"he is an explorer, guiding through the strange past, shooting forwards into a future that shapeshift shivers , motorcycle throb, falling glass tension, torchlight in the dark soothing sometimes,whispering sensual danger too.
"he plays with words,juggles images, combines the pop detachment of the new wave with the healthy intrusion of world rythmns
"he is the sly professor concocting joyful experiments, he flirts with new sounds old instruments, the electro, the ambient, the post punk
Dive into this revealing interview in the London web zine Song Revelation, and discover more secrets and lost treasures of the life and world of music!
"When we first checked out Max’s unique electro folk-rock sound we were really keen to interview him for Song Revelation so that we could showcase some of his work...Max Carmichael utilises evocative and experimental influences to create an unique, yet appealing, sound."
Max's hometown paper, the Silver City Sun-News, published a well-written profile with studio photos:
"When Max Carmichael moved to Silver City six years ago, he knew he had finally found that diverse, eclectic place that he'd been looking for. And funny enough, when Carmichael moved to town, he brought those same qualities -- and then some -- to Silver City with him."
Last but not least, check out Richie Frieman's surprising new interview of Max in the Baltimore web zine Pen's Eye View:
"Max Carmichael is the kind of guy you’ll want to swap stories with at your local watering hole… but not the kind of gentleman you want to find yourself in an argument with. This man has seen it all… from just about every angle. His bio captures it well: he’s a 'Stanford-educated rocket scientist, boxcar-hopping hobo, urban bohemian and desert survivalist' who also happens to have a knack for creating some really refreshing folk rock music. Max Carmichael is living his Oscar-worthy life on his terms."
12/11/11: Promised Land and Take Me Up on NBT's Top Albums of 2011!
NBT Music Radio, an eclectic internet station based in Berlin with listeners worldwide, announced the 50 top albums of 2011 by independent artists. The list includes PJ Harvey, James Blake, Okkervil River, Wilco, Florence and the Machine, Kate Bush, My Morning Jacket, Chemical Brothers, and Bright Eyes. Max's album Promised Land appears in the #4 position, with the companion album Take Me Up at #11.
Be sure to check out the other "top artists" of 2011!
12/10/11: "Moses" is #4 on NBT's Top Songs of 2011!
Moses of Indiana, from Promised Land, appeared at #4 on NBT's Top Songs of 2011, alongside songs by PJ Harvey, James Blake, Florence and the Machine, Wilco, and Laura Marling! Join the mailing list and get a free download!
In the words of MC Sparky:
"Max Carmichael's unique blend of african and american guitar styles in 'Moses of Indiana' is a heartfelt emotional and relevant piece of work that should attract new audiences wherever it infiltrates."
In November, Max captured some video of a northern flicker in his backyard and added "Afternoon at the Cave" as soundtrack.
10/11/11: Podcast Soundtrack & Country Song
Max's acoustic instrumental "Afternoon at the Cave" was used as the soundtrack music for Joy Trip Project podcast episode "The Descent", in which NPR's Alex Chadwick talks about his piece for All Things Considered on time he spent whitewater rafting with environmental activist Tim DeChristopher. DeChristopher protested an oil and gas lease auction of 116 parcels of public land in Utah's redrock country, and was sentenced to two years in federal prison.
Getting back to his roots in old-time country gospel, Max recorded the evocative new track "Fish in the River".
Last but not least, NBT Music Radio published a lyrical description of Max's music:
"he is an explorer, guiding through the strange past, shooting forwards into a future that shapeshift shivers , motorcycle throb, falling glass tension, torchlight in the dark soothing sometimes,whispering sensual danger too.
"he plays with words,juggles images, combines the pop detachment of the new wave with the healthy intrusion of world rythmns
"he is the sly professor concocting joyful experiments, he flirts with new sounds old instruments, the electro, the ambient, the post punk
"he is ambitous, yet serene, giddy yet somehow always quite subtle
"he has two albums out at the same time
"and he is all over the NBTMusicRadio"
The music video for "Tiare's Theme" was produced entirely by Max; the goal was to show Max playing and singing, since many fans have never seen him perform live.
Max is currently experimenting with a stage setup for live performance. The first fruits of this are the new track "Eye and Nail", with a preview recording on Soundcloud, and "Boxcars Full of Love", a video of Max performing a poem from his book Precious Delirium over an improvised music loop.
"Growing up as I did, in a family and a culture that took these things for granted, I really had no sense of being special, and my parents didn't make a big thing of it either, because they were both aspiring artists and musicians. Back then, there wasn't the culture of celebrity, American Idol or whatever, nor was there the kind of pressure to excel that you find in a lot of educated families now. There's a great quote from Kurt Vonnegut that every family used to have its own entertainers, but now that we're so celebrity-conscious, we're ashamed to entertain ourselves."
The instrumental "Bomba de Tiempo," Max's playful bastardization of Latin and Russian music, was featured for the first time on a seriously shagadelic podcast by Uncle Shag: Longtown Sound 1141 Weekend Edition
07/19/11: Interview on Such Cool Stuff
Insightful interview with Max on indie blog Such Cool Stuff.
"Creating art - music, visual art, writing, etc. - is the most rewarding thing I do. It's a paradox because it's sometimes hard to get started, and it's often a painful process, but when it's going well, and when it's done and you look back on it, it justifies all the hardship and makes you feel like you have a place in the world."
Helicopter ("elicottero") posted on YouTube by Italian listener:
06/30/11: In Rotation on NBTMusicRadio
If you haven't checked out NBTMusicRadio you're in for a treat! An always-fresh eclectic mix of the latest indie hits, hand-picked emerging artists, and rare classics. Both of Max's albums plus Great Wall of China are in the rotation.
"Follow your vision and follow your heart, and don't let anyone discourage you. And if people criticize you, don't take it personally - recognize that much of the time, when they're criticizing you, they've got their own agenda, and what they're really talking about is themselves."
1-1/2 hour interview by Nesheba of ESpiritE-Radio7
Max's two new solo albums are now playing at Hoaglin To Go and R Bistro in the Massachusetts Avenue theater and arts district of Indianapolis. Max grew up southeast of Indianapolis in Rushville.
Hoaglin is "a foodie's delight," and R Bistro is the OpenTable.com Diner's Choice Winner 2010.
Available for download at iTunes, Amazon and other online stores, or on CD at Luna Music Mass Ave and midtown stores.
"If you like this music, please don't forget to write a review on iTunes or Amazon, and add it to your shared mixes or playlists. Thanks for visiting, listening and supporting!"
11/03/10: 2 Albums & a Single Now Available
When composer/producer Max Carmichael released his first commercial recording, it was praised by New York's Village Voice in a feature article that led their music section, and it has been credited with inspiring a movement in alternative music.
Max now presents his first-ever collection of solo recordings: all-new compositions and arrangements emerging from 30 years of musical exploration, experimentation, writing and performing.
Available for download at iTunes, Amazon and other online stores, or on CD from Amazon Disc on Demand.
"If you like this music, please don't forget to write a review on iTunes or Amazon, and add it to your shared mixes or playlists. Thanks for visiting, listening and supporting!"
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