Smash Palace

Smash Palace

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Richard Julian is one of the music industry's best-kept secrets. Highly regarded among peers, he is both a gifted composer and a storyteller with an honest, if ironic point of view. His songs, often confessional, and always cinematic, are likely to leave a lasting impression. As a songwriter, he has been compared to Paul Simon, Beck, and Prince and his 1999 release, Smash Palace, found a welcome home at AAA radio, reaching #16. He has toured throughout the United States and Europe, opening for an array of major recording artists as well as headlining in nightclubs. His most recent effort, 'Good Life,' was released on the web independently January/2002 and has been enjoying rave reviews in the press as well as being added to radio playlists nationally.

Product Description
With all the influences available to a young man in an accelerated information age, it would be foolish for a cosmopolitan '90s singer-songwriter like Richard Julian to stick to one style. On SMASH PALACE, he doesn't bother. Where his debut cleaved to an organic, Americana rock & roll sound, the followup throws the rulebook into a blender and lets the pieces fall in a deceptively precise manner. Here he forsakes the singer-fronting-a-band approach for the multi-instrumentalist-run-amok-in-the-studio method of Prince or Beck (both of whose influences can be felt here).

With the help of producer/musician Brad Jones and a few talented sessioneers, Julian moves through Leonard Cohenish apocalypse ("The Restless Sea"), Bonnie Raitt-worthy bluesy sass ("Big Big World"), ethereal ballads to rival Jeff Buckley ("As If") and ARMED FORCES-style power pop ("The Second Smallest State"). All this eclecticism might be for naught without the incisive, studied lyricism, sophisticated harmonic sensibilities and smoky, intimate tenor that are the main weapons in Julian's formidable arsenal. This varied, inspiring album hangs together chiefly due to the strength of Julian's authoritative artistic vision.

Tracks:

Steal Her Thunder
I'll Be There
Lucky Me
Wish I Knew How
Dime Store Lies
Ordinary World
Juliet To Me
One Way Track
It's Not Enough
Stand Beside Me
Beautiful Face

Album Description

THE BUTLER BROTHERS DELIVER ANOTHER CD FULL OF GREAT POWER POP/ROCK SONGS DRAWING ON INFLUENCES SUCH AS THE BEATLES, THE BYRDS, BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD IN AN UPDATED TRULY UNIQUE SOUND. THE SONGS WERE RECORDED IN THE BANDS STUDIO, THE SMASH PALACE, OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS. STEPHEN BUTLER HAS CO-WRITTEN A SONG WITH MARY LEE KORTES OF MARY LEE'S CORVETTE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A SMASH PALACE CD. HE HAS CO-WRITTEN NUMEROUS SONGS FOR HER CD'S OVER THE YEARS. (STEPHEN PLAYS WITH THE CORVETTE ON OCCASION AND HAS PRODUCED HER NEW CD DUE OUT LATER THIS YEAR). EXPECT TO SEE THE BAND OUT SUPPORTING THE NEW CD IN THE COMING MONTHS. FOR MORE INFOMATION, CHECK OUT THEIR WEB SITE, SMASHPALACE.NET

Customer Reviews:

Over the Top.......2004-11-03

This is the 3rd CD released by the current lineup of Smash Palace. Led by Steve Butler, this Philadelphia/South Jersey based band continues to play gigs in the area. For current info, check out www.smashpalacemusic.com
Fans of the band's mid 80's release will recognize a re-recording of Juliet To Me and Dime Store Lies, originally recorded by the Butler's earlier band, Quincy.

Great pop tunes with a british invasion feel. The band sounds as good as ever!

Average customer rating:

Now THIS is good music
A great introduction to a great band
Rock and Roll is still alive!
Why buy the house when you've got the whole Palace right here?

Best of Smash Palace: 99-06
Smash Palace
Manufacturer: Zip Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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Death Proof
Brighter/Later: A Duncan Sheik Anthology

ASIN: B000F7CL2S
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Tracks:

Thinking About Her
Steal Her Thunder
Dime Store Lies
Juliet To Me
Tell Me What It Takes
Sooner Or Later
Like I Do
Blue Eyes
Lucky Me
I'll Be There
Let Me Go
Death Of Me
Try
Give You My Word
In My World Tonight
My New Sensation

Customer Reviews:

Now THIS is good music.......2006-09-17

Want good pop/rock & roll with intelligent lyrics, terrific arranging and playing? You came to the right place. Get this record and check these guys (and a gal) out.This is what we're supposed to be listening to, not the manufactured, pandering junk that's being forced on us via radio. Steve & Brian Butler know how to write songs. Period. BUY THIS CD.

A great introduction to a great band.......2006-08-23

If you're not familiar with Smash Palace, this is a great place to start. All of thier best material from the 3 CD's that were made since thier "comeback" in 1999. If you're a fan from back in the 80's, check this out as a way of reintroducing yourself to the Butler brothers' fine brand of rock and roll.

Rock and Roll is still alive!.......2006-08-15

They're sound is reminiscent of the Beatles without sounding "retro" or "classic" at all. Some tracks are a little more bluesy, some a little more brit-poppy, but they really know how to write a fantastic song. This new release by Philadelphia-based Smash Palace keeps your toe tapping through the whole disc. Try, Tell Me What It Takes, and Steal Her Thunder really stand out as my favorite tracks.

As a Philadelphia native, I have had the pleasure to see this band play live, and they really bring down the house. Amazing energy... and great chemistry on stage. If you get the chance, don't miss Smash Palace when they come through your town!

Why buy the house when you've got the whole Palace right here?.......2006-08-15

We live in a world where LaToya tops the charts, but fear not because good music is bred on the East Coast. Philadelphia based band, Smash Palace has a sound that rings Beatle-esc, and even a little Tom Petty-y at times. The band's signature songs: New Sensation and Try sparkle on this Best Of CD. Lead guitarist/vocalist Stephen Butler fronts the band that knows how to rock. The Best Of Smash Palace: 99-06 will renew your faith in rock and roll!

Average customer rating:

Shake A Leg
Take a Walk in the Dark with Richard
I'm blown away!
Clever, rhythmic lyrics, catchy melodies, lots of fun!
Way to go Richard

Smash Palace
Richard Julian
Manufacturer: Blackbird Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music

General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Richard Julian
Good Life
Slow New York
The Little Willies
Ways Not to Lose

ASIN: B00000AGB1
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

The Restless Sea
Big Big World
Pussycat
Sleepin' In
Broken Watch
Love Is the Only War
As If
Boca Raton
(R.P. Intro) -
Roman Polanski
The Second Smallest State
Sleepin' in (Reprise)
John and Florine
It Happened to Me
Old Lovers
Karen

Album Description

With all the influences available to a young man in an accelerated information age, it would be foolish for a cosmopolitan '90s singer-songwriter like Richard Julian to stick to one style. On SMASH PALACE, he doesn't bother. Where his debut cleaved to an organic, Americana rock & roll sound, the followup throws the rulebook into a blender and lets the pieces fall in a deceptively precise manner. Here he forsakes the singer-fronting-a-band approach for the multi-instrumentalist-run-amok-in-the-studio method of Prince or Beck (both of whose influences can be felt here).

Customer Reviews:

Shake A Leg.......2005-06-21

Richard Julian's brilliant "Smash Palace" rocks with creativity. "Big Big World" sets an energetic groove upon which Richard twists the lyric, "At the filling station standing in line, old lady spills the change out of her purse, starts counting the dimes; My leg is shakin' with a mind of its own; There's no mistake we're makin' close to home." "Broken Watch" is another rhythmic jewel with bongs & whops flaring all over from keyboards and drums that shoot out at a staccato lightning speed, "Honey pack my radio, My Van the Man, my Maceo, Come on girl, you're moving much too slow; Baby, yes, I hear the phone; Honey leave the phone alone; We got to, got to, got to, got to go." "Boca Raton" is a beatnik cousin to rap that sizzles with Julian's nervous anti-sedative delivery, "Well I got kinda scared of this memory drought so I headed downstairs to try & figure it out; It was then I saw the girl with one earring, not two, and she was looking at me like I was someone she knew; Then it all came back to me fast like a hypnotist's spell, I was searching for a phone in the Boca Raton motel." "Roman Polanski" is a bouncy naughty ditty, "So it's back into the whores of France; It's back to cheap red wine; I dream of mother in the camps then I get to work on time." "It Happened to Me" is a delightful track with an expansive melody about an afterlife. Richard Julian is one of those artists who burst with creativity, is loved by other musicians as is evidenced by his appearance on the latest Norah Jones DVD, and remains largely unknown but to a very select crowd. Join the club! Bravo!

Take a Walk in the Dark with Richard.......2004-03-15

Richard Julian is an astoundingly good songwriter, singer, and guitar player. "Smash Palace" is as strong a recording as you're likely to hear from anyone.

"Smash" opens with a few humorous and eclectic funky-cuts, and as entertaining as "Restless Sea" and "Big Big World" are, they don't begin to reflect the deep soul and wisdom of some of Richard's work here. That soul - along with some gorgeous melodies - can be found in the haunting and ironic "As If," the dirty power-poprock of "Love is the Only War" and "The Second Smallest State" (Delaware in da HOWSE!!), the gorgeous "Karen," the heartbreakingly moving "Old Lovers." You're not going to hear a better blend of music and quirky, funny, and poignant lyrics from any singer-songwriter.

The album would be a classic, though, even if it only contained one cut - the beautiful "John and Florine," a ballad that shows a touching wisdom well beyond Richard's years. It became one of my favorite songs ever upon my first listen, and it still brings me to tears.

If you haven't heard Richard Julian yet, go get "Smash Palace" and "Good Life." Listen to them. And join me as one of Julian's true fans, one of those who are deeply conflicted between our desire for him to get the recognition he deserves, and our desire to keep him as our secret superstar.

I'm blown away!.......2001-09-15

Originally, I heard Broken Watches on Austin City Limits when the Nashville writer they were spotlighting was asked what he is listening to. He commented that he thought Richard Julian was one of the best wordsmiths in music and the his music was excellent. After hearing the song, I was intrigued enough to by the CD. I was stunned by the clever lyrics.The arrangements and recording quality made me feel like I just discovered gold! It's rare for me to like every song on a CD, but I enjoy every song on Smash Palace. If you are looking for a fine example of new artistry, superb back up musicians, mesmorizing arrangements and fantastic recording quality, then I urge you to pick up a copy of Smash Palace.

Clever, rhythmic lyrics, catchy melodies, lots of fun!.......1999-11-02

I'll admit it: I originally bought this CD just because I worked with Richard at his day job and he's a very nice guy. I'd never heard him perform, and I had modest expectations. Then I found out that my now-ex-coworker is an awesome musician. The more I listened, the more this album surprised and impressed me. It's delightfully eclectic, the songs are very catchy, and his singing is full of feeling. To top it off, his lyrics are some of the best around. They're startlingly clever and funny, and their rhymes and rhythms add fire and spice to the music. This album is a blast!

Way to go Richard.......1999-09-02

Well, I have finally heard something from this album that I don't get to hear much. My cousin rocks with his two albums that are currently on the market. I son't get to hear him much but when I am in stores up north, I always look for the chance to get his music in some form of ausio. Keep up the good work and I liik forward to hearing more from you soon. Great job again, Richard

Average customer rating:

Smash Palace "Unlocked" : Prime Power Pop

Unlocked
Smash Palace
Manufacturer: Smash Palace
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005V555
Release Date: 2002-01-01

Tracks:

In My World Tonight
What You're Missing
Sooner Or Later
A Million Miles Away
Tell Me What It Takes
The Way Love Has Made Us
Give You My Word
Looking For A Way
It's Not Me
Don't Throw It Away
Magical Moonlight
My New Sensation

Album Description

Following the critically acclaimed album, Fast, Long, Loud, Smash Palace is back with Unlocked, a new collection of guitar driven, pop-rock songs.

Customer Reviews:

Smash Palace "Unlocked" : Prime Power Pop.......2002-01-30

I had heard of Smash Palace as a local band with a great reputation, but it took a listen to their new self-produced CD, "Unlocked", to show me what I was missing. This is a tight, musically-accomplished band that deserves national recognition. Led by brothers Stephen and Brian Butler (who also write nearly all the band's songs), they are an immensely enjoyable power-pop unit, fueled by strong guitar licks, harmonizing vocals, and an amazing supply of pop hooks. In fact, melodically I'd put the Butler brothers right up there with the likes of the Finn brothers, Difford and Tilbrook, and (dare I say it) even Lennon and McCartney. It's no surprise, then, that so many of the songs have a Beatlesque flavor. (I defy you, for instance, to hear "A Million Miles Away" and not think of John Lennon.) They also remind me of the better power-pop bands, like Crowded House and Del Amitri. The production values are excellent, especially for a self-produced indie effort, and there's not a weak song on the album. You won't find anything innovative here, but if you want to hear power-pop done right, Smash Palace really delivers the goods.

Average customer rating:

Return of the Quincy guys!
Great Stuff
im in love with this cd
these guys rock!
best of 1999

Fast, Long, Loud
Smash Palace
Manufacturer: Imagine (Sou999)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

West Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Over the Top

ASIN: B00000JYH9
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Tracks:

Try
Turn Another Screw
Let Me Go
Everything You Bring
Death Of Me
Another Man
It's All Because
Blue Eyes
Ancient Rhymes
The Love Has Just Begun
She's My Girl
Riverdale

Customer Reviews:

Return of the Quincy guys!.......2004-07-26

I hope I'm not the only one who treasures the one-shot CBS album by Quincy, released around 1980. Of all the new-wave power pop releases of the era, that collection continues to impress me with its well-crafted, energetic and insanely catchy tunes.

Well, the guiding forces behind Quincy, brothers Stephen and Brian Butler, have returned in grand style to the Beatlesque pop genre with this fine CD.

Every song is lovingly performed, with the kind of tunesmithery younger bands can't seem to achieve. The brothers' harmonies are to die for.

Occasionally I wish the performances weren't so laid back. At the same time, I wish the lyrics reflected a bit more of the creators' experience and maturity. I guess I'm trying to have it both ways: wishing it was 1980 again, but not wanting to relive the confusion of being 19 years old.

To the Butlers, well done! To the rest of you, buy this CD. Then go see if you can find Quincy (Columbia NJC 36471).

Great Stuff.......2004-01-03

One of my high school teachers is a member of this band. They played at my school and it was awesome. They have a great sound and every song is catchy. This cd should be in your collection.

im in love with this cd.......2000-03-05

Im in love with this cd. I listen to it constantly ever since i saw Smash Palace play in New York City at the Lakeside Lounge. They are a great live band, real tight and excellent musicians. But its really the cd that sends me. Every song is fantastic. I cant remember the last time i bought a recording of a band where even half of the songs were good. The one thing i cant figure out is why the cd is so hard to find and why dont i hear them on the radio?

these guys rock!.......1999-12-10

I love this record. I saw them live at the Pontiac in Philly and they blew me away. i went right out and bought the cd and its a really cool record. Every song is outstanding. I highly recommend this one. check it out!

best of 1999.......1999-12-10

this is the best cd ive heard this year. it reminds me of oasis, the beatles, the kinks and many other great bands the have excellent songs. i recommend this record to all lovers of great songwriting.

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