Howie Beck - How To Fall Down In Public

How To Fall Down In Public began a world away from Howie's Toronto roots. In July 2007, he touched down in Paris with his proverbial guitar and a notepad. Having toured Europe with Nada Surf and Josh Rouse in 2006 Howie had been eager to return and this temporary exile in Paris changed his approach to music making. No longer confined to his bedroom as on his previous three albums, Howie's trademark introspection tilted outward. The music became more cinematic.

In the studio, Howie Beck is his own band. His one-man conception of drums, bass, guitars and percussion brings a modern precision to classic song-craft. Though he has no formal musical training, Howie has contributed horn and string arrangements to various albums. This all-around musicianship makes him a rarity among singers and accounts for his frequent studio collaborations with artists like Sarah Harmer, Hayden and Jason Collett.

Inevitably there's some conflict when one combines the role of writer, performer and producer. "The only problem with producing and performing my own albums is that the fighting between the artist and producer don't tend to end well." That said, as the producer of Jason Collett's most recent albums along with production work on Hayden's 2009 record his objectivity pointed to a new sonic direction. He waded into the painstaking, precise world of classic sounding records like Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours' and what began with a few words in a notebook grew with rollicking piano, finger snaps and rousing brass arrangements.
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