Adam Lopez: Press

Come join us @ MySpace.com as well.
There are some demos from the upcoming album 'Stranded In Babylon" posted there, as well as some kind words from fans old and new.
Hopefully I'll see you there too...

"...truely a treat..."

"Adam Lopez is a great American folk singer. His music is real and speaks to a generation that is in dire need of spiritual attention"

One man who has had better luck getting gigs around town is Adam Lopez. Since he dropped his debut CD, Stranded in Babylon, back in May, he’s been playing regularly, starting out in the coffee-houses and working his way into the bars in fairly rapid order.

I’ll admit, I’ve been lax and haven’t had a chance to catch him live, but if the growing buzz and the new CD are any indication, he’ll put on a great show.

In all honesty, the disc didn’t do much for me initially, but after a few spins it gradually opened up. This is an album that you settle into and get comfortable with--kind of like breaking in a good pair of jeans.

Don’t go in with any preconceptions. Just because Lopez has dreadlocks doesn’t mean this is a reggae affair. Sure, there’s Rasta beat lifted here and there, but that’s not the main ingredient.

So what is the magic recipe? Well, I’m not the chef, so I can’t tell you for sure, but by my estimations we’re looking at two parts soul and one part rock, seasoned with blues and funk and simmered with just enough reggae to cover the mix and add flavor.

In all actuality, Lopez’ songs are more reggae in spirit than in style. “Let’s Rise” and “Pholk Souljah” lean more into blues and “Stranded in Babylon” and “The Bored of Education” turn into all-out funk and soul jams, while their imagery and themes of social change are more indicative of their reggae influences.

I’m inclined to think that Lopez is an even more affluent guitar player than he lets on here with his tasteful, but reserved playing. If “Save Ourselves” and “I’m Alright” are any indication, Adam’s got an inner Hendrix screaming to come out in a live setting.

So try to find out by catching a live show. Lopez will be at Boston’s (with his full band) next Fri., Oct. 13. Tony Romanello is returning to town and will be sharing the bill, along with one other band that is yet to be announced. I’ll be there to catch the buzz and you should too.

Local singer-songwriter Adam Lopez learned from legendary soul man Curtis Mayfield the way to deliver socially conscious lyrics: spike them with a bit of musical sugar.

"You know, a good melody and a hook is hard to deny," said that artist who specializes in a blend of soul, rock, reggae and folk. ". . . Most people, as soon as they feel they are being preached to, they turn you off and get defensive."

With that in mind, Lopez's latest offering, "Stranded in Babylon," is filled with tunes that pack a thought-provoking punch but also set a feel-good vibe.

For instance, on the anthemic, slide guitar-laden cut "Let's Rise," Lopez questions whether Abraham Lincoln freed Lopez's great-great-grandparents because honest Abe was "looking out for his industry."

To clarify, Lopez said his mother's side of the family is "obviously Spanish," but on his father's side, his grandfather always mentioned his roots were in Africa.

On Lopez's Bob Marley-esque "Bored of Education," he sings, "I'm told I must vote for all those who died, but we all know my choices are slim and that's not really why they fight."

Then there's the Jimi Hendrix-inspired "It's Hard to Argue With Love," in which Lopez wonders, "So
where have all the peace-loving hippies gone? We got these strong-armed politicians leading us wrong."

Lopez realizes that when he speaks his mind through his music, he's "putting a target" on his back. But that's fine with him.

"As I get older, I don't mind that," the 30-year-old artist said. "I almost welcome it."

Actually, on records to come, Lopez sees himself pushing the boundaries of what he can say even further.

"In the future, I can say more, do more," he said, "and I think people will be a little bit more open to it had I started out a couple records down the line.

"This is a good intro for a lot of people."

Now don't get Lopez wrong; he does tread into what some might say controversial matters on "Stranded in Babylon," but many of his songs are filled with messages of hope and love.

In "Pholk SoulJah," Lopez sings, "May we see the light, and walk towards the sun. May we realize the power that's inside of everyone."

After all, Lopez is a rasta man who also sings in that soulful tune, "With my words as my truth, and One Love as my root, I will sing to you."

And like any good Rasta man, Lopez sports a mane of thick deadlocks, but as a kid growing up in San Diego, Lopez said he kept his "kinky hair" shaved.

"When you're kind of the mixed kid growing up, no one really knows what you are," he said. "You've got the dark skin Balance = 30.0 ptsand kind of the kinky hair. I always kept it shaved. I was never particularly proud of it, but I wasn't necessarily ashamed of it, either."

Once he decided to grow his dreads a few years ago, Lopez realized the dreads were much more than just a hairstyle.

"Dreadlocks mean a lot of things to certain people, especially the Rasta people, so I started studying the faith," he said. ". . . I wanted to study the faith and make sure I wasn't, whether I decided to follow it or not, offending anybody by making my statement through a symbol of somebody else's faith.

"And I realized that's what I was all along: a follower, a child of the Rasta faith, which is more of a spiritual thing; it's not really a religious thing for me.

At that point, Lopez decided he wouldn't cut his hair again -- ever.

"I was going to let the locks grow," he said, "and I just kind of found my place with the music and the spirituality."

And he ultimately found his place as a "pholk souljah."

After pointing out how exactly to spell "pholk," Lopez said, "To me, folk art is of the people, which is what I want to be. I don't want to be a major-label, corporate artist who is going to go with trends and do what's hip to sell records."

As for "souljah," well, Lopez said it's "somebody who is out there fighting for their beliefs."

Lopez is indeed a soulja, one who knows how to make a poignant message go down in the most delightful way.

Lopez's disc "Stranded in Babylon" is available at his Web site, www.adamlopezmusic.com

Heading down to Austin

Yes, SXSW is right around the corner and I'm just itching to hit the road for my annual pilgrimage to the big music Mecca south of the Red River. While I haven't seen a whole lot of Tulsa bands listed on the South By schedule yet, I know that there are a few (like afterEIGHT and The Effects) that will be making the trip to show what they can do at the daytime showcases.

Another local artist that's making the trip South in hopes of stealing some of the spotlight is Adam Lopez. Lopez will be a great representative of Tulsa as he isn't bound by genre and doesn't fit any stereotypes. Live, Adam mixes a little rock, funk, reggae, jazz, soul and blues then lets the evening's vibe carry the music wherever it wants to go -- something Austin music fans should be able to appreciate.

Lopez and his band, which includes drummer Brandon Holder and bassist Sean Ammons, have secured a 5pm slot on Friday afternoon at The Chuggin' Monkey. If any of you get down to Austin for the festival, make sure and stop in to show your support.

Even if you aren't making the trip down to Austin next week, however, you can still support the band and its little road trip. How, you ask? It's quite simple, really.

The Adam Lopez Band will be playing a little "warm up" show at 8OneEight Martini Lounge this Saturday night, March 10, to help shake off any rust from the winter and jump start the group for its Austin showcase. You just need to show up to cheer the guys on and pick up some merch to help them finance their trip down and back.

Actually, Adam plans on doing a free CD giveaway for everyone in attendance on Saturday and will be accepting donations to help the group pay for its trip to SXSW. If you're out and about, stop in at 818 to check out the show, pick up a CD, and chip in some gas money to help the Adam Lopez Band get down to Austin and do Tulsa proud.