Monday's Top Track (Broken Boy) - 98.5 CKWR.
"A great power pop sound." - Coral Andrews
Paul Hastings at the UK's thesoulofaclown.com calls The Colour Of Happy "An absolute gem of an album." Read the full review here:
Thanks to Eric Alper for including the new single, A Kinder You on his "Best Indie Music"https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0hsLLFaADDjU54tFqaImFh Playlist!
Thank you Tinnitist for being kind and including the new single and video, A Kinder You on your "Weekend Mixtape." Number 4, even!https://tinnitist.com/2023/08/18/weekend-mixtape-more-than-230-songs-to-unite-us-all-side-10/4/
Thank you Cashbox Canada for your feature on the new single, A Kinder You.
Thank you seerocklive.com for featuring A Kinder You as well as the accompanying video. https://seerocklive.com/james-clark-institute-new-video-a-kinder-you/?fbclid=IwAR39NG16MgZWTsKWnXRkq_pypOH_nBZMmkN9KjYZMR9s3nn8xgzi0lOe-GY
It's nice to wake up on a Monday morning and find that Record World International is spreading the word on both the new single (Produced by Moe Berg) and video (directed by Sean Ryan). Thanks RWI! https://www.recordworldinternational.com/2023/08/26/new-release-from-the-james-clark-institute-a-kinder-you/
Thank you to Megan LaPierre at Exclaim! for the !@#$ amazing review of "Under The Lampshade.
JC had a great time spilling his guts with Aaron Badgley at Spill Magazine. The fellas discussed the new album as well as some JCI history.
Thank you to Canadian Music Spotlight for shining a light on Under The Lampshade.
Blogger Bill Smith had some sweet things to say about the latest single, "Black Licorice, Red Lips." Read them here:
https://billcsmusic.blog/2024/10/03/billcs-new-music-report-october-3-24/
Led by Toronto singer/songwriter James Clark, The JCI mix pop and folk stylings into their melodic rock sound. Early Elvis Costello is one reference point. He has found an ideal foil in producer Moe Berg (The Pursuit Of Happiness), who also plays lead guitar on these two primo cuts.”
– Kerry Doole, NewCanadianMusic.ca.
"a wealth of songwriting talent"
- Michael Williams, Cashbox Canada Magazine.
This is classic songwriting in the Elvis Costello tradition. Sharp, polished lyrics wrapped in wistful longing music."
– Sammy Younan, NewMusicTen.com.
"Sounds Like: Classic Canadian storytelling..."
- Larry Lootsteen, www.alancross.ca.
...the best picture sleeve 45 to grace our turntable in an long time.”
– NewCanadianMusic.ca.
"James Clark is one of Canada's songwriting treasures. His songs have a timeless quality born of a writer who studied the best and refuses to bow to the wind and rain of any current day. His lyrics never underestimate the audience's intelligence and his melodies will stay with you long after the record has finished playing."
-Moe Berg, Producer.
This Toronto melodic rocker delights in clever moves, both lyrically and musically. Great rhymes are backed up by big hooks and classic pop moments. Clark and producer Moe Berg drop in lots of Beatles references, and each song has a catchy, well-built structure, with bridges, instrumental breaks and ear-pleasing chord changes. It's what Neil Finn and Crowded House always excelled at. The other joy here is the interesting and off-beat storytelling.
- Bob Mersereau, Top100CanadianBlog.Blogspot.ca
“James takes the power pop traditions of The Beatles, Jellyfish and Split Enz and combines them with the high IQ lyrics of Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson. The result makes him one of Canada's greatest unsung songwriters”. - Moe Berg, Producer.
"A singer/songwriter in the Elvis Costello/Ray Davies school." - FYI Music News.
The James Clark Institute - Feature Interview - Dropout Magazine.https://dropoutentertainment.ca/2020/11/should-i-tell-her-the-james-clark-institute-interview-new-single/?fbclid=IwAR0QJGTMB1ZOMZMeFoQw9iFqwqinzBmGTH2STMTBqF-GBamJS1EYAezTpak
Should I Tell Her - Pick - Tinnitlist - "25 Tracks To Start Your Week."
Should I Tell Her - Feature - Cashbox Radio - "New Single Sunday."
More love for the latest single, Should I Tell Her. This time from Scotland. https://godblessthebands.com/singles-you-may-have-missed-pt-5/?fbclid=IwAR3z6KtgD6dGPozZlGFdmazMJ7z-DUzZnfqxVscRxkUHhAc7cjDEbQLKuXo
"Next Best Thing" makes it's international debut on Spain's "Plastico Elastico" radio show.
FYI Music News gives a nice nod to "Next Best Thing" and the accompanying video, including both in their "Single Servings".
https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2021/04/25/single-servings-april-26-2021
Walking and talking Canadian Pop Encyclopedia, Jaimie Vernon says "Next Best Thing" will prove to be a power pop classic.
"If you tell me there's a finer songwriter than James Clark out there today, I'm gonna come lookin' for you." - Stephen Stanley, Northern Wish radio host, The Bay 88.7 FM.
Tuesday's Top Track (Next Best Thing) - 98.5 FM CKWR.
"Cool power pop." - Coral Andrews.
"Clever lyrics, hook laden choruses and the tenacity for evoking moods and dynamics in
his 3 minute masterpieces." - GWNtertainment, May 2021.
SPILL MAGAZINE premieres The Colour Of Happy!
http://spillmagazine.com/spill-album-premiere-the-james-clark-institute-the-colour-of-happy/
TINNITIST includes "Next Best Thing" in their Indie Round-up Weekend List. It feels good to be #9.
CASHBOX CANADA features The Colour Of Happy.
"An album full of hooks and choruses, beautifully performed and arranged, everything that a great power pop album should be" - Don Valentine @ I Don't Hear A Single. Read the entire article.
"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Tonight's effing great find. The James Clark Institute. A place you can get schooled in great music. All good, but check out Yellow."
- Mr. Suave's Mod Mod World.
James recently sat down with Jason Whissell at Make You A Mix Tape to talk about his music, his art and of course, his mix tape.
"This album (The Colour Of Happy) is all good, a bevy of melodic delights, resting on some obviously strong influences but never just colouring within the lines."
- Dennis Pilon, poprockrecords.com
Read the full article here: https://poprockrecord.com/2021/06/14/high-octane-hit-makers-the-cudas-killer-crush-the-james-clark-institute-and-love-burns/?fbclid=IwAR1YyN-8nnmOziv_GSJBrZWDBGglX7z-6thp0XBb-NR8CaCOJYD36YlW37g
Powerpop Guru, David Bash (International Pop Overthrow) calls The Colour of Happy "One of the better discs of 2021!" Read his full review here:
James recently talked with Alex Huard at Release Day Series about The Colour Of Happy, working with Producer Moe Berg and his loooonnng journey as a songwriter/musician.