Graig Markel is truly unique and gifted. His music developed as he helped shape the sound of the Pacific Northwest with his late 90’s trio, New Sweet Breath. Since then, Markel has released three solo albums and toured both on his own and as a guitarist for Tagging Satellite.
Work has started for Graig’s new record, Via Novella, at The Recovery Room in Seattle, and John Vanderslice’s Tiny Telephone studio in San Francisco with producer-engineer Aaron Prellwitz (Sun Kil Moon, Red House Painters, Death
Cab for Cutie) at the helm. Release is scheduled for January 2006.
“Influenced equally by ‘70s-era soul and Elliott Smith-style pop, Markel’s tunes ease you into a low-blood pressure world where heartbreak is always right behind you or just around the corner… His voice is golden and his songs are sad and consistently melodic without being formulaic.” – Pop Matters
“Some of the sweetest pop vocalizing heard this year.” – Alternative Press
“Markel is a songwriter with a wealth of talent and one gets the distinct impression that he’s only just begun to scratch the surface with this record.” – Exclaim
“Markel has stripped away all of the unnecessary elements in these songs, relying simply on the strength of his voice and his stories.” – Epitonic
“An album unlike any other you’ve recently heard.” – The Stranger