Piloted by his longtime producer Brad Jones (Ron Sexsmith, Jill Sobule) and the partner-team of Lee Alexander and Norah Jones, Slow New York is an attempt, in Julian's words, to arrest the hectic pace of the big city and "tell stories in freeze frame." He adds, the album "isn't so much about New York, but a state of mind."

Sparsely arranged without studio gimmickry, the CD features members of the Delaware-born, New York-based artist's musical community, including Norah Jones on piano and vocals, Lee Alexander on bass, Tim Luntzel (Bright Eyes) on upright bass, Dan Rieser (Norah Jones, Marcy Playground) on drums, Kenny Wollesen (Bill Frisell, Tom Waits) on drums and vibes, Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Rickie Lee Jones) on guitar, Andrew Borger on drums (Norah Jones, Tom Waits), Jim Campilongo on guitar...the list goes on and on, with 20 of Richard's close friends joining in. Given that Slow New York is a first-person discourse, Julian, a self-professed confessional singer-songwriter in basic black, offers first-person commentary on the arduous and serendipitous route to his latest CD:

Back in 2000, Blackbird Records went out of business and for all practical purposes, so did I. The record labels were all merging, and the recording industry seemed in a state of panic. Plus there was Britney Spears. Guys with acoustic guitars and a point of view were so off the radar, we didn't even know there was a radar.

This was somewhat of a low point for me as I landed back in a day job first, a handyman at a startup Web company, then answering the phones in a real estate company office after having been a touring musician for a year and a half, including a six-week European tour opening for Suzanne Vega.

Creatively, however, I was writing a ton and finding new influences. I began to get in touch with a lot of new music through a vibrant scene on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. For whatever reason I gravitated toward a lot of jazz and instrumental stuff, but I also became involved with a great songwriter scene happening at The Living Room. It was a bit of a rebirth for me.

When Julian compiled enough songs for a record, he called Brad Jones who had produced Smash Palace. With no budget, just writing checks from my Amex card, Julian says, he set out to make Good Life. Jones set up a small rig at his house in Nashville, and Julian took his two weeks vacation at his real estate job and recorded his first independent record.

After sending the album out himself to publications and radio stations, Good Life began its slow, steady buzz, receiving coverage in The New York Times, the New York Daily News and the New York Post. The ensuing Web sales encouraged Julian to quit his day job and book his own tour: two months worth of shows in the summer of 2002. But he ended up canceling all those dates when Norah Jones offered him the opening slot on her North American Tour.

"I've known Norah for years. Jesse and I met her in Texas before she came to New York. But I never imagined such a scenario. So I climbed in a rented Buick and proceeded to drive across the continent. It was the best thing that could have happened."

Meanwhile, the songs for Slow New York were piling up. Julian was antsy to make another record. He still wanted to record with Brad Jones, but not in Nashville. Julian chose to work with the musicians in New York who had inspired him over the last few years.

"The recording wound up happening during a January blizzard. January is usually a slow month for musicians, and I was lucky to have everyone I wanted in town at the same time. And I'm thrilled to be on a label this time. No more licking my own envelopes."

"his razor-sharp acoustic-spun vignettes about life in the big city and its varied inhabitants - coupled with his honey-and-sand vocals - make this a charmingly understated effort...Julian's sparkling guitar work shines throughout, as does his wit." Philadelphia Inquirer

"...a literate storyteller for whom songwriting is a craft not an occupation, who observes and comments with a painter's eye and a filmmaker's vision... " NetRhythms

"...bursting with personality, full of captivating, intelligent songs...Richard Julian is a wonder..."Pure Music