With a major-label distribution deal right out of the chute, Candy Butchers seemed destined to follow in the footsteps of other smart, song-focused, melody-driven, ’90s outfits like Ben Folds Five and Fountains Of Wayne before the proverbial window of opportunity slammed shut circa 1997. Since then, seemingly unflappable leader Mike Viola has kept plugging away, fending off adversity in his personal life (his first wife died of cancer) and overall public indifference to get his music out there, whether as himself, under the Candy Butchers moniker, on film soundtracks or elsewhere. Viola’s new solo release, Electro De Perfecto (Good Morning Monkey/Hornblow), is a slickly produced celebration of a versatile songwriter in his prime, one who deserves a little more love. Viola will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new Q&A with him.
Viola: Ever since I first heard Snowflakes Are Dancing, I’ve bought it as a gift for at least one person every year for Christmas. When I’m traveling, I make it a point to scour used record stores and scoop up used copies on vinyl and hoard them to give as gifts later. You can find ’em for a buck each at Amoeba. Isao Tomita is Japanese. Snowflakes Are Dancing was recorded in 1974. He rocks Debussy’s tone paintings with only a Moog synthesizer. The record goes from blippy-bloopy video-game-sounding classical romantic pieces to sweeping melodic and harmonic blizzard scapes that are jaw droopingly cool and unique. You’ve never heard this before, unless you’ve heard this before.
Video after the jump.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz3wNCT4JAc
