Singer-songwriter gets back to hometown roots

Trevor Quillan is releasing his first solo EP.

By JOHN BENSON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

After spending the last 10 years performing in various Pittsburgh-based bands, such as Salvoiure Volley and Patchwork Blue, singer-songwriter-guitarist Trevor Quillan has relocated to the Youngstown area with one goal in mind.

“I just kind of want to be the hometown hero, the Donnie Iris of the area,” said Quillan, who grew up in Hermitage, Pa. “I’m not looking at any other grandiose steps aside from making more friends and making people happy.

“I’m not looking to take over the airwaves. If that’s where it goes, that’s where it goes, but I just want to make people around me happy. So as long as there are people around me, that’s the next step. I just want to travel with happiness.”

What on the surface could be chalked up as superfluous banter from another idealistic musician is actually based in fact. Not only did Quillan recently travel to Ithaca, N.Y., to perform at a gig booked by friends who lobbied a local music venue to allow the 31-year-old musician to perform, but he’s already planning his own music festival.

Featuring roughly 20 acts, the Furthermind Music Festival is booked for June 21 at the B&O Station in Youngstown. Originally the festival was conceived as a tribute to his father David M. Murphy. Unfortunately, he passed away last month, which means the event is now a memorial for his dad.

Musically speaking, Quillan is hoping 2008 begins on a high note with the release of his debut solo effort, the EP “Listening to the Universe Expand.”

“This is my first solo acoustic, me standing alone doing this type of project,” Quillan said. “It’s definitely different from what I did before. Everything I used to write was acoustic, but it was like acoustic jam, kind of like Dave Matthews Band and more on the jam band side.

“It’s kind of the same root where I’m keeping the eclectic sound, but this is different because it’s not 20-minute jams. It’s two-minute songs.”

Among the up-tempo tracks found on “Listening to the Universe Expand” are the sample and loop-friendly “Threw,” the backwoods bluegrass-inspired “Probably Right” and the anti-war, politically based “Soldier.”

Though Quillan said he’s folk-centric, in concert anything is possible. The artist next performs Friday at Cedars Lounge.

“It’s kind of just what’s in my mind at that time,” Quillan said. “If I’m in a folk mood, country mood … I might even rap Vanilla Ice at one point if I get so inclined to for some reason make people laugh. So it’s more of a folk-y sound with just an acoustic guitar.”

However, in concert Quillan isn’t afraid to push boundaries.

“The song ‘Threw’ was written with the intent of using loop pedals and loop stations, and live sampling as the direction I’m trying to go with my live performances,” Quillan said. “So I’m using different effects to enhance a song beyond being just a run-of-the-mill acoustic song.” 

Quillan recorded “Listening to the Universe Expand” with the notion of creating a sense of community among artists and building up the area’s music scene. The EP features members from local acts The Kellys and Zou. 

“I’m all about the local positive energy,” Quillan said, “and as long as it just keeps building, Youngstown will get better.”