ABOUT | Chrisd

About/releases

Chris Donley is more than just a singer/songwriter...he is the quite possibly the hardest working musician in Ohio...

When it comes to his solo acoustic shows, Chris allows the crowd to decide the outcome of the show by taking request after request, almost trying to get the crowd to stump him with his huge song list that he picks from. Choosing from album after album worth of original material and too many cover songs to list, Chris can cater his solo acoustic show to whatever event he may be representing, always shocking patrons with his wide range (vocally and musically) and getting smiles and positive responses. Or...He'll just play whatever the hell he wants...and you'll still be happy...

Keeping an intense touring schedule has allowed Chris to write his own path. Playing anywhere from 150-250/year keeps Chris busy entertaining crowds and spreading his talent throughout the midwest and throughout the states. Always working, always playing, always writing, Chris has wowed crowds and venues alike. With the positive attitude he shares with friends, fans, and clubs/venues, Chris always delivers whatever is needed for any occasion. Chris is still booking for 2024 and does still have a few dates open so get your requests in to book me at your local bar, venue, private party or event, please email me at chrisdonleymusic@gmail.com. now before it's too late!

2023

Critic City had a big year! We released a bunch of singles, videos, and more!-OUR First full-length album "Inhale the future" which is available on ALL Streaming platforms and a very SMALL RUN of CD's and Vinyl!

Another fun project that wasn't talked about much is Chris producing super-talented Pop Duo-Adam and Steve on their first full-length album "Love of a NightTime". More to come on this!

In the meantime, please SUBSCRIBE to mine, Critic City's, and LoveLag's YouTube channels!
Also, my Patreon and Critic City's Patreon that has just gone live!

Track list

1. The bigger the lie

2. Inward Kill

3. Sodium Pentathlon

4. Warning Labels

5. Heathens

6. Constant-Deceased

7. Bed rest is boring

8. Deprecipes

9. Exhale the past

10. Weeping Willow

Track list

1. Layin' in the sun (Top 40 Golden)

2. Champagne on the brain

3. (I'm takin' you to) Applebee's

4.Show us your parties

5. Yoga Pants Dance

6. Slyde

7. She needs the night

8. Druckin' Funk

9.Woulda' Coulda' Shoulda' (Loved you)

Critic City - Constant Deceased Artwork.jpg

2024-Chris decided it was time to start giving tribute to those that influenced him. As he has started recording numerous ENTIRE ALBUMS that he considers perfect from start to finish. First to be released, is his mellow version of "Siamese Dream" by the Smashing Pumpkins that he released on his birthday-January 1st.

Critic City also released "Inward Kill" and "Bed rest is boring" from the full length album "Inhale the future".

Then, LoveLag released singles for "Fried Rats", "Time to heal life", to promote the first full-length album "Time to heal life"!

Chris has also starting writing and recording his new solo album as well as a bunch of other fun surprises?

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Track list

1. Cherub Rock

2. Quiet

3. Today

4. Hummer

5. Rocket

6. Disarm

7. Soma

8. Geek U.S.A.

9. Mayonaise

10. Spaceboy

11. Silverfuck

12. Sweet sweet

13. Lluna

LoveLag-Time to heal Life Cover Vinyl.jpg

Track list

1. Time to heal life

2. Fried rats

3. Happy and I know it

4. The best of me (Featuring Dallas Riffle)

5. Husk

6. The feeling

7. Leaving with a California tilt

8. Still holding on

9. Miss Lead

10. Jabroka

2022

Critic City came out swinging with a single of "You're the best" (Joe Esposito cover from the Karate Kid),Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" and March, "No easy way out" by Robert Tepper from Rocky IV. April gave us "Into You" by Ariana Grande' and June will be "Never Surrender" by Corey Hart, and other fun covers WITH Deepfake videos featuring the band in the original videos!

Ton of other music is currently being mixed (new LoveLag, Critic City, French Donkey, as well as a few other secret projects)

He is also working on plenty of videos for his solo release, Critic City, and Lovelag.

2021

Chris came out of the gates in 2021 with the release of "Please Agree" (his 5th solo studio album).

Critic City also put out 2 singles (My charity featuring a cover of "Caribbean Queen" by Billy Ocean and Going Dizzy featuring a cover of Dua Lipa' "Physical" as well as acoustic versions of a few songs off of "Brand New War".

He is also working on plenty of videos for his solo release, Critic City, and Lovelag.
Needless to say, Chris is also working on new Critic City material as well as a few other secret projects!

Track list

1. Going Dizzy

2. Sink or run

3. Going Dizzy (acoustic version)

4. Sink or run (Acoustic version)

5. Physical (Dua Lipa cover)

Track list

1. My Charity

2. Letters

3. My Charity (acoustic version)

4. Letters (acoustic version)

5. Caribbean Queen (Billy Ocean cover)

Track list

1. I promise

2. All night forever

3. Hero in you

4. Wake up

5. Let down

6. Hear for you

7. My only brother

8. Meaningless

9. Pretty Death

10. Ears of the wise

11. Please Agree

2020

Critic City-Quid Pro Quo single (Including a cover of The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights")

LoveLag-Every Generation Got It's Own Disease (Fury in the slaughterhouse cover) (Single)

Critic City-REcoiled Single (Featuring a cover of Halsey's "Without You")

LoveLag-1

Critic City-Brand New War (EP #3)(Featuring a cover of Harry Style's "Watermelon Sugar")

Critic City-Jingle Bell Rock Cover

Track List:

1. Latency

2. Going Dizzy

3. Letters

4. My Charity

5. Sink or Run

6. Watermelon Sugar (Harry Styles cover)

Track list:

1. Show Business

2. Swine

3. I'm yesterday

4. Every generation got it's own disease (Fury in the slaughterhouse cover)
5. Missing

Track list:

1. Honor Amongst Thieves

2. REcoiled

3. Without me (Halsey cover)

4. Honor amongst thieves (acoustic version)

5. REcoiled (acoustic version)

Track list:

1. Quid Pro Quo

2. Quid Pro Quo (acoustic version)

3. Let go (acoustic version)

4. Blinding Lights (The Weeknd cover)

5. Quid Pro Quo (video version)

2019

Critic City (featuring former members of Via The Sun-Derek Hatfield, Brian Hanculak, and Steve Simbeck) join Chris and friend Andrew Lenthe on bass to release the first EP of many, "Four Chambers or Six"on Itunes, CDBABY, Spotify and everywhere on the web. The band has currently shot numerous videos and are ramping up for their busy upcoming year! Check out http://www.criticcity.com

The band also released singles for "Shoulders" (featuring a cover of Ariana Grande's "Into You" and acoustic versions of both songs) and "Cliff Diver" (featuring a cover of Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy" which the band did a shot-for-shot video of)...AND...

Another EP entitled "In the silence there's a sound featuring "Quid Pro Quo", "Honor Amongst Thieves", and "Let Go"...The band is currently working on EVEN more music to release in 2020.

Chris also hopes to continue building his YouTube following (his solo channel and Critic City's) by filming a ton of songs.

Track list:

1. Honor amongst thieves

2. Quid Pro Quo

3. Let go

4. REcoiled

5. War dodger

6. We built this city (Starship cover)(

Track list

1. Shoulders

2. Into you (Ariana Grande' cover)
3. Shoulders (acoustic version)

4. Into you (Ariana Grande acoustic cover)

Track list

1. Cliff Diver

2. Bad Guy (Billie Eilish cover)

3. Cliff Diver (acoustic version)

Track list

1. Arson of a bitch

2. Shoulders

3. Heart roulette

4. Hostage

5. Cliff Diver

6. Livin' on the edge (Aerosmith cover)

2018

Chris decided that he would take a break from Pop Rocks Cleveland and focus mostly on his solo shows/recordings as well as moving forward with some of his favorite musicians that he's played with for years. Members of Via The Sun have decided to move forward with a brand new band and a mass of new material...The new band is called Critic City and there are many plans for the upcoming year!

Donley has also been a member of Salvation Syndicate since formation a few years ago. The debut album from the band saw the light of day in early 2018 as well.

Track listing:

1. Right between the eyes

2. Spoiler

3. Holding on

4. The Fire Below

5. Be Alright

6. Ghosts

7. Am I right?

8. One more day

9. Grace

10. The Hanging Tree

11. Forgiveness

2017

Chris has just released "Her Eyes On", the new solo album that he recorded at Creekside Audio with Wes McCraw (McCraw was at the helm for "First Person Point of View" and "Sunshine"). The new album is a mix of different styles of pop/acoustic/and rock even featuring a cover of Howard Jones' "No one is to blame" and vocal guest appearances from Dallas Riffle (who also designed the new album artwork) and Scott Paris (who plays with Chris in French Donkey).

Chris also saw the release of his acoustic/pop duo named French Donkey wit "Make Gold" that he did with Scott Paris in early 2017. Going against everything that everyone in the "industry" suggested, the pair decided they would put out as many songs as they could (actually, as many as they could fit on a cd) so they wrote and recorded 25 songs in the last year (only 21 will fit on the album but bootlegs and b-sides will be available as well). The pair had so much fun and the songs came so easily, they almost can't wait to write and record the next record (which plans have already been made to start working on a new record in the fall). Having been friends for years, the pair decided it was time to do another French Donkey album as 10 whole years have passed since the first album!

Chris also released 5 albums worth of unreleased Sindust material that has never been heard. Everything from demos to b-sides to live tracks, old-school Sindust fans should enjoy all of it.

Chris released "1889" that he recorded at InDigital Studios with producer Steve Simbeck and followed that with a successful solo tour of the United States. 35 dates in 40 days as far south as Chattanooga, TN all the way out to Los Angeles and San Diego, California and back.

The album has a mixture of mellow acoustic songs, pop songs, and rock songs, "1889" will make fans of all pop/rock genres love the album.

With so much talent and drive, Chris feels he never spreads himself too thin with the various projects he is associated with but instead makes sure that all of the projects produce nothing but the best.

Track list

1. I promise

2. All night forever

3. Hero in you

4. Wake up

5. Let down

6. Hear for you

7. My only brother

8. Meaningless

9. Pretty Death

10. Ears of the wise

11. Please Agree

Track listing:

1. Cozy

2. Seven years

3. Never the bride

4. Raised Questions

5. Takeaway (Featuring Dallas Riffle and Scott Paris)

6. No one is to blame (Howard Jones cover)

7. Webs...

8. ...Destiny

9. All aboard

10. King

11. Look with your eyes

Track listing:

1. Listen

2. Nowhere

3. Up

4. Knockout

5. On & On

6. Everybody wants to rule the world (Tears for Fears cover)

7. My poor friend

8. Blame

9. Once upon a time (Featuring Dallas Riffle)

10. Regift

11. Lost

12. Blue Gray

13. Arms Length

Track listing:

1. Moonshine

2. Hello to goodbye

3. Farewell to old friends

4. Thank you for you

5. Cancervive

6. Thinking Big

7. Fiddaliddleloop

8. No such thing

9. You might just think

10. Blue water

11. Real estate

12. Sunshine

13. Fiddaliddleloop (Explicit)

14. Real estate (Explicit)

Track listing:

1. The Colonel (for Justina)

2. Dandelion

3. Hold

4. Passion vs. Reason

5. Sleepwalkers

6. Hide and seek

7. From me to you

8. I'm sorry-I don't love you

9. Sellout

10. Veins

11. Lost and found

12. Hands

13. I told you so...

Chris Donley Discography

First Person Point of View-(2007)

Sunshine-(2011)

1889-(2014)

Her Eyes On-(2017)

Please Agree-(2021)

With one of his rock projects, Via the Sun, Chris has taken a step back and has become the sole frontman of the band...something he's never been able to do before as he's always had a a six string or a bass tied to him. Joined by guitarist/phenom/producer/simbot Steve Simbeck (Who also produced Chris' solo album "1889" and all of the Via The Sun albums), Mark Gordon (also a member of Sindust, Salvation Syndicate, and Pop Rocks Cleveland with Chris) on bass, Derek Hatfield on guitar, and Brian Hanculak on drums, Via The Sun continues to push the boundaries with endless catchy hard rock songs and exciting live shows. Via the Sun's first full length album was a massive success as the song "Cliff Diver" won "Best song" in Cleveland Scene Magazine in 2012. The band has already garnered a very large fan base and opened for countless national acts such as Buckcherry, Taproot, Saving Abel, Alien Ant Farm, 10 years, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, and more!

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Track listing:

1. All the way home

2. Kill Hollywood

3. Free advice

4. Cover

5. Save Change

6. Leperace' (acoustic)

7. Nowhere (acoustic)

8. Hooks (acoustic)

9. Convenience Kills

Track listing:

1. Leperace'

2. Hooks

3. C'est la vie

4. Magic 8

5. Idol Lies

6.. Won Love

7. Every now and then

8. Grave Robin Hood

9. Dissuade

10. Wrist...

11. ...on your list

12. Balance

13. Anchors Away

Track listing:

1. Right between the eyes

2. Spoiler

3. Holding on

4. The Fire Below

5. Be Alright

6. Ghosts

7. Am I right?

8. One more day

9. Grace

10. The Hanging Tree

11. Forgiveness

Via The Sun Discography:
Theatrics (2012)

Parallels (2012)

Perceptions (2013)

Closure (2014)

Via The Sun-Rituals for Kings DVD

Via The Sun-Live on Crooked River Groove DVD

Check that band out at (songs and videos)

http://www.reverbnation.com/viathesun, on youtube, itunes, and cdbaby.com.

Also the lead singer/guitarist for the Cleveland based rock band Sindust, Chris has been able to take a break from that band to focus on Critic City and his solo career.

Sindust Discography (Official Releases):
Sindust-(1997)

Kiss of the Napalm-(1999)

Live Hot Sex!-(2000)

Sucking the Inspiration-(2001)

Back from the back-(2006)

...Not Trust Mirrors-(2008)

Live in Erie-(2017)

Fuck Jersey-(2017)

Use Your Chinese Illusion Vol. 1-(2017)

Use Your Chinese Illusion Vol. 2-(2017)

1 Takes-(2017)

Sindust Live in Erie DVD