All about this artist
Biography:
Born 28 September 1971, Akron, Ohio, USA. This highly literate singer-songwriter, who also works as an artist and a poet, was the first non-world music artist to be signed to Peter Gabriel's Real World Records.
After graduating from Firestone high school in 1990 Arthur worked on his songs for several years before his music came to the attention of Gabriel. His debut album, 1997's Big City Secrets, found particular favour in France. Produced by Markus Dravs and featuring musicians of the calibre of Ashley Slater (trombone), Simon Edwards (bass/guitar), Martyn Barker (drums/percussion), and Nigel Eaton (hurdy gurdy), the album drew on an eclectic range of musical styles and instruments to augment Arthur's raspy vocals and guitar.
His mentor Gabriel contributed backing vocals with Brian Eno to the downbeat "Mercedes", a stand-out track alongside the slyly humorous "Daddy's On Prozac". The limited edition seven-track EP Vacancy followed in 1999 and was released on Undercover Records.
The EP, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Packaging, featured production work by T-Bone Burnett and Rick Will and musical contributions from Joan Osborne. Burnett and Will also worked on Arthur's Come To Where I'm From, another highly impressive collection of intelligently constructed songs ranging from the contemplative acoustic opening track "In The Sun" to the eerie pop swagger of the single "Chemical".
The lesser Redemption's Son, released in 2002, was one of Arthur's most successful albums in America, finding a receptive audience on the alternative singer-songwriter circuit. The excellent Our Shadows Will Remain was another spooked masterpiece, on which Arthur's musical eclecticism took in the Prague Philharmonic (on "Stumble And Pain") and mutant rock 'n' roll ("Devil's Broom").
In 2006, Arthur published his first hardcover art book, We Almost Made It. The book was accompanied by the instrumental album, The Invisible Parade. He launched his own label later in the year with Nuclear Daydream, a reliably fine collection of songs that opted for a more low key approach than the preceding albums.
At the end of the year Arthur began recording sessions with his new band, the Lonely Astronauts. The results were streamed online before gaining an official release the following year on the album Let's Just Be.
