Brad Yoder

Songs in Blogs…

Brad — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:08:09 +0000

My father (72-year-old Mennonite counselor/pastor) has an online blog, which he is rightly proud of (in a very humble Mennonite sort of way!) He’s a good writer—I was always grateful of that as a kid, because I listened to hundreds of his (thoughtful, well-written) sermons growing up.
Dad has mentioned my songs in several blog entries, including: Went Away Sad, WWJD?, Love is All I Have For You, Somewhere in the Constellation, and “the French one”, J’ai vidé mon cœur. I’m honored that he includes my words among his thoughts & reflections. Thanks, Dad!
Another song of mine, Someone to Be Lonely With, is featured in a blog entry by Leslie Reagan (Plaia). There’s a reason for that: years ago, I used to play frequently at the Daily Grind coffee shop in Lower Burrell, and Leslie was one of a group of high school students who came out to hear me regularly. I hadn’t played “Someone to Be Lonely With” for a couple years, but Leslie found the lyrics on my website, and basically said, “Hey, why don’t you play that song any more? I really like the words—I read them on your website. You should play it!” So, I relearned the song (making a couple lyrical and musical tweaks in the process), and now it’s on my newest CD. Usually, if a song falls out of circulation, it’s a sign it’s not so great, but in this case, Leslie salvaged a keeper. Thanks, Leslie!
One funny observation—Leslie and my father both use the same blogspot background image. Coincidence? :]

happy New Year (BandCamp.com)

Brad — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 04:34:09 +0000

I hope you had a great Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/etc., and may your New Year bring much loveliness! The ever-terrific Mike Budai was kind enough to create this Epiphany card image for me.
In other news, check out my new CD on BandCamp.com! It’s easy to stream, and you can also share tracks from any of my last 3 CDs, on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Excellent press for “Excellent Trouble”…

Brad — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 20:01:39 +0000

Thanks to everyone who came out for the CD release on Sat., 11/20—it was a great night, with tasty food/drink (Commonplace coffee, East End root beer, Franktuary food…), and even tastier music (from Pearl & the Beard, Judith Avers, and my fine band.)
Here’s some press “Excellent Trouble” has gotten so far:
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — “..an album filled with beautifully recorded acoustic-based songs, united by (Yoder’s) honesty and vivid way with words.” (Scott Mervis)
Pitt News — “Pittsburgh native Brad Yoder is a songwriting virtuoso.” (Larissa Gula)
AcousticLive! in NYC — “This is a heavyweight album from a major talent.” (Richard Cuccaro)
Big Mama’s Blog—CD review interview — “..lyrics convey emotions in a really powerful manner.”
Pgh Tribune-Review — “Excellent Trouble.. exhibits a childlike zest for narrative and storytelling.” (Rege Behe)
And a quote, from Grammy-winning country icon Kathy Mattea:
“Brad Yoder is my favorite new ‘discovery’ of the year. His CD stopped me in my tracks, especially the song Leave Like This—I was weeping sweet tears by the end of it.”

AcousticLive CD review…

Brad — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:52:11 +0000

Richard Cuccaro was kind enough to do a review of “Excellent Trouble” in the Dec. (2010) issue of Acoustic Live!. That issue will eventually be posted online as a PDF; here’s the text of the review in the meantime:
Brad Yoder - Excellent Trouble
Multi-instrumentalist Brad Yoder might have produced the album that puts him on a plateau with some of the heavier hitters in the singer-songwriter arena. The clever verbal gymnastics I noticed when I first heard him several years ago are in full evidence.
The CD opens up with Again, which implores: “Would someone break my heart again, so it can mend the right way next time.” The boundary-breaking lyrics keep coming. In “Someone to be Lonely With,” he sings, “…when I have burned my pack of days, when I have nothing left to say, will I find love, or pine away for someone to be lonely with? …” In Keep it to Yourself, we hear: “Jesus was a misfit, hung out with the queer kids / scandalized the priesthood, it’s pretty clear where he stood.”
Facing the subject of death is never easy. Brad meets it head-on with Leave Like This, singing: “…you shone bright as any light / why’d you have to leave like this? / I see you when I close my eyes / why’d you have to leave like this?” This is a heavyweight album from a major talent. Let’s hope the rest of the world notices.

Thanks, Richard! You noticed, which is a good start…

CD release party—Sat., Nov. 20

Brad — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:03:39 +0000

The official CD release event for Excellent Trouble will be Sat., Nov. 20, 7:30pm, at the Church of the Redeemer in Squirrel Hill (5700 Forbes Ave.) This is the same church where we recorded strings for Again, How it Ends, Keep it to Yourself, & Horses. The event will be all-ages, with complementary food & beverages. Tickets at the door are $15 for adults and $10 for students; children 12 & under are free (though no child care will be provided). As of right now, I’m opting to not do advance ticket sales.
I’ll be playing with a full band, of course, plus lots of special guests. Opening will be recent Pittsburgh transplant Judith Avers, and fun Brooklyn folk-popsters Pearl and the Beard. ——>
You can read the very first review ever of “Excellent Trouble,” along with a nifty interview, done by Alise of Big Mama’s Blog.

the new CD is here!..

Brad — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:00:13 +0000

After 3.5+ years of work, Excellent Trouble is finally out, and I couldn’t be more excited about how it sounds, and looks. (check out Seth Clark’s terrific original art here.)
The packaging features a 6-panel (3 “squares”) matte digipak, with a 24-page booklet glued into it.
There is also be a 6-panel lyric booklet, in the same pouch as the CD. The music, engineered, mixed, and co-produced by LURCH (Canadian ex-pat Chris Rudyk), is dark, layered, lush, and, according to Vivian my “best work yet.” (thanks, Vivian!)
You can order this disc from this website, of course. (I’ve sold 55+ at this point).

The next CD: done with mastering, now the art…

Brad — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:49:53 +0000

This next CD has been mixed, by Lurch, and has now been mastered by Toronto’s Fedge (Jeff Elliott). After 3 rounds of minor tweaks and changes, a final version of the music should be done shortly.
Here are the songs featured, in the order they’ll appear:
1. Again, 2. How it Ends, 3. Some Strange Algorithm, 4. Keep it to Yourself, 5. Someone to be Lonely With, 6. I Will Only Let You Down, 7. Lovely Trap, 8. I’m So Glad You’re Over Me, 9. Horses, 10. Leave Like This, 11. Love is All I Have For You, 12. Excellent Trouble, 13. Card Tricks, and 14. At the Table. Four songs, Again, How it Ends, Keep it to Yourself and Horses even have strings, thanks to Roy Sonne and the Fauré String Trio (arrangements by Chris Massa).
On the art front, Seth Clark will be working to complete the design work in the first half of June. The design will resemble a sketch book, and will feature a 24-page glued-in booklet. Check out his website, in particular his sketchbooks, to get a sense of his work. You can also see my round draft of the credits’ page, which I think will be fun:

So, the good news is that I should finally have “new product” here, maybe by July sometime. Meanwhile, you can still pre-order Excellent Trouble, and help me cover the costs of mastering/duplication.

end of 2009—feeling grateful…

Brad — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:23:31 +0000

hi, friends—happy holidays, all!
When I run into folks, I’m often asked “how’s the music going?” This is a question I’m never quite sure how to answer. My inner cynic/cranky old man likes to complain, if I let him (“I’m so broke! The album’s still not done! The turnout at my last show was light…”) You get the idea—the inner crank is unhelpful. :7
For me, success has always meant continuing to do things I love to do: write new songs I’m excited about, play them for people (mostly at small shows), play sax & harmonize with others, enjoy the great songs so many of my talented musician friends write, and getting excited about new music. The fact that I’m still doing all those things, having put out my first cassette tape release in 1992, seems pretty miraculous to me! As a writer, you always wonder if it’ll “dry up” some day (do chefs or shoemakers have this problem? a fear that inspiration will vanish overnight? I doubt it.) So, I’m grateful that I’m still writing songs that matter to me, 10 so far this year:
nothing rings as brightly, two left feet, carnival balloons (written while doing my annual Bethel Park H.S. residency), stalking poetry (inspired by a trip to Germany & Switzerland), just in case, better with practice (big & catchy, very ADHD!), mulberry tree (quiet & pretty), I was a terrible waiter (funny, and a contest winner!), ghost of me, and what God likes (a sermonette, really, advocating for my GLBT friends.) I just rehearsed those last two new ones last night, with the super-talented Jason Rafalak, who continues to patiently learn my new songs and rehearse older ones, and whose musical depth and insight always make any show I do with him more fun, and way better.
I also have 3 unfinished songs with nifty music and incomplete words (which I really want to be playing right now! :] )
This year, I got to:
—back up Jon Vezner (on sax) at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival—tons of fun, and great songs!
—play at a wedding in Germany, then travel and see old friends in Germany & Switzerland (and speak some German & French.)
—open for the unbelievable Bobs at Caffe Lena, a club I’ve wanted to play for years (now I have!)
—organize the “Musical Chairs” showcase at both the International Folk Alliance & NERFA conferences, & play with amazing people, including Pierce Pettis!
—got the next CD ready to mix (a process that should start any day/week now?)
—continue to work at my very fun day job, coordinating a Tutoring program for East End Cooperative Ministry here in Pittsburgh. So, I have a lot to be thankful for. Thanks to you, for listening, coming out to shows, and being connected to my musical life.

Full Band show this Friday, w/Putnam Smith!

Brad — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:12:51 +0000

Once again, I’m activating my “undercover” rock band, consisting of Ryan Socrates on drums, Jason Rafalak on bass, and Corey Congilio on electric guitar, for a show. We’re playing this Friday, Dec. 11th, at 8pm at Yoga Matrika, (6520 Wilkins Ave., in Point Breeze). Should be a fun show, and probably the last full band show till the next CD release!
Opening will be Maine’s Putnam Smith. I got a copy of his newest CD, Goldrush this year at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, and really loved it.

Apple Fest pix!

Brad — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:07:08 +0000

I got to play the 2009, 4th Annual Apple Festival, including 2 of me & Ryan Socrates (on percussion) playing music there at the Union Project (on Sat., Oct. 24, 2009). The pictures were taken by Larry Rippel.
Needless to say, the Apple Fest was tons of fun, with a Pie-ku poetry contest, music by us and also the Unitarian Folk Orchestra, and we even got to taste the winning pie!