News 5/15/07 CJ is currently working on a new album tenatively titled "cathedral". This is a marked depature from the more electrically influenced "newsongtoo" with a more ethereal and acoustic sound. There are already a few tracks recorded with more to come over the Spring into Summer. CJ may even come out of seclusion to do a show or two. Fake Chapter just released a new digitial comp "Downloading Is Fake V.2 " avaible on eMusic, i-Tunes and most of your other digital stores. n alternate take of "Somewhere Along the Way (from Cathedral), as well as, "December" (the Christmas song that would not die) are inlcuded. So support Indie labels and buy it.

May/June 2004 #42 New Jersey-based CJ Grogan is an old-school power popper. Occasional flashes of the blue collar rock of the Smithereens and Richard X. Heyman’s British Invasion-inspired classicism show up here and there, no doubt at least partially because of the presence of the producer/drummer Kurt Reil and bassist Vince Grogan with Heyman and Smithereens guitarist Jim Babjak’s side project Buzzed Meg. But the best songs are those where Grogan allows himself to stretch the parameters of the style a bit, such as the hypnotic piano-based title track, which vaguely recalls the lighter moment of Big Star’s Sister Lovers but is otherwise the most unique and endearing song on the album. Grogan cheerfully acknowledges his influences- there are songs called “Thrashing Doves” (apparently after the 80 UK proto-shoegazers) and “Bacharach”, but Newsongtoo is best when it expands beyond them. As the songs on CJ Grogan’s “Newsongtoo” progress, Grogan’s voice morphs to meet the challenges the songs request; heavy and rough becomes thoughtful and calm within the album’s thirteen tracks. Consider Grogan a jack of all trades, gaining experience and providing some insight.      Grogan comes across broad and confident in “Truth Inside My Lies,” the song of a toe tapping rock variety. Acoustic guitar leads into the focused and slow to mid tempo “Go,” its chorus’ made of a gently blended harmony. Grogan’s vocals are strong on “Thrashing Doves,” covering an expanse with a sigh as piano chords pulse in the background. “Chalk Circle” is rhythmic, banjo adding texture and interest before a bright chorus while “Bacharach” has more of a mellow, jazzy sound that is inviting and poppy. Driving rock and roll, “Colourblind” is straight forward and up tempo compared to the tranquil “Fall Down on Me,” an acoustic guitar and vocal led tune that is accented with understated sitar in the background. Grogan, awkwardly, goes easy listening on “Painted Line” as “The Once in a While,” solely acoustic guitar and vocals, uses quick instrumentation as unrushed vocals are added. Upbeat and poppy, “Turning the Beat” is driven by blended harmonies, sounding like it could be a sitcom theme song. Familiar and rhythmic, “Some of My” sounds vaguely like a Ryan Adams inspired rock and roll track. Grogan really focuses on the soft and intense “Newsongtoo” and the nice piano ballad, “Sort of a Lullaby.”       Grogan touches, sometimes briefly, on a number of styles on “Newsongtoo,” coming across with a polished, clean sound. It is difficult to determine this singer/songwriter as he goes rock one moment and showcases his conventional piano skills the next. And then there is that vague hint of Grogan’s influences which add a familiar feel to his music. I like it! This is a great example of good song writing, both lyrically and melodically. Amazingly, I like every song… The vocalist is good. He reminds me of the Smithereens or the Lemonheads. ….Over all, I like this CD and recommend it highly. Rating 4 Stars Grogan's sound, for some reason, generally reminds me of Travis. He's got a collection of classic rock-and-roll tunes mixed with Tom Petty/Pink Floyd dreamy songs. The songwriting is abstractly upfront, and his voice is of a past era. His best tracks are the somber ones, such as "Some of My" and "Fall Down on Me”…a decent collection of mellow music. Grogan is a talented enough musician to pull off this risky "borrowing" approach to pop music; he even has a few good ideas of his own, like the droning sitar that adds texture to the thick, heady "Fall Down on Me", or the resounding chords that tamper with the title track's intimate, Zen-like calm. As long as he's not faceless or forgettable or using too much wah-wah. Grogan gets away with wearing his influences proudly. His most confident songs suggest that he might even leave them behind some day. Richard X. Heyman (Journeyman Singer/Songwriter/Recording Artist) "With all the talk regarding 'the next big this' and 'the trendy new that', what do you say about someone truly talented like CJ Grogan? Well I say 'wow!' A few other words come to mind, like soulful, emotional, diverse and totally rewarding. Newsongtoo, skillfully co-produced as well as powerfully drummed by the Grip Weeds' Kurt Reil showcases Grogan's massive instrumental prowess on guitar and keyboards. But as with all the best rock and roll, it's the singing and the songs that really matter, and let me tell you CJ Grogan delivers the goods with this stunning debut." -