December 14, 2007
TED McCLOSKEY – TECHNICOLOR THIEVES (Voodoo Records)
Happy Valley’s Ted McCloskey continues his prolific musical output with his fourth solo album in five years, Technicolor Thieves. Over the album’s fourteen songs, McCloskey again raises the bar with some of his most edgy and captivating creations yet. And even more so than his past output, he gets some issues off his chest through observational and often witty lyrics. The hard-rocking opener “Out with the Old Queens” calls for a change at the top, while “The Lowest Common Grain of Salt” offers a slam against Hollywood and the purveyors of today’s pop culture. In a reflective vein, the country-flavored “The Last Independent Record Store” laments the near extinction of hometown indy music brokers and the passage of a special era. Ted shuts out the outside world and its problems for an evening on the punchy “Drinking In Tonight,” vents about broken promises on the agitated “Wait, Wait,” and muses about the workplace daily grind on “Zombie for Rent.” In a lighter vein, “Mermaid in a Bar” offers a portrait of a tavern seductress, while “Passing in Stereo” captures a tranquil moment on an interstate highway. Once again, Ted McCloskey shows his knack for sharp songcraft with lean, focused melodies that get to the point quickly. As a singer, he sells his lyrical themes with a convincing coyness and a snide demeanor, riding on tight instrumental backdrops generated by Ted, drummer Daryl Branford and bassist Rene Witzke. McCloskey's production skills shine again, giving clarity to each component of the sound; supplemented by layering of guitars, occasional studio effects and backing singer Molly Countermine's timely accents and vocal arrangements. Crowning an already impressive resume, Technicolor Thieves is Ted McCloskey's strongest set to date, blending focused pop melodies, musical variety, and edgy and thoughtful lyrical messages into a vibrant, stimulating listen. Simple stated, it's one of the strongest albums to emerge from the state's music scene this year.
Jim Price-Pennsylvania Musician
August 24, 2007
the last independent record store
August 23, 2007
The Sound and The Fury
Ted McCloskey gets angry with latest release
By Dennis Fallon
Ted McCloskey, State College’s reigning guitar god, is pretty ticked off. The thirty-something guitar slinger, who’s a socially-conscious combination of Keith Richards, Paul Westerberg and Bob Dylan, has just released his newest record—the acerbic, venomous, socially-outraged pop rock opus “Technicolor Thieves” (oh yeah, and it’s also brilliant). In between playing with countless local bands, McCloskey has time for enough social and political outrage to make any liberal hippie shake in his Crocs. The candid McCloskey took time to wax viciously poetic on the government, the music industry and the bitter, cynical characters that populate his musical world.
Weekender: Tell me about how your new album, “Technicolor Thieves”.
McCloskey: I recorded about twenty songs, and then I went back and started listening and editing. When I listened, I noticed that there was a lot of aggression. There was a lot of “outsiderness” to it. I don’t even know if that is a real word.
Weekender: No. It’s kind of like “truthiness”. But everyone knows what it means. The themes on this album are pretty bleak: Loneliness. Defeat. Anger. Bitterness. It’s probably the bitterest album I have heard all year, in a political sense.
McCloskey: Yeah, but for a long period of my life, I didn’t even think politics and music mixed. Not to say that this is just a political record. In these times, though, it brings out the aggression in me. I am not picking on Republicans or Democrats. I even mention that in the record. It’s kind of against the whole system.
I mean, it is disgust. If you look around, turn on the television or listen to the internet, you’re bombarded with these images. There comes a point where you have to fire back. Even if you think you have the determination to change something, the first battle always starts with yourself.
Weekender: But, all of the characters on “Technicolor Thieves” are defeated and resigned to their fate, and not fighting back at all.
McCloskey: Very much so. I’m just jaded to the whole thing. You’ve seen all these false prophets come along and tell you stuff, and you want to believe them, but, even if they have good intentions, as soon as they get into the system, the system swallows them up. I’m not blaming any one person for this. It’s not like I am blaming George Bush, and saying, “Here is a record about it.” Eight million people do that anyways, and it’s the system. It’s not an individual person.
Weekender: So, this is kind of an anti-“the system” record, then?
McCloskey: Yeah, definitely. I hope I don't come off as anti-American or something in that vein. I think it's far from it. I think it's very American to express your disgust in the system if you feel it.
Weekender: In the song, “The Lowest Common Grain of Salt”, you repeat the line “Hollywood endings/ are so offending” over and over. So, “the system” also includes Hollywood as well?
McCloskey: Well, I can’t stand Hollywood films. Everything is wrapped up so nicely and perfect. That’s not what life and love are like. People talk about violence in films, but I think the way love is portrayed in films is the worst thing ever. It gives people these images that no one can live up to. There isn’t really a happy ending to this record. The way the record ends, I’m taking care of myself, and good luck to everyone else.
Weekender: One of the best songs on the album is “The Last Independent Record Store”, a lament on the disappearing local record stores here in State College. Tell me about that.
McCloskey: A record store is such a personal experience that you don’t get buying a record at Best Buy or downloading a record online. There is something about a record store for me. Growing up, you weren’t there just to buy records; you went there to hang out. You went there to discover new bands and the people working there would tell you about new bands. It was an almost religious experience. I know times change, but that is one of the things I will really miss. It’s a culture experience. It’s the end of an era.
Weekender: Let’s talk about something that plagues musicians: success. Define it for me.
McCloskey: Obviously, I don’t think of it in a financial sense, otherwise I would have picked another profession. I don’t want to be on a major label and be told what to do. I have friends who’ve gotten signed, and they’ve lost everything. Eventually, they lost the financial thing, but they lost whatever got them signed to begin with. They had producers and people in suits telling them what to do. That doesn’t make sense to me, when people behind a desk are telling you what your music should sound like. I’ve seen it happen to many people. I don’t want that. I don’t want to be famous—being famous would be a pain in the ass.
SATURDAY AUG 25th, 7pm
STATE THEATER
www.tedmccloskey.com
July 27, 2007
McCloskey waxes poetic, political on new album
By Vanessa Baker (Blue Weekly)
How does one compose a politically charged album in the post-post-punk era? For local musician Ted McCloskey, there is no ready-made recipe. It seems he begins by letting a bunch of angsty pop simmer and then he dumps in a heap of resignation and a dash of irony. When the irony has boiled down to a bitter sarcasm, the new album is done.
"I think it's a very cohesive record as a whole but each song works individually," McCloskey said. Informed by McCloskey's encyclopedic knowledge of pop culture, "Technicolor Thieves" contains 14 catchy, well-crafted pop songs with the combined effect of an Andy Warhol painting.
McCloskey plays with several local groups, including The Hi-Fi's, Maxwell Strait and The Nightcrawlers, and performs as an acoustic duo with Molly Countermine. He also received a Mid-Atlantic Emmy award for his soundtrack to the PBS documentary "The Grange Fair: An American Tradition".
"Technicolor Thieves" was written and produced solely by McCloskey. The album kicks off with a guitar riff like an angry echo of Bob Dylan's in "Tombstone Blues." The lyrics of "Out with the Old Queens" are also in keeping with Dylan's anti-establishment stance, although, McCloskey said, "it's not about calling out anyone in particular."
"The Lowest Common Grain of Salt" follows with a catchy, three-minute treatise on the emptiness of pop culture. Fittingly, the sing-along chorus contains no real words.
Infectious, ranting lyrics in the synthy "Wait, Wait" recall R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)." The pace is breathless and driving, yet the conclusion reached in the last line is merely a question Johnny Rotten once asked: "Did you ever get the feeling that you've been cheated?"
McCloskey and The Hi-Fi's do not cheat their audience and can usually be found playing at the Phyrst on Friday nights.
July 25, 2007
July 24, 2007
the new cd, technicolor thieves, is now officially available online at cdbaby. i am really proud of this record. when you get a chance, play it LOUD. it's meant to be played that way. there are some cool liner notes about each of the songs so if you have to choose between downloading and hard copy, i would highly recommend the hard copy. even better, you can support our "last independent record store" here in state college get a copy at city lights.
Ted McCloskey’s 4th album, Technicolor Thieves, is a superior distillation of all of his previously recorded output into one expertly lobbed, angry, blast of angst, anxiousness, and loud guitars.
The album is a potent slice of not-so-thinly veiled disgust about pop culture, politics and the toll it takes on an observer who happens to write fantastic pop songs. As McCloskey himself explains in the very insightful liner notes;
“Technicolor Thieves is about imprisonment. It’s about abandonment and isolationism. It’s about recognizing a problem and not having the faintest idea how to improve the situation. It loiters between resentment and retreat.”
McCloskey’s writing has always been full of this sort of tug-and-pull anguish, but over the span of his last album, Who’s Gonna Listen Anyway and now Technicolor Thieves, The writing has gotten more specific, more pointed, and more undeniably pissed off. Whether he’s tackling the current political malaise on “Out With the Old Queens,” Drinking In Tonight,” or “Wait, Wait,” or the state of one’s own drowsy acceptance in “Zombie For Rent” or the insanely catchy, Maybe Just Maybe, it’s all clearly driven by the familiar clever quirkiness of McCloskey’s writing and his “bordering on pop encyclopedia level” sensibilities.
Technicolor Thieves ranks as McCloskey’s most consistent CD, AND THAT IS SAYING SOMETHING given the extreme high quality, savvy pop-smarts of his past productions. The guitars bite and snarl as always, and they are layered and in-your-face, while some of the quieter songs have the newly found intricacies that suggest, but don’t ape, the great songwriter/guitarists that have influenced him. Truly, on Technicolor Thieves, this musical growth has enabled McCloskey to truly assimilate all of his influences (stones, dylan, replacements, smiths, beatles, xtc, faces, clash, kinks, velvet underground, rem) into his own unique sound and style.
Perhaps McCloskey says it best and most simply in the liner note description for the beautiful “Being Still:”
“For some people, remaining still is the hardest thing to do.”
For Ted McCloskey, being still and staying in the same place, musically, is not an option.
July 17, 2007
The official CD release party is slated for the weekend of August 24-25. Friday's kick-off show will be at the Phyrst featuring special guests and surprises with the always rocking Hi-Fi's. Saturday's show will be at the State Theatre. Reserve your tickets at http://www.thestatetheatre.org.
April 6, 2007
It is our great honor to open up for the legandary Alejandro Escovedo. I had the privilege of seeing him last week with Lucinda Williams and I was completely blown away by his performance. When the opening act gets a standing ovation, you know you've done something right. He's an amazingly direct songwriter, in fact, he was named songwriter of the 90's by many noatable magaiznes like Rolling Stone and No Depression. If you don't know about Alejandro, read and listen up on him at http://www.myspace.com/alejandroescovedo and http://www.alejandroescovedo.com.
The State Theatre is bringing Alejandro to State College this upcoming wednesday (April 11). Myself and the Hi-Fi's will be opening the show with a very special acoustic set. This should be an amazing night of music. The show starts at 7:30PM. Tickets are $20 (well worth the price) and available at www.StateTickets.org
April 3, 2007
The new record is close to completion. Please stay tuned for details.
January 28, 2007
from the 1/13/01 "dressing up the native sons" show:
January 13, 2007 DRESSING UP THE NATIVE SONS
Ted McCloskey and the Hi-Fi’s/The Rustlanders/The Nightcrawlers
at the brand new State Theatre in downtown state college.
January 13, 2007. 8:00 PM. $5.00
Reserved seating.
Native sons the Rustlanders, Ted Mccloskey and the Hi-Fi's and the Nightcrawlers clearly demonstrate that original music is alive and well in Central Pennsylvania . Sometimes it just needs the right outlet. From the driving Americana roots of the Rustlanders; to the "stuck in you head" melodies of Ted Mccloskey and the Hi-Fi's; to the never-ending groove of the Nightcrawlers; this not only is a night of amazing ORIGINAL music, but a celebration of everything that's local and independent. These great local bands finally have a setting where you can HEAR their music and not fight the crowds and smoke of the downstairs bars.
January 13th is night for the native sons to shine, and the State Theatre warmly welcomes our friends, the Nightcrawlers, the Rustlanders, and Ted McCloskey and the Hi-Fi’s.
Tickets are already selling fast, so please call and reserve your ticktet today.
December 18, 2006 Centre Daily Times article 12/13/06
McCloskey travels to the beats of many drummers
In the music industry, talented artists sometimes must wear a variety of hats. To find their niche in the entertainment world, these performers must try out several different sounds and styles until they find the one that is truly their own.
Luckily for Ted McCloskey, he's already found that his style can vary. And that's what makes him one of the area's most well-known, versatile musicians.
Playing locally with as many as five different performers in one week, McCloskey has successfully learned to tailor his sound to blend with those of others. He varies between a high-energy roots-rock show with his main project, Ted McCloskey and the Hi-Fi's, and more acoustic sounds when playing with other musicians.
"[My live sound] is basically all based off of the CDs," McCloskey said. "The louder stuff on the records, I play out with the Hi-Fi's, and the pretty acoustic stuff shows up at some of the other shows.
"It actually works out rather well because I don't get too burned out in any one situation," he added.
Since 2003, McCloskey has released three CDs (available at apple.com/itunes and cdbaby.com), and is currently working on a fourth to be released in the spring. He also has written and recorded soundtracks, and two of the films for which he wrote scores have aired nationally on PBS.
"I love this type of work, the writing is completely different," McCloskey said. "You are writing for something specific, so it actually helps narrow your choices as far as style, instrumentation, mood, etc.
"It works as a nice counter-balance to the stuff I do on my records," he said.
The Hi-Fi's joined McCloskey about a year ago, performing Friday nights at The Phyrst in State College.
"I think we have a lot of raw energy onstage," McCloskey said. "We like to call it 'raunch and roll.' It can get sloppy and drunk, but hopefully in a Faces/Replacements/Rolling Stones sort of way."
The Hi-Fi's are rounded out by Daryl Branford on drums and Rene Witzke on bass.
"Both are amazing musicians, and we work extremely well together," McCloskey said. "A funny thing about us is it seems like as soon as we get onstage, the arrangements we have rehearsed are right out the window...whatever the reason, we are so in tune with each other that we get away with it and sometimes with even better results. They intrinsically know where I'm going and vice versa."
McCloskey has been a big proponent of original music in State College, although he knows that the local crowd desires cover tunes, too.
"State College is an interesting place to play music in; unfortunately, it's not the greatest place in the world for original music," he said. "To some degree, you have to spoon-feed the originals, since to play in town with any regularity, you almost have to play some covers. Luckily, we pick out songs that we like to play and generally do them completely different, so that makes it more bearable."
To further introduce his original sound to the local music scene, The Hi-Fi's are teaming up with The Nightcrawlers and The Rustlanders for a night of original music Jan. 13 at the State Theatre.
Check out McCloskey there or at a variety of local venues in the meantime
By Jessica SavrockFor Blue Weekly
October 7, 2006
Work on a yet untitled record is in full swing. Look for a late winter/early spring release.
August 28, 2006
Shelter from the Storm the New Orleans Musicians Benefit
musicians helping musicians
Immediately following the Bob Dylan show at Medlar Field on September 3, there will be a very special benefit at the Phyrst in downtown State College. Shelter from the Storm is an all-star local band put together for one special night for one special purpose. The band comprised of members of the nightcrawlers, the rustlanders, ted mccloskey and the hi-fis, maxwell strait, natalie berrena, dennis fallon, and many more will do an entire night of Dylan songs.
The purpose is to raise money for the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund. The fund provides much needed support to the musicians who embody the city that was so tragically torn apart a year ago. These musicians are fighting a battle every day. Unfortunately, most things "Katrina" associated seem to have been brushed under by the national media and politicians for various reasons. We thought with this event, we can remind people (and ourselves to some degree) that we still feel their pain and we want to help no matter how small our hands may seem or pockets may be. Its musicians helping musicians.
For more information, contact ted mccloskey at ted@tedmccloskey.com or check out the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund at http://www.nomhrf.org/.
May 15, 2006
A review from Pennsylvania Musician:
TED McCLOSKEY – WHO’S GONNA LISTEN ANYWAY (Voodoo Records) Ted McCloskey established himself as a musical adventurer on his first two albums; unafraid to mix styles, influences and colorful instrumentation into catchy pop songcraft. On his third album, Who’s Gonna Listen Anyway, McCloskey continues to experiment; giving us another clever, catchy, and unpredictable package of sounds. Every song is again different, as the album never stays in one spot for too long. Various styles intertwine around delectable melodies, topped with McCloskey’s raspy voicings of clever and observational lyrical character studies, self-explorations and vignettes. The Rolling Stones serve as a reference point for the punchy opening rocker “Jet Set Suffragette,” as well as “Someone Took Away Your Microphone.” A Beatles-inspired playfulness permeates the jazzy and vaudevillian ballad “Cathleen” and the dreamy “The Sun Behind the Wall,” the latter showcasing a beautiful flute solo by guest Adrienne “Aeb” Byrne of The Nightcrawlers. Other flavors include the folk-rock of “Also Unknown As;” the country-tinged pop of McCloskey’s tender duet with guest Dawn Kinnard, “A Little Mystery;” the delta blues-informed funk-rock of “The Church with the Neon Lights;” and the modern-edged pop of “The Great Inbetween.” While the prevailing vibe of the album is upbeat, it ends on a more serious tone with the somber, stunningly poignant gospel/delta blues ode to New Orleans and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; “Enough to Make the Angels Weep.” McCloskey’s production is busy, as his use of various guitar and key textures, loops, layered backing vocals and other nuances paints bright colors and tones into the songs and prevents them from being routine or plain. After hearing Ted McCloskey breaking more new ground on Who’s Gonna Listen Anyway, here’s hoping that more people do listen, as this artist again proves himself to be an adventurer whose creations are well worth hearing. (The album can be obtained through Ted McCloskey’s website, www.tedmccloskey.com.)
Jim Price - Pennsylvania Musicican
May 1, 2006
After much coaxing, we are bringing Ted McCloskey and the Hi-fi's to Philadelphia.
On Thursday May 18, we will be playing the Jumping Bean acoustic cafe (yes, we will be playing electric and there will be beer a plenty). The Bean is a brand new club in west philly (S. 40th St and Spruce St) and the show starts around 11pm.
November 30, 2005
"Who's Gonna Listen Anyway" was reviewed in the Centre Daily Times:
After listening to Ted McCloskey's third and latest CD, "Who's Gonna Listen Anyway," I was puzzled by one thing: Why isn't this guy famous?
Local singer-songwriter McCloskey weaves a tapestry of musical styles into a distinct sound, combining his highly polished musical skills on guitar, bass, piano, organ, pedal steel, mandolin, banjo, percussion and vocals. All of this as well as his passion for music is evident on his newest release.
"Someone referred to 'Who's Gonna Listen Anyway' " as a late-night soundtrack to a daydream. I really liked that," McCloskey said. "There are a lot of things going on in the record, but in the end, it's all about the songs. I wanted to make a very direct and raw record.
"The result is rather cool.
McCloskey penned all 13 songs, and after six months of work and recording, the CD was complete.
"I had just finished doing a soundtrack to a PBS documentary, and I wanted to write and record some songs. It's completely different writing. With writing songs, you have three minutes to say everything you want to say," he said. "You have to get to the point much faster."
When McCloskey is not busy creating soundtracks, he can be found almost 300 nights a year performing. In between all this, he still finds time to write and record his own music.
"This is my third record, and it was by far the most fun to make. it was very easy compared to the others. I like the fact that a lot of the songs can be interpreted different ways. I like the fact that there are some political overtones in it without it ever turning into a soapbox record," he said.
The CD is a musical blend of soulful rock peppered with pop and a dash of the Rolling Stones, Wilco, Beck and the Beatles. The Stones influence can especially be heard on "Jet Set Suffragette," a guitar-driven, pounding tune that screams to be played again and again.
Another track that stands out is "Green," which features a laid-back, smooth vibe, while "The Church with Neon Lights" radiates an almost hypnotic style.
The bittersweet and hauntingly emotional track "Enough to Make Angels Weep" is perhaps the best song on the CD.
"There are two versions of lyrics in that song," he said. "The second part was written just as the record was being finished. They are very much about the Katrina-New Orleans situation. I had two versions of lyrics but I couldn't choose between the two, so I had to figure out a way to make each version different but somehow connected."
"Who's Gonna Listen Anyway" is chock full of creative, original music, something McCloskey strived for.
"I think there's something familiar to it, but hopefully there's also something very original to it. That's probably the best anyone can hope for."
By Jeffrey Allen Federowicz, for the CDT
November 9, 2005
Ted McCloskey's third record, "who's gonna listen anyway", has been released.
October 15, 2005
Check out Ted's new page on MySpace.
May 11, 2005
Work on a new record is in full swing. The release will be in late summer. Stay tuned for more details.
April 7, 2005
The soundtrack to "Window to the Sea" is written and recorded. McCloskey's thick, percussive original score drives the story of the modern ocean and its relationship with four major aquariums. The film will be broadcast nationally on PBS in the fall.
August 20, 2004
August 9 2004 WPSX TV PBS will televise "The Grange Fair: An American Tradition." The 90-minute documentary film directed by Joe Myers is built around "a series of interviews and a Ted McCloskey soundtrack." (Centre Daily Times, August 3, 2004)
Ted composed all the original music for the film including "I'm Walking Back Home to Me", a haunting duet with fellow singer/songwriter Dawn Kinnard.
A statewide release is scheduled for early fall followed by a national release.
Selections from the soundtrack can be heard on the music page.
June 1, 2004
Work on a PBS documentary soundtrack begins. The film is to air in August.
April 30, 2004
After putting together a fine rock album ("One Man Misery Parade"), Ted McCloskey, singer-songwriter and master of the raunchy guitar lick, shows no fear of the sophomore curse as he throws himself into his follow-up CD,"Sixty Cycle Hum."
The album is a dizzying sampling of diverse and experimental tunes that range from funky folk to edgy blues -- all tied together by the artist's talented musicianship and unrelenting exploration.
I'm not sure if there is such a genre as "acid-folk": If there is, then McCloskey's "Everything I Want You to Be" and "Holding the Sun in My Hand" -- where traditional-sounding mandolins and violins melt with electronic wizardry and Sergeant-Peppery melodies -- are superb examples of this form. If not, alert the Grammys; McCloskey's invented a new category.
McCloskey has created a unique sonic atmosphere on "Sixty Cycle Hum." It reminds me, at times, of the atmosphere of an insane asylum lobby -- a place where the rational and the reality-challenged gather for a little meet and greet. McCloskey splatters cheery melodies with sound effects and weird vocal tricks, then lyrically contemplates religion, death, and coffee -- and even the coffee is dark on this album.
"Looking Good in the Coffin" has a punchy Keith Richards-esque guitar feel with tongue-in-cheek falsettos and unexpected timing changes.
McCloskey slings on his acoustic guitar for the outlaw blues of "Black Coffee Blues," a haunting, wild west ode where we find the narrator "drownin' like a fly in your black coffee blues."
He makes sure he surrounds himself with backup musicians who are not only great artists themselves, but seem to be in that "Sixty Cycle" sync with what he is trying to accomplish on the CD.
Molly Countermine provides back-up vocals that sweetly accent McCloskey's gritty, rock and roll voice. Daryl Branford keeps the rhythm steady on a few songs on the album, including "Strange, Strange Girls."
With this type of help, McCloskey can take the bold steps he needed to make "Sixty Cycle Hum" his sophomore, not sophomoric, album.
