Los Angeles-based songwriter and musician Sean David Christensen draws influence from the great American singer-songwriters of the 70s, blended with inspirations from show tunes. Taking a leaf from the artists he listened to growing up, he spins delicate stories with fragile characters as he meanders through a range of different music styles.
His vivid lyricism brings his compositions to life, with a sound that’s wrapped up in pop music tones and intricate instrumental arrangements. Since releasing a demo of “I Guess I’ve Always Loved You” he’s shown he’s an artist who offers charming music full of sentimental meaning and a glossy nostalgic touch.
His sophomore single released earlier this year, “I Miss The Old You” built on his classic songwriting talents with a song that delivers a beautiful sound and a timeless feel. Written, performed and produced by Sean David Christensen alongside John Schroeder, Ross Garren and Ethan Chilton, they lay down a modern folk style tune defined by its elegant melodic leads and emotive writing.
Now the artist brings us his latest work with a new instrumental version of the song, accenting the folk, jazz and Americana elements of the original. The re-imagined take on his stunning composition adds a new colour to the sound, with the purely instrumental version demonstrating just how delightful the original composition really is.
Blending a perfect mix of slide guitar, mellotron, trumpet leads and other instrumentation, the musicians flawlessly create a marvellous sonic tapestry. Commenting on the opportunity to add to the endeavour, trumpeter and arranger Ethan Chilton shares, “I’d been introduced to Sean’s work before. His short film What I Had to Leave Behind that my friend Branden Brown scored, I’d got to play some trumpet on it. What I loved was how open Sean was to allowing us space to be free and create whatever we felt like. So, when he asked me about arranging this song I was literally giddy with anticipation to get started!”
Adding, “Since there’s so much of my trumpet, I had to find ways to vary my sound in as many ways as possible. I used a more warm, low-mid tone for the melody part and more drone-like, brighter sound for the pads and harmonies. I even flipped my mic around to get a warmer sound for some of the parts. Every detail really translates, and that’s what I love about intimate projects like this one. I look to dynamics as a way to add or subtract energy.”
Listen to I Miss The Old You (Instrumental) below
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