LOS ANGELES SINGER/SONGWRITER/GUITARIST
DAVID HAERLE
RELEASES SOPHOMORE ALBUM
DEATH VALLEY
15-TRACK COLLECTION GARNERING EARLY PRAISE FROM
AMERICAN SONGWRITER, BILLBOARD, GLIDE MAGAZINE,
ELMORE MAGAZINE, AMONG OTHERS
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DAVID HAERLE | Photo by Jenna Schoenefeld
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Following a series of single and music video releases, Los Angeles singer/songwriter/guitarist DAVID HAERLE is excited to release Death Valley, his sophomore album out today, May 8.
Available now via physical CD and digital release, Death Valley is an album for seekers, wanderers and grand adventurers. The marriage of guitar-driven rock to a shimmering California sound calls out to the best of classic American and British rock.
The 15 songs included on Death Valley were selected “based on a feeling and what I thought would make a good listening experience,” HAERLE explains. “Death Valley is the culmination of where inspiration took me during this period in my life. We rock pretty hard in places. We take it way down in others. I sing about renewal, how we lose our way and then find our way back. There’s a lot of love and gratitude expressed on this record and hopefully people find beauty in some of what we have done.”
Leading up to the album’s release, DAVID unveiled a series of singles and music videos: “Go Do That With Sharon,” “The Free Show,” “Edendale” and “Romy and Michele.” The response has been overwhelmingly positive and has earned the attention of several acclaimed music publications including American Songwriter, Billboard, Glide Magazine and Elmore Magazine, among others (see below).
DAVID‘s taken a unique path that has led to the release of Death Valley. His father Martin emigrated from Germany to pursue a dream of working in the country music industry and co-founded the independent label CMH Records (Country Music Heritage). His maternal grandparents co-owned the first full time country music radio station in Nashville, WENO. The King of Country Music, Roy Acuff, took him onstage at the Grand Ole’ Opry before a full house when he was 9 years of age. After picking up the guitar at age 13, he played in a couple rock and alternative new wave bands during the 80’s, before becoming a music agent at ICM. Then his father passed away suddenly and at just 24 years-old, DAVID took over the family business and has served as president of CMH Records, now CMH Label Group, ever since.
Making music took a back seat to running the label, but DAVID never stopped playing guitar and in recent years, he has returned to his passion of performing and releasing original music. His debut album Garden of Edendale was released in Summer 2018.
Here is what’s being said about Death Valley and its tracks:
“…his quirky personality and style shines through on [‘Go Do That With Sharon’]…Weirdly Wonderful…”
–Dave Brooks, Billboard, February 4, 2020
“[‘Go
Do That With Sharon’] starts out as a tongue-in-cheek survey of Erica-disapproved, Sharon-approved adventures spun over a few verses. At around 3:30 these verses give way to an epic, nearly-minute-long guitar solo. It’s a turning point that ups the stakes of the inside joke, after which the last choruses are wailed against soaring instrumentals. Capping in at almost 6 minutes, the song builds to a head-banging, highway-cruising rock number.”
–Matt Wallock, American Songwriter, January 13, 2020
“Bringing to mind the soft-spoken folk of Bill Callahan, ‘Edendale’ is a sunny morsel of acoustic folk that reflects the warm weather and blue skies of the Los Angeles neighborhood it is based on. We see David strumming his guitar casually in front of a fountain as he sings an ode to the neighborhood, and this is intercut with peaceful scenes from that very same neighborhood. It is enlightening and soothing to see this footage accompanying a peaceful song during a time when most of us are stuck inside away from the people and places we love.”
–Neil Ferguson, Glide Magazine, April 1, 2020
“The video and premise of ‘The Free Show’ work together as well as any video we’ve seen, and may well alter the listener’s outlook on the world surrounding him or her. That may be a bold claim, but check it out.”
–Suzanne Cadgene, Elmore Magazine, February 27, 2020
“…quite good in a provocative, optimistic way…with a driving rock beat and infectious chorus is ‘Go Do That With Sharon.’ It, too, is getting a buzz through its accompanying video…the last choruses soar against a ‘big’ instrumental sound. This is a blissful six minutes of rock ‘n’ roll to savor…Find your own favorites; this listener found several.”
–Jim Hynes, Elmore Magazine, May 5, 2020
“Sounds akin to bands like America, John Denver and John Hiatt are created by guitarist, composer and vocalist David Haerle on this upbeat album…strong vocals on ‘I Want To Be Like Him,’ with pretty mandolin by [Carson] Cohen sounding like a breezy ‘Ventura Highway’ on ‘The Free Show,’ and the chiming ‘Forgiving Myself.’ Cozy piano and guitar make for ‘Ms. Bell’ while some heavy duty Telecaster is played on the East LA ‘Tellers’ with a rocker of a ‘Smoggy Days.’ Skylines both from Nashville and Malibu.”
–George Harris, Jazz Weekly, April 30, 2020
“It really is rewarding to witness artists like Roger Street Friedman who come to a career in music later in life. The perspectives they bring to their music is at times so much more interesting because of the lives they have led. The lyrics have more depth and ironically more economy. The music also can demonstrate better patience by not having to be in your face to serve up an impact that is powerful and lasting. That’s the case with LA-based singer songwriter David Haerle…Singles like the bold broad rocker ‘Go Do That With Sharon’ tap into the sonics of early influences like Frank Zappa. As with most of his writing the lyrics are expressed with a wry sense of humor and his spoken word delivery often eases the punch of their wit. But the songs lose none of their might.”
–Ray Chelstowski, Disciples of Sound, April 4, 2020
“…Haerle invites people to go along with him on a ride of sorts, and the payoff is an intricate sonic journey…‘Go Do That With Sharon’ blends a folk simplicity with driving big rock guitar in similar style to ‘Something’s Happening’ by Peter Frampton. ‘Go Do That With Sharon’ starts out beautifully enough then takes a turn, not unlike an errant motorhome going around a corner on two wheels. The quality of the music and the recording is pristeen.”
–Donna Balancia, California Rocker, January 10, 2020
Track Listing for Death Valley:
- I Want To Be Like Him
- The Free Show
- Edendale
- Go Do That With Sharon
- Romy And Michele
- Forgiving Myself
- Ms. Bell
- Smoggy Days
- Tellers
- Self Made Man
- The Groove Of The Record
- Perfect Lover
- Run And Be Free
- Death Valley
- Eureka!
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Cover art for Death Valley
For more information about DAVID HAERLE, visit:
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
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