Monkey House: Headquarters

Monkey House

Welcome to the Monkey House. This is the Headquarters for the magical musical adventures of Toronto-based singer/songwriter/composer/author Don Breithaupt, and it's a wonderful place to visit. The album, Monkey House’s fourth, is a guaranteed to please the group's devoted international following, and will appeal to all lovers of musically and lyrically sophisticated and melodic pop music. Breithaupt had a clear mandate for Headquarters: "I wanted to make it sound like the music that meant the most to me. All that music was made in big rooms with live bands. I resolved not to cut corners." The result is a disc with a rich and full sound rare in these days of programmed production. "There are at least ten musicians on most of these tracks," says Don. "All the keyboards are live grand piano, clavinet, Rhodes, Wurlitzer and B3. I think this record sounds warmer than anything I've ever done." Don produced the album, with invaluable assistance from renowned engineer/mixer John "Beetle" Bailey at The Drive Shed Studios in Toronto. They worked with an A-list cast of players, including guest appearances from Canadian rock stars Kim Mitchell and Rik Emmett and Steely Dan guitarist Drew Zingg and musical director Michael Leonhart. Most cuts feature horns, and judiciously used male and female backing vocalists help weave a vivid sonic tapestry on Headquarters. Breithaupt was happy to let these talented players off the leash at times. "My process is probably two-thirds homework and planning ahead, and one-third letting things happen and respecting people's creativity and spontaneity," he says. All the songs are Breithaupt originals, three being co-writes. He teamed up with fellow songwriting ace Marc Jordan on the atmospheric "Lebanon" and with his New York City-based lyricist brother Jeff Breithaupt for "Where's Mantis Evar?" and "Second Avenue Subway." A Headquarters tune instantly grabbing people's attention is the appropriately entitled "You On The Brain." It's an earworm you can't -- and won't want to -- shake. Don describes it as having "a '60s go-go feel, then there's the hip-hop vibe where I speak some lyrics, and there's a Brecker-style trumpet solo in the middle. It's unclassifiable, but I think that's a good thing." "December Girls" is a lovely pop melody beefed up with a six-piece horn section, while "Lebanon" deserves to become an AC smash. There's a funny story behind "Where's Mantis Evar?," another insanely catchy song. "In the lyrics, Jeff mythologizes him as a magical kind of guy. He was an A&R guy at Blue Note in New York, and he told us he'd come to one of our early NYC shows. Her never showed, and all night I'd ask Jeff, 'where's Mantis Evar?' We've since got to know him, and he loves the song." Monkey House's 1992 debut, Welcome To The Club, notched serious AC airplay in Canada via such singles as "Big Money" and "Just Like Me," while 1998's True Water also fared well. The latter album featured contributions by Richie Hayward (Little Feat) and David Blamires (Pat Metheny Group), bolstering the peer respect Don has always received. In 2005, Breithaupt released Big Money, a collection of singles, remasters, and rarities. Asked to describe the Monkey House style, Don laughingly offers that "I see the record as pop songs with too many chords! There's a lot of melodic content in there and strong choruses. It was a secret of Steely Dan that if you had something that stuck as a chorus, you could get away with solos." Steely Dan is an obvious reference point stylistically. Breithaupt, in fact, is the author of an acclaimed book on Steely Dan's Aja album, part of Continuum Publishing's 33-1/3 series. "I've been a Steely Dan freak since I was 12 years old. That stuff is my religion." Music journalist is just one of many hats Don has worn with style. Along with creative partner in DNA Music Productions Anthony Vanderburgh, he has been a prolific and successful writer of music for television. In 2009, the pair won an Emmy award for Outstanding Original Song for 6teen, a Cartoon Network hit series, and have earned three SOCAN Awards. Songs Don has co-written have been released by such notable Canadian artists as Alfie Zappacosta, Marc Jordan, Dione Taylor, Adi Braun and Chris Smith. His keyboard skills have been showcased on tours with the likes of Sass Jordan and Rik Emmett, and he is currently a member of Kim Mitchell's band. Artists he is currently co-writing with include Mitchell, Emmett, and Wendy Lands. The Breithaupt brothers have frequently collaborated on songs for their Breithaupt Brothers Songbook shows, a very popular series of revues at Joe's Pub in New York City that has involved such Broadway stars as Kelli O'Hara, Lea Delaria, Tyley Ross, BETTY, and Carolyn Leonhart. Seeing Stars, a musical for which they wrote the music and lyrics, was a sold-out hit during its run at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2009, while the Breithaupt Brothers Songbook has become a popular part of Toronto's annual Global Cabaret festival. In fact, live performances of their songs by such ace singers as Sarah Slean, Patricia O'Callaghan, Wendy Lands and John Alcorn were recorded for the 2009 album Toronto Sings The Breithaupt Brothers Songbook. The Toronto Star has termed the Breithaupts "one of the most interesting songwriting duos around." Don Breithaupt studied Jazz Composition at the famed Berklee College of Music and earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Film Studies at Queen's University. It is this combination of musical virtuosity and intellect that now makes Monkey House a formidable force. For a truly enjoyable listening experience, it's time to check in with Headquarters!

Price: $15.98

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