Congrats
to Tim Fagan, one of our Fresh Produce 1 artists who's just landed Grand Prize
in John Mayer's songwriting contest in Esquire magazine. Tim's entry was handpicked
by John, himself, and we think that's pretty darn cool! Tim's a good guy. Lots
of energy for his craft, lots of passion for the music business. We're proud of
Tim and feel lucky to have him on our very first sampler.
Click here
to read about the Esquire
award and, while you're at it, click here
to hear John Mayer in his infancy when he popped by mvyradio's studios when he
was first starting out.
Tim Fagan has been entertaining crowds
5 nights a week, making rent while strumming and singing for hours on end. Fagan
grabs from an epic playlist that starts at Fats Waller, and ends at Whitesnake.
But most importantly, along the way it includes standout tracks from his 2004
debut, Whirlpool.
Growing up in Hawaii, Fagan picked up the guitar and
formed a band with his high school buddies called “The Trucks.” Their
self-produced album caught attention on local radio, and sold like hotcakes on
campus, driven by the catchy appeal of it’s ample rock hooks.
Soon
college called, bringing Tim 5,000 miles from his tropical home state to Ann Arbor,
Michigan. Like many undergrads, Tim worked through undecided courses until transferring
into the University of Michigan’s School of Art and Design. During this time
Fagan searched aggressively for a band while carving out a freelance design business
for himself. After graduating in 2001, Fagan continued to call Ann Arbor home,
interning at local recording studios and venues producing acts while making a
name for himself around the Detroit music scene. Whirlpool is a powerful mix of
familiar and future territory for melody-driven music.
At the core, it’s
refreshing pop. “Secrets” is an enchanting song about a grade school
crush. “Stay Awake” builds a radio-ready dreamscape of savvy guitar
work. Never afraid of metaphor, “Car Chase” is a pulsing love song worthy
of the big screen, and “A Pillow an Hour and Me” is Fagan’s soft-spoken
ode to the art of napping.
“My heroes include Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler,
Jeff Buckley, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, among others,“ says Tim, “I like
songs that stick around.” No posturing, no presumptions - merely sharp songcraft,
clear vocals and guitars stirring a musical whirlpool that surrounds listeners.
Recorded in a few short weeks with Fagan on virtually every instrument, the self-produced
album has received a 4-star review from the All-Music Guide, noting that it is
filled with “clever turns of both lyric and arrangement.”
Buy Tim Fagan
CDs
