Blue Rider

Biography

Zachary Cale is a songwriter/musician originally hailing from the small town of Enon, Louisiana. His music ranges from lyrically driven acoustic balladry and American primitive inspired guitar instrumentals to cosmic country and folk rock song forms. Over the span of 10 years he has released five full length albums, OUTLANDER SESSIONS (2005), WALKING PAPERS (2008), a full band rock record SEE-SAW (2008) under the band name Illuminations, NOISE OF WELCOME (2011) and most recently the critically...

Zachary Cale is a songwriter/musician originally hailing from the small town of Enon, Louisiana. His music ranges from lyrically driven acoustic balladry and American primitive inspired guitar instrumentals to cosmic country and folk rock song forms.

Over the span of 10 years he has released five full length albums, OUTLANDER SESSIONS (2005), WALKING PAPERS (2008), a full band rock record SEE-SAW (2008) under the band name Illuminations, NOISE OF WELCOME (2011) and most recently the critically acclaimed BLUE RIDER (2013). He has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and in Europe, performing both solo and with a full band.

Upon the release of his sophomore album Walking Papers Cale was described by New Jersey’s, WFMU as a “songwriter’s songwriter” with a writing style comparable to the greats like Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, and Leonard Cohen. In concert his melodically complex guitar playing has been compared to Neil Young and Bert Jansch with nods to pre-war Piedmont and Ragtime players such as Blind Willie McTell and Mississippi John Hurt. In a full band setting Cale has been known to strap on an electric, adopting a style and delivery that flies closer to country-tinged rock songwriters such as Alex Chilton, Ray Davies and Tom Petty.

2011 saw the release of Noise of Welcome, an album that incorporated 60’s inspired folk rock, ambient drone pieces, acoustic ballads, and power pop. He was hailed by Pop Matters as “the best singer-songwriter working today. Period.” That year Cale toured the U.S. with a full band, and in solo setting across Europe including performances at the No Mean City Festival (Glasgow), the Incubate Festival (Netherlands), Festival de Pilar (Spain) and Reeperbahn Festival (Germany).

In 2012 Cale released a new 7″ single with Dull Knife Records and embarked on a tour of the UK, performing at the End of the Road Festival and a full European tour sharing dates with The Black Swans and Six Organs of Admittance.

In September of 2013 Cale’s fourth album Blue Rider was released. Praised by Pitchfork, Pop Matters, NY Magazine, American Songwriter and Spin the album features a stripped down acoustic sound implementing country blues tunings adopted from guitar legends Skip James and John Fahey, coupled with Cale’s haunting vocal delivery and enigmatic lyrics. With the addition of ethereal synth lines and electric textures over it’s acoustic foundation Blue Rider exudes an atmosphere that is otherworldly yet traditionally grounded. Upon the album’s release Cale embarked on full U.S. tour supporting the band Crystal Stilts, as well as joining them on second guitar.

Throughout 2014 Cale played over 100 shows traversing both the US and the EU. Just recently he has returned from a UK tour sharing the main stage with The War on Drugs and Sharon Van Etten at this year’s Green Man Festival and at End of the Road Festival in Dorset.

Cale is currently finishing the follow up album to Blue Rider, scheduled for release in 2015.
Zachary Cale resides in New York City.
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