Albums : Adam Sullivan : You Don't Have The Heart

Albums : Adam Sullivan : You Don't Have The Heart

Listen To Adam Sullivan : You Don't Have The Heart

Who is Adam Sullivan?
With eight EPs and three albums under his belt, the piano-playing Sullivan certainly knows who he is as an artist, but for The Room Is Spinning Faster, he upped the ante by working with producer John Painter (Ben Folds, Sixpence None The Richer). With arrangements that include everything from middle eastern-flavored strings to spy jazz flourishes, Painter creates a dazzling widescreen palette that perfectly complements Sullivan’s sweet melodicism and relaxed, conversational vocals.

“I’ve been a fan of John’s ever since I was a kid, so this was kind of a like a dream come true,” Sullivan says. “John was easy to work with. The atmosphere in the studio was really fun, with a lot of joking around. We took what we were doing seriously, but there was never pressure. I brought thirty or forty songs in, and we spent a couple of days just listening and refining the list. The collaboration was great.

“Everything I’ve done previously has been self-produced and self-recorded,” he continues. “So it was amazing to watch John work, because he has such a discerning ear when it comes to arrangements and mixes, and how to shape a complex sonic vision into something that makes sense. It took everything to a new level, in a much more hi-fi way. I think it goes beyond a typical singer-songwriter record.”

Sullivan’s background also goes beyond typical singer-songwriter stock. Born and raised in Virginia, he was on the fast track to be a concert pianist, with Julliard and recitals in his future. Then he discovered rock music and it was bye bye Brahms. Not that his parents approved at first.

He recalls, “I was sheltered as a kid. My mom and dad were strict, and I had to sneak records into the house and hide my Walkman under the mattress.”

Finally, he made a deal with his parents. He’d practice Mozart and Beethoven for a few hours a day, and in return, he’d get to play some of the contemporary music he liked.

“It wasn’t even cutting edge stuff that I got into,” Sullivan says. “Mostly ‘80s rock and pop. But it was totally new to me, so I was like, ‘This is amazing! This is the promised land of music!’ And even though later I got into artists like REM and Randy Newman, all those ‘80s records influenced me, in that I tend to write in a lot of different genres.”

Further setting himself apart from 99% of the sensitive troubadours out there, Sullivan also has two masters degrees, a PhD and he teaches online courses in accounting, statistics and business.

With a chuckle, he says, “I always joke that I went to school to be Batman. I loved the idea that Batman had these two lives. During the day, he was a businessman, and at night, a superhero. I enjoy teaching, and the interactions I have with my students. However, music is my passion, and I look forward to the day I can support myself that way.”

If The Room Is Spinning Faster is any indication, that day may be just around the corner. But as he looks forward to more globe-trotting and performing, Sullivan acknowledges that being a singer-songwriter is still an uphill struggle.

“I’m the worst self-promoter, so I haven’t figured out how to shove my records in everybody’s faces yet,” he says with a smile.

“But I hope that people find something to relate to in these songs. That’s one of the reasons I write. It’s really easy to feel alone, and I’ve always found comfort in songs that I can relate to. Those songs reassure me that I’m not the only one that feels the way I do. I really hope that I can provide that same reassurance to others through my own music. It’s important to me to that I make a connection with people, whether on record or in a live performance. Not for the album sales or recognition – but for the benefit of having had that shared mutual experience.”

You Don't Have The Heart Review
'You Don't Have The Heart' is a super little EP from American indie-folk artist Adam Sullivan which gives a glimpse of what to expect from Adam's new album due in the Summer.

"You Don't Have The Heart" is one of four seasonal EPs released last year which will form the bedrock of a new album due in 2013. It kicks off with the heartbreaking atmospheric track 'In Them Hills' which flows seamlessly into the charming Ukulele based 'Cool Kids' where Adam is desperate to be a cool kid himself.

The strength of Adam's songs lie in his ability to fuse piano chords with vocals that tell real tales and invariably using strings to elevate them above the ordinary. He does this successfully on 'Goodbye to Me' and on the wonderful closing track 'Resolution'. My personal favourite track off the EP is 'Home' which has this nostalgic 80's vibe and a heartfelt story.

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