helps sell songs such as the album’s title track and the gently driven ‘Scene in San Francisco.’
  The album is not an immediate grab. The slow pace and humble delivery makes it stand out after the fact, after it ends. It’s the person in the room you notice later, the one you wished you’d noticed earlier. This quality makes Ballad on Third Avenue a surprise, a gift that keeps giving. It’s indifferent and coded and may take a few spins before it begins to tattoo itself on eardrums and heart strings. Ballad on Third Avenue is a work that seemingly aims to be just left of field – a warm blanket instead of a quick pick-me-up. It’s textured and sometimes harrowing sound is a winter’s morning, a love letter to the past and indeed rich in imagery. Take a sample lyric from ‘I Walk Alone’ – “And those lights by the bridge shine through the night of my eyes.”
  Hale is digging deep and revealing through music the travails and pleasures of living life.
• Americana Roots #78
• Planet Mellotron
• Dagger -Terrific NYC singer songwriter who has a nice, understated voice and is subtle musically too
  (one of his strengths). At times he reminds me a bit of mark Eitzel (on his solo records, not
  A.M.C.) while others a bit like Harry Nilsson. Opener “Scene in San Francisco” is a perfect
  opener while the hushed “Hello My Dove” brings more of an M. Ward/Mark Kozelek vibe into it
  all. Hopefully this guy will get more notice and recognition than a few lines on the DAGGER site
  ‘cos he deserves it.
• Musiciens (Beautiful Losers, European edition review)
• Roots Time (Beautiful Losers, European edition review)

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

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

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 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.