Local Songwriters
Cam Butler
Biography
Cam Butler (Cam Butler & The Shadows Of Love, The Coralinas, Ron S. Peno & The Superstitions, Silver Ray) is a unique electric guitarist and composer with an instantly recognisable sound. Rather than relying on fx, Cam uses plectrums, his fingers, found objects, brushes, capos and tunings to fashion his soulful, 21st century guitar music. A lover of the sound of strings, he has composed epic music for string quartets, string orchestras, singers and bands.
His new solo album, Save My Soul, his sixth after 2008's, Dark Times, features a 23 piece string orchestra and is out now. The album will be played live in cinemas, accompanied by a film and video installation.
Cam has already written and produced 5 completely unique solo albums : Crazy Dreams, Go Slow, See (Symphony No. 1), Healing Feelings and his latest, Dark Times (Symphony No.2). These albums feature dramatic and darkly, beautiful mini-symphonies; highly melodic and deeply personal. They combine lush and emotive electric guitar, drums, atmospheric guitar loops and orchestral string sections.
Cam's guitar playing is a completely unique; a simple almost folky, expressionistic, rock sound blended with 21st century loopiness and ambient atmospheres. The guitars on his albums are sometimes sampled and electronic-ified, at other times raw or delicate, all being played straight from the heart. Combined with orchestral string sections this creates an emotional and timeless musical world. Cam's sound is not entirely rock, experimental or classical, it has a aesthetic that is quite possibly unique in the world today; romantic, dark and richly melodic, a sound that will continually reward the listener.
Healing Feelings was the first of Cam's albums to not be based around orchestral arrangements. Instead, the album is primarily focused on a sound of guitar, drums and loops. Cam has started collaborating with renowned Australian drummer, Mark Dawson (Ed Kuepper, Black Eyed Susans) in an electric guitar and drums duo. A dreamy, groove based album of this material will be completed later in 2008.
Cam is currently published by Mushroom Music Publishing. He also plays guitar with Melbourne pop chanteuse, Angie Hart.
"...... Butler is a national treasure. Nobody else in the world is making music like this."
(Inpress Magazine)
"Electric guitar hums streak like stars across these illimitable canvases, whilst strings soar and dip to create drama and filmic romance."
(Comes With A Smile)
".....makes you wonder all over again how music without words can evoke so much emotion in the listener."
(ABC Radio 4.5 stars)
click on the photos below to download full size press pics.
Latest Releases
Save My Soul
EP
Released: 23 March 2012
Tracklisting:
- Simple Fate
- I Was Lost
- Save My Soul
- Desolation
- Some Kind Of Peace
