Noah Parker “Tomorrow’s Too Late”

August 16, 2017

With a powerful creative vision and unique sound, Noah Parker will soon become a leading force on the contemporary pop landscape. Songs like the kinetic pop and the effortlessly romantic “Tomorrow’s Too Late” display the singer-songwriter’s natural gift for melodic style and emotive energy, synthesizing classic songcraft, studio invention, and timeless pop smarts. Parker recently released the visuals for “Tomorrow’s Too Late”, which premiered on Huff Post.

The music for “Tomorrow’s Too Late” was produced by Emile Ghantous and Keith Hetrick, while the video was written and directed by Noah Parker, demonstrating that Parker’s creative talents span the spectrum. Parker says the video is the result of “Trial and error to some extent. I wanted to have a video that showcased the beginning, middle and end of a relationship.” Currently, Parker is in L.A., where he is putting the finishing touches on his debut EP, slated to drop in August.

Stylistically, Parker is best described as contemporary pop, meaning music that appeals to mainstream or general audiences instead of a specific group. Most pop music focuses on simple attractive melodies and memorable hooks, utilizing the verse/chorus song structure, where the chorus differs from the verse rhythmically and melodically. Pop beats are simple, as are the lyrics, which more often than not are about love and relationships. On the surface, it sounds formulaic and easy, like plugging the right pieces into the right places. But it’s not. In fact, it’s extremely difficult because the tighter the discipline of an art form, the more subjective the criteria of taste. In other words, writing a hit pop song is hecka-hard because very few people have the talent do so.

Noah Parker is one of the few who do.

“Tomorrow’s Too Late” begins with an acoustic guitar and a steady groove. When Parker’s voice enters, the song takes off. Parker’s voice transforms the music, taking it from mere guitar chords and a beat to a delightful song that exudes the nostalgia and melancholy associated with an old flame. The melody emanates tight, subdued buoyancy that’s infectious and gets your toe to tapping. Instrumental harmonics provide the melody with depth and a tantalizing wisp of recollection that never goes too far and becomes overcompensation. When the chorus kicks in, the music and Parker’s vocals soar with longing and desire for what once was, and he wishes could be once again. The ending of the tune, with its light, rapid guitar licks, elongate the yearning effect of the song.

The video provides an elusive visual familiarity. It opens with Parker strumming his guitar in front of a wall, upon which slides of a beautiful young woman flit slowly by. Then it cuts to Parker and the young woman seated at opposite ends of a bedroom, signifying the emotional distance between them. As the video progresses it segues between Parker and the slide show and his memories of the couple together: walking on the beach and watching the sunset. Yet many of the depictions are empty, or of the couple separated by vast chasms of water or dry sand, showing just how complicated human relationships can be.

The video evokes an emotional commitment in viewers, as they indulge themselves in speculations of what might have been, along with remotely conceivable explanations, all of which seem unlikely. Still, they can’t rid themselves of the potent, heady aura of faded love.

Click photo above to download broadcast master

Full Bio:

With a powerful creative vision and unique sound, Noah Parker will soon become a leading force on the contemporary pop landscape. Songs like the kinetic pop of “Fight The Feeling” and the effortlessly romantic “Tomorrow’s Too Late” display the singer-songwriter’s natural gift for melodic style and emotive energy, synthesizing classic songcraft, studio invention, and timeless pop smarts.

Born and raised in New York City, Parker began learning piano at 10 but fell in love with guitar at 13. His father, a classical and jazz pianist, instilled in him a boundless appetite for music, his diverse palette spanning the Allman Brothers Band and Ambrosia to Kanye West, Daft Punk, and John Mayer “I probably spent eight out of every ten minutes listening to music,” Parker says. “Whenever and wherever I could.”

A competition-winning teen poet, Parker switched his concentration towards film upon arriving in college. Still, his passion was and remains music. Parker spent much of his time at university privately mastering his skills as both songwriter and guitarist while continuing to direct his substantial artistic energy towards other platforms. “It took me a long time to figure out that music was what I wanted to do,” he says. “I was out of school for a year before I said this is really what I want.”

Parker traveled to Garrison, NY where he worked on acoustic-driven demos with GRAMMY® Award-winning pianist and producer Art Labriola. Though he had dedicated endless hours on his guitar and his pen, the singer-songwriter had admittedly not yet found his voice. Despite suggestions he might want to consider selling his songs for other artists to perform, Parker pressed on to create his own career. Fortunately he received vital support from his uncle, Cy Curnin of iconic New Wave hit makers, The Fixx. “Cy was the person that told me I had something special and original going on,” Parker says. “It still needed to be developed but hearing that from him meant a lot. It gave me enormous confidence and encouraged me to keep going.”

As Parker’s singing grew stronger and more distinct, so did his songwriting, the melodies and dynamics progressing in sync with his increasing talent. He continued recording acoustic-driven demos but yearned to “step up his game” with a denser, detailed sound. In October 2016, he connected with Richard Ellis, a longtime industry executive, manager and marketing pioneer. Ellis heard the spark in Parker’s songs and suggested a trip west to collaborate on some tracks.”I thought, Okay. Time to put all my chips on the board,” Parker says. “Let’s do this. I packed a bag and flew right out.”

Two short weeks later Parker was living in a small room at a long-term stay hotel in Los Angeles. Ellis took him on “a whirlwind tour” of Los Angeles’ top studio professionals, their quest culminating with GRAMMY® Award-nominated production duo, Emile Ghantous and Keith Hetrick, a.k.a. The Cartoons (Pitbull, Charlie Wilson, Boyz II Men).”Emile and Keith really got it,” Parker says. “They understood what I was going for in a way nobody else did. Emile said he had a vision for my music, which was the first time I’d ever heard that. Most producers ask what you want and try to replicate it; Emile was the only one who understood what I was looking for and what I needed in a producer.”

Ghantous and Hetrick enabled Parker to center his myriad influences into a seamless and unified whole. Parker is now spending 12-hour days at a Los Angeles studio with his collaborators, spinning his classically crafted songs into his own particular brand of instantly modern pop. Tracks like “Tomorrow’s Too Late” reveal Parker’s remarkable gift for turning expertly wrought acoustic ballads into stadium-sized anthems. “They’ve really helped me veer towards a more pop aesthetic,” Parker says. “They’ve shown me how these tiny little details can turn something from a melodic singer-songwriter composition into a really competitive pop song.”

The provocative “Radio” might well be the ideal illustration of Parker’s approach, a floor-shaking mix of sleek soul, hard-hitting hooks, and his own fearless lyrical stance. Parker is of course well aware of the inherent irony in writing an anti-pop pop song but contradictions and crosscurrents have long fueled his musical muse.”I wrote it in deep frustration,” Parker says. “I was trying to write a real pop song and it wasn’t coming out right. I was still too tied to being a softer singer-songwriter. That song was me saying how tired I am of hearing this stuff on the radio, these songs that I can’t seem to make myself. Well, it turns out I can.”

The sessions have already yielded a bumper crop of material, thanks in large part to Parker’s lifelong cache of songs and sonic ideas. He plans to release a series of tracks throughout the coming year, leading up to the ultimate arrival of his debut album.”It’s not the way most people listen to music anymore,” Parker says, “but I still have a deep love for the album format. I want to take all these individual elements and make them coalesce into something bigger and greater.”

Having found his creative voice at long last, Parker is now fully focused on the future, devoting all of his free time to writing, recording, and recruiting a live band to accompany him on stage. The goal as always is to bridge genres, cross-pollinating modern pop with more traditional aspects of craft and performance. Brimming with self-assurance, artistic vision, and a seemingly infinite songbook, Noah Parker is set to take on the world.

“I’m ready to get out there,” Parker says. “This is something I’ve been waiting to do for a very long time.”

Noah Parker “Tomorrow’s Too Late” – Official Music Video –

Click photo above to download broadcast master

Connect with Noah Parker:

www.noahparker.com

Randy M

Since 2008, I've been dedicated to supporting unsigned artists through ExposedVocals.com, evolving from platform creation to in-depth music reviews and artist discovery. I showcase talent, amplify voices, and share industry insights from legends to empower the next generation of musicians.

RELATED POSTS

POPULAR

VIDEOS