Johannes & The Secret Life
Johannes & The Secret Life is the unlikely meeting of musicians and songwriters from a variety of backgrounds. A fateful meeting at an open mic quickly led to a collaboration that birthed a new band. The two songwriters (Dani Martí, and Daniel Johannes) draw inspiration from a range of American popular music, Mediterranean, Pan-american folk. Their lyrics are influenced by years of wandering the globe— by choice or obligation— resulting in songs that speak of longing and reflection. Brooding arrangements turn unexpectedly boisterous, with tempo changes and meandering chord progressions. Johannes and the Secret Life are: Daniel Johannes, Daniel Martí, Erika Von Bank, Paul Nevins, and Shawn Maroney.
About the record
The recordings that comprise this album are layered, harmonic and uniquely rhythmic. The songs are a result of retrospection usually involving a classical guitar or an old console piano in a dimly-lit room. The arrangements start mellow and build slowly with instrumental flourishes provided by cellos, saxophones, keyboard textures to name a few. Melodies and chord patterns take sharp turns into sections that serve the movement of a story. The album took four years to complete.
The album has been described by critics as "Alt-Chamber Pop Bliss" , "The kind of record that should be played on a Sunday evening, turn off the TV and put down your phone, let it fill your house.”