James Levy

Last updated

James Levy
Birth nameJames Levy
Born Vermont, U.S.
Genres Indie rock
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • producer
  • musician
InstrumentVocals
Years active2005–present
Labels
Website Reputante

James Levy is an American, New York-based singer, songwriter, and producer.

Levy co-wrote and produced Charles Bradley's posthumous 2019 release Lonely as You Are, which Rolling Stone magazine called a "devastating masterclass." [1] Another Charles Bradley single, Lucifer, is scheduled for release in May 2019. Levy was formerly the lead singer for the band Reputante, whose debut EP Oceanside was released in November 2013 on Cult Records. [2] The record was produced by Tim Wheeler of the band Ash. The album reached A music video for the song "Deep Set Eyes" premiered in December 2013 in The Huffington Post. [3] In early 2013, Reputante toured the US with UK band The Maccabees. [4] and prior to that toured with Ash.

Levy is also a former member of the band Lolawolf along with Zoë Kravitz, Jimmy Giannopoulos, and Raviv Ullman. [5]

In 2012, James put out a record under the band name James Levy and The Blood Red Rose, which features Allison Pierce of The Pierces. [6] Their album, Pray To Be Free, was released by Heavenly Recordings (2012) and received critical acclaim, including being included in the list of the top 100 albums of 2012 by French publication Les Inrocks . [7] [8] The album, produced by Coldplay bass player Guy Berryman, received four star reviews in MOJO , Q and Uncut magazines and was praised by the BBC, The Independent and The Sunday Times of London . [6] [9] [10] [11] [12] US music magazine Popdose and UK publication indieLondon included the record on their top ten lists for 2012. [13] [14]

A single, Sneak into My Room, spent several weeks in rotation and on the playlist of BBC Radio 6 Music and was featured as Q Magazine's "Track of the Day." [15] [16] [17] A music video for "Hung To Dry," directed by Steve Birnbaum, was named one of the top 50 indie music videos of 2012. [18] [19] The band made other music videos featuring Brooklyn singers Aerial East ("Give Me Happiness") and Turner Cody ("Positively East Broadway").

James Levy and The Blood Red Rose performed live in session on several national radio shows in the UK, including sessions on BBC Radio 2 with both Jo Whiley and Dermot O'Leary and a session on BBC 6 Music with Lauren Laverne. [20] [21] [22] The performance with Dermot O'Leary featured a cover of the Oasis track "Don't Look Back in Anger." [23]

Earlier in his career, Levy was the lead singer of the band LEVY, which released two albums on UK independent label One Little Indian. [24] The band's debut album, Rotten Love, was included in a list by NME of "The 100 Greatest Albums You've Never Heard." [25] A video for the song "Rotten Love" was featured on NME.com. [26]

The title track of LEVY's second record, Glorious, was covered by The Pierces and released as a single on their 2011 Polydor UK gold-certified album You & I. [27] [28] It received top ten airplay in the UK and was A-listed on BBC National Radio. [29] The single peaked at No. 176 on the UK Singles Charts. [30]

Levy has also released solo material under the names Promising Young Talent and YVEL; additionally, he released the album Blood Red Rose in 2008. [31] [32]

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References

  1. ↑ "Charles Bradley's Posthumous Song 'Lonely as You Are' is a Devastating Masterclass". Rolling Stone . April 26, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Cult Records". Archived from the original on May 28, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Conversations with The Moody Blues' Justin Hayward and Boston's Tom Scholz, Plus Exclusives from Molina Davina, The Blues & Greys, Reputante and Radio Raheem | Mike Ragogna". Huffingtonpost.com. December 11, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Maccabees announce 2013 North American tour (dates)". Brooklynvegan.com. December 10, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Lolawolf: "Drive" | Tracks". Pitchfork. September 17, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  6. 1 2 "Music – Review of James Levy and The Blood Red Rose – Pray to Be Free". BBC. February 6, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Nos 100 meilleurs albums de 2012: le top complet". Les Inrocks. December 26, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  8. ↑ "| Artists // Heavenly Recordings". Heavenlyrecordings.com. May 29, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  9. ↑ Simmy Richman (February 5, 2012). "Album: James Levy & the Blood Red Rose, Pray to Be Free (Heavenly) – Reviews – Music". The Independent. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  10. ↑ "Pray To Be Free by James Levy and The Blood Red Rose reviews". Any Decent Music. February 14, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Pray To Be Free Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  12. ↑ Slender Fungus (February 6, 2012). "News – James Levy & The Blood Red Rose album out today". Coldplay. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  13. ↑ "2012 Holiday Gift Guide: Best Pop And Rock Albums • 10 FREE MP3s". Popdose. November 17, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  14. ↑ "The best albums of 2012 – Your London Reviews". IndieLondon. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  15. ↑ "James Levy and the Blood Red Rose - Sneak into My Room - Track of the Day - QTheMusic.com". News.qthemusic.com. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  16. ↑ "BBC Radio 6 Music – Radcliffe and Maconie, Monday – Mary Epworth". Bbc.co.uk. February 6, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  17. ↑ "BBC Radio 6 Music – Cerys on 6, BBC 6 Music celebrates Kraftwerk". Bbc.co.uk. February 5, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  18. ↑ "James Levy and The Blood Red Rose – Hung To Dry". YouTube. May 14, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  19. ↑ "INDIE VIDEOS: TOP 50 – 2012". Indiepopfolkrock2.blogspot.com. Archived from the original on August 29, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  20. ↑ "BBC Radio 2 – Dermot O'Leary, 30/06/2012, James Levy and The Blood Red Rose – Live Session". Bbc.co.uk. June 30, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  21. ↑ "BBC Radio 2 – Jo Whiley, Jo has James Levy & The Blood Red Rose in Session, James Levy & The Blood Red Rose – Interview with Jo Whiley". Bbc.co.uk. March 1, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  22. ↑ "BBC Radio 6 Music – Lauren Laverne, 29/02/2012, James Levy and The Blood Red Rose – Live session". Bbc.co.uk. February 29, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Cloudmix.it". Archived from the original on June 5, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2013.
  24. ↑ "One Little Indian | Artists". Indian.co.uk. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Tomorrow's Nme The 100 Greatest Albums You've Never Heard... / Music Forum // Drowned in Sound". Drownedinsound.com. December 28, 2010. Archived from the original on April 15, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Levy-Rotten Love | Video Youtube – NMETV Latest Music Videos and Clips". Nme.Com. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Glorious – The Pierces | Song Lyrics". AllMusic. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Certified Awards". Bpi.co.uk. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  29. ↑ "You & I: Music". Amazon. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Chart Log UK : New Entries Update : Chart Date : 21.05.2011". Zobbel.de. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  31. ↑ "james levy promising young talent: Music". Amazon. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Blood Red Rose: Music". Amazon. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
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