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Adam Sweeney - Folk pop singer songwriter

Press Kit

Press Kit:

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» Sonicbids EPK

Audio:

Heading South
Fault Lines
Doomsday Sunday
Sermon

Photo:

Adam Sweeney press photo

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» hi-res b/w

Bio & Quotes:

"Adam Sweeney is a promsing young folksinger... he combines intricate acoustic guitar hooks with powerful lyric storytelling."
--Passim, January 2007

"Drawing comparisons to Dave Carter and Gillian Welch, as well as folk revival poets like Paul Simon and Cat Stevens."
--Northeast Performer, November 2006

"Adam Sweeney is one of the more talented young west coast songwriters."
--Tom May, River City Folk, WFMT Fine Arts Radio

"Adam Sweeney's sincere songwriting mixes impressionistic imagery, religious iconography and the kind of strikingly personal observations that seem lifted from a letter to a friend. That lyrical blend is delivered through appealing melodies and expressive singing, with a hint of grain to it that sometimes suggests a violin bow drawn tenderly over his vocal cords."
--Willamette Week (Portland, OR)

"A true folksinger... he weaves his words together telling stories of the times."
--The Southeast Examiner (Portland, OR)

"Great voice! Powerful, provocative."
--Portland Songwriters' Association, voted "Best Songwriter" at January Showcase 2004

Bio:

Adam Sweeney cut his teeth as a songwriter in Portland, Oregon's thriving independent scene. Heavily influenced by local heroes Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, Adam's homespun acoustic style, gospel-tinged lyrics and rickety banjo pay tribute to neo-traditional troubadours like Gillian Welch and Josh Ritter, as well as folk revival poets like Paul Simon and Cat Stevens.

Now based out of Somerville, Massachusetts, "Technicolor Halo" is Adam's second full-length album, engineered by acclaimed producer Dave Chalfant (The Nields, Erin McKeown, Winterpills). It features an A-list band of Pioneer Valley folk musicians, including Dave Hower (Winterpills, Nields) on drums, Anand Nayak (Daisy Mayhem) on bass, 18-year-old prodigy Jacob Henry Jolliff on mandolin, Jazer Giles on accordion, and Jim Henry on dobro.

The album features nine original songs by Sweeney and opens with a rollicking cover of Trevor Reichman's "Doomsday Sunday Sermon", performed with the Primate Fiasco Dixieland band. It also features "Long Road", a duet written for and performed with Adam's own folk heroine Tracy Grammer.

The songs wind their way from the local church to the local bar, seamlessly fusing themes of faith and doubt, darkness and light, chosen sinners and runaway saints.

Sweeney released a self-recorded debut album "Places & Names" in 2004, after he was voted "Best Songwriter" at a Portland Songwriter Association showcase.

He performs regularly throughout the Northwest and New England, often opening for nationally touring folk acts like Tracy Grammer, Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem, Phillip Price (Winterpills), The Nields, and Cheryl Wheeler, among many others.

Copyright 2007 Adam Sweeney