Christopher Nash

Online home of Christopher Nash, singer-songwriter and DIY recording artist from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Also official artist with Yeg Music, and Capital City Records.

[tophernash]

Sometimes small towns are home to the largest personalities, and Inez was one of the biggest in my life.Inez Scheideman was the longtime publisher of the Stony Plain Reporter and Spruce Grove Examiner, a couple of weekly newspapers I worked for back in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.

As a successful business owner in a time when it was rare for a woman to be in that role, Inez not only survived but thrived by virtue of shrewd entrepreneurship, hometown pride and a having a personality equal parts feisty and hilarious. She made a huge impact not only on her community and family, but on my own life, personally, decades after I no longer worked for her.

She died earlier this fall. Docs gave her three more months. She lived nearly three more years. But ultimately, she was gone.

This gentle and heartfelt ballad is my tribute to someone who was such a large figure in my life. It was recorded in my home studio in Edmonton, using overlapping guitar lines and a drum machine, stirring up a melancholic '80s sound that seems to be in my bones. 

Thank you, Inez. 

 https://christophernash.hearnow.com/a-song-for-inez

[tophernash]

New single: Except Me

New single "Except Me" is out Friday on all streaming and downloading music services.

This is my third single released so far this year. As per usual, the song is written, performed and produced my myself in my Edmonton home studio. Except Me is an uptempo, upbeat acoustic pop song, about feeling tired, fed up and exhausted by the increasing intolerance and hate coming to the fore in my home province, which makes me long to pack up and move out to the coast and stay.

This song, the previous two singles (Little White Lies, and Sunshine Now) and the next couple in the queue will all appear on a new album early next year. As always, I hope you enjoy listening to my music. If you do, please share it out, and comment below - I'd love to hear from you! 

#edmontonmusic #yegmusic #acoustic #singersongwriter #singersongwriters #alberta #canadianmusic 

[tophernash]

New official music video for my single “Sunshine Now”. Shot in one continuous take, in black and white, on location in Edmonton, Alberta. 

[tophernash]

New single: Sunshine Now

Good morning! My new single “Sunshine Now” is now available on all digital streaming and download services, including Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube.

Sunshine Now plants its feet firmly in ‘90s Canadian Prairie rock. Chunky guitar and sing-along hook. 

Right now, I long for some positivity. So much bitter venom around us, especially from Alt-Right bullies. If anything, that’s the thing that’s been most draining for me over these past couple of years. We all need more sunshine in our world, and we need it now.

[tophernash]

New single: Little White Promises

Good morning! And, surprise…it’s new music! My new single “Little White Promises” is now available on all digital streaming and download services, including Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. It’s also the first of several new songs that will be coming out over the next few months.

Little White Promises is a poppy protest song. A singalong facepalm triggered by Canadian truck convoy protestors, anti vaxxers and politicians. I wrote, sung, recorded and mixed it in my home studio last month, using acoustic and electric guitars, drum machines and a microphone. 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/45KAQBKvxxWVdroU0aD9ZH?si=2c23fc19b3fd4882 

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/little-white-promises-single/1612600624 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/hT8aiO5G6Jc

[tophernash]

New album – Escalation Point! – available now

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/escalation-point/1536234416

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/5CEF7w3QILQMLNBXPaJxLo?si=09IwQC9aSwCpt9nbVHINoQ

Youtube: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lhheQk3PQmvLwh4AENbdqoSNUL01X_R9I

It's real. It's shipping (virtually, anyway). And on Friday, it will be out for the whole world to see: Escalation Point!  My first full-length solo album. Woop woop! Why make a full album? I've recorded two EPs in recent years, and I wanted to challenge myself to do something more ambitious, more artistically complete. Plus, I'm old school, and I just love albums. Always have, always will. So the time came, at least in my mind and heart, to make an entire album of my own songs. This album is a collection of escalation points in my life, captured as pop songs drenched in '80s synths and stomping beats. I did my best to craft singalong hooks that sometimes highlight and sometimes conceal frank commentary or sly winks inside the lyrics: A Canadian’s take on Trump America. Witnessing the collapse of a company workplace. The death of an old friend. Turning the tables on some awkwardly backhanded musical compliments. And with the closing track, Corona Station, I'm even trying to find a light inside the tunnel of a still-ongoing COVID pandemic lockdown.

This one shows its synthpop genes in full view for the most part, with the majority of songs mixing real vintage synthesizers from the '80s with modern software, electronically-precise sequences with live performance, the fictional story with the deeply personal. The exception to the electro dance party is "Sanctuary", which is a piano ballad written for my kids.

The songs were written and recorded in my home studio over the last couple of years, brick by brick, session after session, at my home studio named after our beautiful Edmonton neighbourhood, King Edward Park. How you can help

Download the album on Apple Music, Spotify, Youtube or wherever you stream music. Add it to your libraries and playlists. If so inclined, buy the album as a digital download instead of streaming, but either is awesome, honestly. 

Share it out. Tell friends, share on social media, forward the email, add songs to playlists if that's your thing... it all helps spread my music to new people who hopefully will like it too. 

Reply! Let me know what you think! Which song is your favourite on the album? What surprised you? Do you have any questions about how I wrote or recorded any of it? I'd absolutely love to hear what you think, so please reply to this email and let me know!

Album Credits

All songs written by Christopher Nash. ©2020 SOCAN.

Recorded, produced and mixed at King Edward Park, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2018-2020.

Backing vocals on Corona Staton by: Gillian and Jason Nash, Jen Horvath, Kyra and Lauren Schaefer, Ryan Ezinga, Jorg Bauer, Mike Berg, DC Motion, Icy Queue, Vienna Whyte, Margaret Bujold, Kayt Wilson and Jay Summach

Additional thanks to Ryan Ezinga and Jeff McLellan for their assistance.

Mastered using LANDR.

Distributed by CD Baby.

Instruments used on this album:

Reason 10 (DAW and virtual instruments) on a Macbook Pro

Native Instruments Maschine 2 (controller and software)

Arturia V Collection software (mostly for virtual Prophet 5, Moog bass, Oberheim Matrix synths and Fairlight CMI sampler)

Yamaha Montage 8

Roland Fantom G6

Roland JX-3P

Yamaha DX7

Ensoniq SQ-80

Korg DW-8000

Oberhem DMX

Sterling Music Man AX40 electric guitar

Ibanez Artcore semi hollowbody electric guitar

Yamama APX500II acoustc gutar

Hula Ukulele

[tophernash]

Two shows in September

I have two live shows coming up on the last weekend of Sept. (Both are outdoors, at socially-distant venues).

Gig #1: the full O6 band is playing at Sherwood Park's Festival Place on the evening of Saturday, Sept. 26. Link and ticket info to come next week. The band will play one set, and other act will play the other set. 

Gig #2: my own (new) acoustic trio will be playing during the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Edmonton Ski Club. Jorg, Jeff and myself will be playing two sets in our fair city's gorgeous river valley, near the Muttart Conservatory.

Acoustic event info and purchase tickets in advance: https://www.edmontonskiclub.com/event-details/christopher-nash

Given how long it's been since we've been able to play live music in public, and given how quickly winter is approaching us, it would be amazing to celebrate and enjoy our music outside while the opportunity presents itself! I hope to see you there.

[tophernash]

Lyric video for my new single, Corona Station. Created using BASIC on a virtual Commodore PET. Rock on and stay safe, everyone.

[tophernash]

New single: Corona Station

My new single, "Corona Station", is out now on all streaming platforms and online stores.

Link: Spotify

Link: Apple Music

Link: Google Play

The song is taken from my upcoming album, Escalation Point!, and is of course inspired by the pandemic mess we all find ourselves in today. But, it's not a sad song. It's an upbeat synthpop fist-pumper, with a message of hope...sort of. 

As I say in the song, COVID,"gives me hope that tomorrow's going to be so much better than today, 'cause it can't get worse". It takes its name from an Edmonton subway train (LRT) station I've used hundreds of times. I thought it was fitting symbol for our time. "Going down to Corona Station, just the same old destination, except this time there's no going back."

I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please download the track, tell your friends, add it to playlists and share it out on social channels if you can!

Special thanks to all my backing singers: Gillian and Jason Nash, Jen Horvath, Kyra and Lauren Schaefer, Ryan Ezinga, Jorg Bauer, Mike Berg, DC Motion, Icy Queue, Vienna Whyte, Margaret Bujold, Kayt Wilson and Jay Summach.

[tophernash]

Live show at Edmonton's Cafe Blackbird on March 8.

Playing a solo show on Friday, March 8 with singer-songwriters Kayla Shanti, Indie Davis and Riceoustic. Details in the Facebook event (link). Hope to see you there!

[tophernash]

(via https://open.spotify.com/user/11157918101/playlist/387uzrM2a6nR9Sy5PNUGbc?si=NvH73xoZStGfeSYAEroJWA)

[tophernash]

My Christmas song and my holiday wish for everyone. My version of one of the best songs of all time, John Lennon's Imagine. I know a million people have covered it before. But I feel it's exactly the message my heart wants to share this holiday season. Given how crazy things are in the world, especially in a Trump-led America south of our border, may the season and new year bring you peace. Imagine if it can....

[tophernash]

My new EP “Effective Today” is out now

My latest release is now available to the whole wide world. At least the parts that have an internet connection.

Effective Today is an EP of four new original songs: Pop anthems and sensitive confessions inspired by (and dedicated to survivors of) corporate downsizing. 

They were written, performed, recorded and produced by myself in my home studio in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 2017-2018. This has been a very personal project for me, and I’m proud of how it’s turned out. 

Effective Today - Track Listing

Dropping the Chain

Now That You’re Gone

You’ve Lost That Feeling

Practically Family

Digital download and streaming:

CD Baby

Spotify

Apple Music

iTunes

Google Play

Amazon 

I’m giving inside scoops, stories and performances over on my official Facebook page. If you’re interested in getting a behind-the-scenes look at Effective Today, and aren’t already following the page, come on over and have a look: http://facebook.com/yegtopher/.

Look forward to hearing your questions and thoughts on my new EP!

cn

[tophernash]

From a house concert performance, in Edmonton last month. Already plotting the next one...

[tophernash]

Writing a song on the ukulele I picked up recently in Maui. So what if it's snowing like crazy here in Edmonton today?? hehe.

[tophernash]

I wrote, recorded and mixed this new song from scratch in 30 days, as part of Graham Cochrane's One Song One Month challenge. It’ll be on the next EP I put out later this year, but you can listen to the track now because I’ve posted it to Soundcloud! The track features my vocals, live piano and guitar, and electronics via Propellerhead Reason.

What's it about? Your own personal Earthrise moment. Everything’s so pretty here, on the bright side of the moon. That beautiful, blue Earth in the sky can represent a lot of things… hope, the past, the future, your happiness. Whatever it is, it sure takes your breath away when you see it from outside of yourself.

cn

[tophernash]

Top 10 favourite albums of 2015

2015 was a big year for myself, as it was the the year I wrote, recorded and shipped my first EP. But it was also an amazing year for music in general. Some old favourites from the '80s continued to put out brilliant work, and some new discoveries for me made their way into very heavy (and loud) rotation. So much good stuff! Here’s a look at my top 10 list for last year.

1. New Order - Music Complete

Dancy, sad, brilliant - it was a long time coming, but New Order's first album in 10 years (and first without Peter, but with Gillian back) was more than worth the wait. Celebrate this one!

2. CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye

Gorgeous twinkly sophmore album for the best synth group in the world right now.

3. a-ha - Cast in Steel

Not sure what prompted them to come out of retirement to endure the angst of making an album together again, but the result was beautiful and memorable.

4. Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams

A blissful explosion of colour after their brooding (but one of my favourite albums) 2014 release Ghost Stories.

5. Jamie xx - In Colour

BASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6. Halsey - Badlands

Haunting and beautiful newcomer.

7. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday

Noel goes DIY on this one, and it's awesome.

8. Beach House - Depression Cherry

Sharp songwriting delivered in a soft, pillowy sadness. Not quite as amazing as Bloom but still great stuff. And the record cover is fuzzy suede.

9. Brandon Flowers - The Desired Effect

Brandon's solo work is as good or better than actual Killers albums. Highly enjoyable.

10. Little Boots - Working Girl

Why don't more North Americans know about Little Boots? I think she's inspirational and way cool. Great themed album. More power to you, Victoria!

Also enjoyed - Duran Duran (Paper Gods), Chris Isaak (First Comes the Night), Tame Impala (Currents), Mitch Murder (Kung Fury - Lost Tapes), Blur (The Magic Whip), Purity Ring (Bodyache), Radeon (Adventure) and Tom Cochrane (Take it Home).

cn