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Hailed by Gordon Lightfoot as a songwriter “who needs to be heard”, Craig Cardiff's newest
album 'Goodnight (Go Home)' is proof positive. While Cardiff has released 11 albums in the last
decade, this most recent studio offering feels like the album all his fans have been waiting for.
Characterized by sincere, subversive lyrics, ‘Goodnight (Go Home)’ has received early fan &
critic praise, for the understated creativity and emotional intensity usually reserved for debut
records.
Produced by Les Cooper (Jill Barber, Andy Stochansky) at Canterbury Studios in Toronto,
Ontario, Canada, the album 'Goodnight (Go Home)' features 15 studio tracks, with the
production assistance/musicianship of Paul Mathew (Hidden Cameras) and accompaniment of
Mike Olsen (K-OS, Arcade Fire), Joel Stouffer (Dragonette, Jason Collette), Lisa MacIsaac
(Mad Violet), Kieran Adams (Sarah Harmer), and Rose Cousins as well as a host of other
talented musicians.
The album has support from national radio outlets and upcoming placement on a syndicated
television series. Cardiff comments, "The strangest response has been from some club DJ’s who
have been asking to play 'When People Go' (with the chorus of 'good night, go home, there is
nothing more to see here’) as their 'end of night' song. I thanked them for their interest, but
explained that I actually wrote it for my daughter, for when she starts asking questions about
death and funerals. I wasn’t sure it would fit, but they said they loved it, that it was a perfect way
to send out a room - who am I to argue?".
While Cardiff admits to no particular religious affiliation (”cynically undecided” is his answer), the
album prods at the ideas of afterlife, love, and spirituality. “These are the questions we’ve all been
knocking around for years. There is beauty in some faith-based stories and ideas that has been
co-opted by the political right, by people who prey on insecurity in others. The album pokes at
them to not poison it for everyone”.
Intense, subversive lyrics are matched to lush acoustic arrangements, from the upbeat, piano
thumping, tongue-in-cheek track 'When People Go' (A Shel Silverstein/Harry Nilsen inspired take
on dying), to 'Heaven’, which starts as a cynical reckoning of who gets into heaven and why and
curls into a bystander's apology for Blackburg, VA.
Cardiff aims his pen at interesting targets. Case in point, the premise for the song 'Smallest
Wingless', which came from a photographer friend volunteering with the organization
www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org. Stark lyrics (sadness is just loved wasted, with no little heart to
put it inside) and beautifully framed piano and string quartet paint the picture of two parents
welcoming a newborn into the world, only to be told that the child will only survive a few hours.
Embracing new technology, the album 'Goodnight (Go Home)' is available via traditional CD
format at shows and select stores, as well via digital retailers, but there is a special live twist.
Fans can bring USB keys to select shows (listed on www.craigcardiff.com) and purchase the
album for $10 (slightly less than the physical CD). The ‘live digital’ version has all songs on the
album, plus some bonus live tracks that the physical CD doesn’t contain, as well as a booklet with
artwork. “This is directly between artist and audience. Don’t get me wrong, I love real albums –
the artwork, opening it up and reading lyrics. But the reality is that many people buy music online.
The ‘live digital’ model an ideal compromise – I don’t need to pay iTunes a percentage, fans bring
their own USB keys to the merch table at the beginning, and pick up their songs + booklet at the
end of the night.”
The environmental impact was important for Cardiff when creating this option. “Why not save on
plastic? The stats are that 30 billion CDs and DVDs are manufactured every year, while millions
of unwanted discs end up in landfill sites every month. This gives fans an option on how they
want to consume their music.”
While critics of the ‘live digital’ idea have said that it will increase music piracy, Cardiff disagrees.
“My whole career as a songwriter relies on fan support. My philosophy has always been to ask
that people share the music, through any means possible. If they like it, I ask them to come to
shows, purchase the albums. I hate the consistent industry notion that treats real music fans like
criminals before they’ve even purchased the music. ‘Live digital’ sales at shows helps keep
plastic out of landfills, which to me balances out against any potential piracy.”
The album is being supported with over 50 performance dates in the US and Canada this fall
(listed at www.craigcardiff.) , and is available at performances, as well as at select stores, through
iTunes, Maplemusic.com and CDbaby.com.