In this contest, judges pick an Ugly winner
Songwriter beats out 400 entries, becomes Bear’s Radio Star
Lynn Saxberg, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Tuesday, January 24, 2006
To thousands of people who listen to The Bear radio station, Lawson Carroll’s song, I’m Ugly Cause You’re Beautiful, has the potential to be a hit. After weeks of online voting and deliberation by a panel of Ottawa-area music industry judges, it was announced yesterday as the regional winner in the Canadian Radio Star contest, formerly known as the National Songwriting Competition.
The catchy song, marked by an infectious drum loop and a soaring hook and performed by Carroll’s band Velvetbox, was one of 400 entries submitted to The Bear, said the station’s music director, Kath Thompson. For the first time, voting was open to the public, and more than 10,000 people cast votes for their favourite of the top five finalists.
For Carroll, a songwriter who plays guitar and keyboards, the recognition is evidence of the growing interest in his music. Ugly has also received airplay on the hit-oriented Ottawa radio station, Hot 89.9, while Violet in the Snow was one of the 10 finalists in last year’s songwriting competition. Another song, And I … Like a Candle, Burn, was used in a student peace initiative, Peace-A-Chord, timed to coincide with last fall’s U2 concert in Ottawa. That song will also be included in the Canadian film, Crossing the Wake, due to premiere in Toronto on Feb. 1.
Meanwhile, copies of the band’s four-song sampler are selling well through their website, velvetbox.ca, and a full-length disc is expected by spring. Carroll says his independent label, Signal Hill Records, has been fielding calls from record companies and he’s hoping for international distribution.
“The goal is to make this as big as it can get,” Carroll says. “There’s been a lot of buzz happening over the last while and we’re just thrilled about the attention.”
While Ugly came easily for Carroll and writing partner, Scott Norrena, it’s been perfected over the last couple of years with some top producers, including Jay Ruston, the former member of Ottawa’s Thermocline who’s worked with Artificial Joy Club and Morrissey, and Nick Blagona, who’s worked with the likes of the Police, Goo Goo Dolls and Green Day.
Ugly’s sweeping nature sets it apart from old-school guitar-driven rock, but seems to fit nicely with contemporary bands like Coldplay, Radiohead and Killers.
“I’ve never been too much into guitar solos,” Carroll says. “I’m more into going with the swell of the sound, the dynamics and emotion in the song. I’m trying to be emotive as much as possible in it.”
And if you ask him what the lyrics mean, you’ll find out they’re wide open to debate. Carroll, who is a teacher at a Barrhaven high school, has had some interesting discussions with students about the tension between “ugly” and “beautiful.”
“I’ll leave it open to interpretation, but I will speak to the origin of the song,” he says. “That is that beauty is narcissist and ugly plays the martyr, and through the personification of these human qualities, the inner conflict is illustrated.”
Or, he admits, it could be about the boy-girl thing.
Velvetbox wins a showcase opportunity at the International Songwriters’ Festival, taking place March 3-4 as part of Canadian Music Week in Toronto. The band will be one of 12 regional winners from across the country.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2006