Christopher Moll is an American producer, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist originally from Bronx, New York. He has produced, written and recorded under the name The Postmarks, releasing three CDs on Unfiltered Records/ILG/Warner Bros. Records. In 2014 he released an album as The Lovers Key.
Christopher Moll | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | March 16, 1970 |
| Origin | Ogdensburg, New Jersey, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, composer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals |
| Labels | Unfiltered, ILG/, Warner Bros. Records |
Career
editTwenty-Three (23)
editUpon relocation from New York City to Florida, Moll started his first band, Twenty-Three, which continued for three years with Moll (vocals/guitar), Alex Gimeno (drums) and Brian Hill (bass).[1] Around the mid 1990s the trio decided to part musical ways yet still remain close friends.
See Venus
editAfter Twenty-Three, Moll moved from Miami to West Palm Beach, Florida. At the end of the 1990s he met the principals of what would become See Venus. The group's first five songs were passed around as a homemade CD. A Swedish music dot-com interviewed Moll and thee songs received airtime on BBCradio. The band played a few local concerts, and obtained opening slots for national acts Trans Am and Rilo Kiley.[2] They also performed in the fall of 2003 in Manhattan at the annual College Music Journal conference.
Including tracks recorded at various times between 2000 and 2003, March Records released Hard Time for Dreamers in early 2004.[3]
The Postmarks
editThe Postmarks formed in 2004 when Christopher Moll began working with instrumentalist Jonathan Phillip Wilkins and singer Tim Yehezkely.[4] The group recorded tracks at Moll's home studio in early 2005 for an album.[5] The resulting songs led to Moll being described by Jeff Stratton of Broward Palm Beach New Times as a "gifted producer, with a reputation for transforming humdrum recordings into sharply re-conceptualized, marketable musical offerings",[6] and attracted the notice of Andy Chase, who signed them to his Unfiltered Records label.[7] The self-titled album The Postmarks received airplay before its February release. It entered at number thirteen on the College Music Journal Top 200 charts, rising as high as number seven.[8][9]
The band spent the rest of the year touring, with appearances at CMJ, SXSW, and the Lollapalooza festival as well as receiving positive reviews in Rolling Stone and Spin, as well as Pitchfork Media. The group is also featured in the "Love" episode of the Nick Jr. show, Yo Gabba Gabba!.[10]
In 2008, Christopher decided to record and release a new song each month with each month represented by a cover version of a song with a number in it; January was "One Note Samba," February was "You Only Live Twice," and so on. In November the songs were collected on CD under the title ‘By-the-Numbers’.[11] Spin Magazine gave it 3 1/2 stars. Pitchfork gave it a 7.4 and CMJ Magazine had this to say: "a hauntingly beautiful work of art...even when performing covers, The Postmarks are an instant classic."[12]
Meanwhile the band had begun work on its next album, Memoirs at the End of the World. Featuring the same core lineup, the album was released in September 2009, and featured more indie pop based on '60s film music.[13] Following the release of the album, the most extensive touring to date took place, including the band's first visit to Europe.[14][15][16][17]
The Lovers Key
editAfter The Postmarks European tour, Moll took an extended sabbatical from music. He occasionally worked on songwriting projects until meeting singer, Maco Monthervil in the summer of 2012.[18] While traveling to visit his family near the Gulf Coast of Florida, Moll noticed a highway sign for Lovers Key State Park. Moll decided to name his new project "The Lovers Key" and began working toward self-releasing an album in Spring 2014.[19][20] Completed instead in September, the album, titled Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, was praised by Zachary Houle of Pop Matters as "an enjoyable listening experience, bar none".[21]
Discography
editSee Venus
editHard Times for Dreamers (2004)
The Postmarks
editThe Postmarks (2007)
By the Numbers (2008)
Memoirs at the End of the World (2009)
The Lovers Key
editHere Today Gone Tomorrow (2014)
References
edit- ^ "Bedroom Symphony". browardpalmbeach.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Bedroom Symphony". Broward-Palm Beach New Times. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Evening Stars". browardpalmbeach.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "That's the spirit". sun-sentinel.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014.
- ^ "The Postmarks". last.fm. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ Stratton, Jeff. "Bedroom Symphony". New Times Broward. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
- ^ "Breaking: College Radio Top Fifteen Albums". Rolling Stone. February 22, 2007. p. 24.
- ^ "Unfiltered Tracks Launches – Online Music Licensing House Founded by Andy Chase, Christopher Moll". sonicscoop.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Song Premiere: The Lovers Key, "Dis-Moi Qui Tu Aimes"". wonderingsound.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Lovers Key Talks Here Today Gone Tomorrow and "Just Trying to Write Timeless Pop"". miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ Yong, Jon. "Review Albums Critical Mass". Spin Magazine. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
- ^ "Dazzle Me This #5 – Postmarks & Cupcakes". musicfeeds.com.au. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "The Postmarks: Twice Is Nice". miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "The Postmarks Leave Their Stamp with a New Album". miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "The Postmarks and the Apples in Stereo at Culture Room Tonight!!". miaminewtimes.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Producer and Songwriter Behind The Postmarks Debuts 'The Lovers Key'". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Web exclusive: The Postmarks at The Launching Pad". nuvo.net. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "Christopher Moll of the Postmarks Returns with Soulful the Lovers Key (VIDEO)". browardpalmbeach.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "The Lovers Key: Here Today Gone Tomorrow". survivingthegoldenage.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ "From the musical mastermind behind the critically acclaimed band The Postmarks". ghettoblastermagazine.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
- ^ Houle, Zachary. "The Lovers Key: Here Today Gone Tomorrow (Deluxe Edition)". Pop Matters.
- ^ "Postmarks put their stamp on blogosphere with album". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved August 17, 2014.