Kristian Phillip Valentino is an interesting guy, he has been working on a concept record based on the 4 seasons Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The album is based on a true love story from his past, that moves with the four seasons. In Spring the relationship starts, in Summer love grows, in Fall it starts to break apart and in Winter, the relationship ends.

As a bonus treat, we have embedded 4 tracks from the record into the interview feature below, one from Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter, why not listen to them as you read the interview?

With a voice that makes the hairs on your neck stand on end and a musical style that demands your attention, Kristian Phillip Valentino is someone you should get to know and to save you the hassle of tracking him down in his hometown, we caught up with him recently for a good chat about the record, early musical memories, future plans and the question that everyone is itching to ask, what is his favourite cheese, read on for all of this and way more….

Firstly, please introduce yourself

Hi, my full name is Kristian Phillip Valentino Giglietti. 

Tell me something about you that not many people would know.

I've moved exactly 23 times in my life. After my parents divorce when I was 11 we moved around a lot and then as an adult I was moving a lot because of music. 

You began writing songs in 2010 after a trio of events that happened in your life, can I ask you to expand on these so people know what you went through?

Yeah, in August of 2010 I experienced a month from hell. My dad passed, I lost my job and was left homeless for a while, and a girl I had been seeing since that May broke up with me. I had a guitar that had been left at my apartment a few years back from a previous relationship and she never came to pick it up. So I picked it up and started writing songs to deal with the grief.

Can I assume that the majority of your songs are based on experiences that you yourself have encountered in your life?

Yes, it's been like that for quite some time. But recently, I started a songwriting business on Fiverr and I've been writing personalized songs for people on their anniversaries, birthdays, special days, etc. It's helped me step outside myself a bit and I may be venturing into songs that don't reflect myself in the future.

Would you say that you were raised in a musical house?

Not at all. I had some family that were big music fans but not musician's themselves except for my moms younger brother/my uncle. 

You live in Asheville, North Carolina, tell me a bit about the area and what the music scene is like there?

The music scene is very vibrant here. There is live music everywhere you go around here. Even some of our grocery stores have live music inside and outside. It's awesome!

Give me a run through of your musical past…

I just started this music project in 2020 after not doing music for a few years. From 2010 to 2016 I went under the moniker, "Ramblin' Pan" and released an EP and an LP under the moniker. I took a break from music from 2016 until 2020 to realign myself personally and musically. Live music since 2020 has been much more low key even here in Asheville. So I have not been playing out much but I'm hoping to this summer/fall. 

Do you get bands coming to you when they tour or do you have to travel to see them?

Yes, finding a show for a big act locally is pretty easy.

If you were to choose 3 bands or artists to appear at Coachella Festival for 2022, who would you choose and why? (you can choose bands and artists that are alive or dead)

1. Radiohead because they are one of my favorite bands.

2. Phish so I can dance the night away.

3. Midlake because they are very under rated and I'd love to see them get the exposure they deserve.

You’re currently pulling together your debut album, "For Every Thing, There is a Season", when can fans expect to be able to get their hands on it?

Late March. I've released all the songs from the record this past year except for 1 song. I'll compile it as a full record in March.

What formats will the album be available?

CD and a download via my website

I read that The new album is a concept record based on the four seasons Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and the plot is a love story that starts in Spring and weaves through the other seasons leading to a breakup in the Winter. Can you expand on that for me?

I've had this idea in my head for years now. To release a record that moved with the four seasons. I have 3 songs for each season making up the 12 songs on the record and months of the year. The Spring portion has a folk vibe that sounds like Iron and Wine or Sufjan Stevens. It's the beginning of the relationship and so it's a fragile, happy sound. The Summer portion has a indie pop vibe that sounds like Switchfoot meets Jack Johnson. It's the summer of love and these are all cheesy love songs. The Autumn portion has an Americana vibe that sounds like Jason Isbell meets Donovan Woods. This is set 5 years in the future of the relationship and things are starting to "fall" apart. The Winter portion has a Bon Iver meets Jeff Buckley vibe. This is where the breakup starts to happen as the winter brings its death. 

I recently heard ‘Wind, Hail and Snow’ which quite frankly, blew me away, so honest, emotive and raw. I’m guessing that the music is a little more upbeat in the Spring and Summer and then tails off towards Fall and Winter?

Exactly! 

Did writing and recording the album help you to deal with the break-up of the relationship and has it allowed you to move on?

That's a long story with a surprise answer. In a month I'll be releasing who the person is and I think it might blow some people away.  

If you could collaborate with any artist or band, who would it be and why?

Probably Justin Vernon of Bon Iver because he is a songwriter that is also a producer. I'm not very tech savvy so i would love to pick his brain and learn all I could. 

What is your perfect dinner?

Sushi with an old fashioned drink or Bone in ribeye steak with a margarita. 

You recorded the album in Kansas City and worked with Claas P Jambor to produce it, how did you get on working with him?

I met Claas in 2014 sometime through a friend. Claas and I clicked really quick and he was very supportive of my songs so we naturally made a record. I recorded another LP with him for my old Ramblin' Pan project back in 2015.

I googled him and it says that he’s an artist primarily (unless I googled the wrong person)?

Yes, he is a songwriter himself. He has a decent following in Europe too. 

What is the name of the studio where you recorded it?

It was a home studio but I believe it was called CederRoom Studios in Gladstone,MO

Would you say that you were ‘hands on’ in the studio?

Sort of, I learned a lot about studio work during that time.

Did Claas have any ideas to improve your tracks as you were recording them? If so, give me an example.

Yes, so many. Wind, Hail and Snow was originally written and performed on the guitar but he had the idea for the piano. All the orchestral parts in the Spring and Summer was all from his genius mind. 

Would you work with Claas at this studio again?

Definitely, I plan on recording a solo acoustic record with him in October 2022.

You recorded the whole album in just 7 days, are we talking 14 hour days here or a little more relaxed?

So I wrote the songs in 7 days. We started recording in 2016 but during that time I was ready to take a break from music because I got burnt out doing "Ramblin' Pan". So we had the vocals, acoustic guitar, and drums done for the whole thing in a week. Then the album just sat in his computer from 2016 until August 2020. I went back and we finished it up in another week with the piano, back vocals, bass, electric guitar, etc. So 2 weeks in total.

Did any tracks take longer to record than others? Why was this?

Yes, my recent release, "Cold Hearted". I didn't think it sounded ‘angsty’ enough so when I went back in August of 2020 to finish recording we tracked me with an electric guitar, solo, and I performed it live within 3 takes. It's my favorite song on the record!

Was it a difficult album to write and record? Did it open up wounds from your relationship? Or did it offer some form of closure and allow you to move on?

Again, this is sort of a surprise answer that will be revealed more next month for the full release.  

You released a track every month from March 2021, how have these been received?

Honestly, a lot of magazines and blogs have raved about the songs but my Spotify and social media numbers are the exact same as when I started last year so I'm not really sure. I think because of all the different genre's on the record I kind of shot myself in the foot because that's VERY hard to brand, I'm learning. 

Will you be out on the road promoting the album with a few live shows in the near future?

As of now, no. Possibly a livestream show the week of release.

Do you play solo or do you have a band behind you? It would be amazing to get the full band experience….

I do solo shows, it really brings the intensity of the emotions in the songs to life.

How will you be celebrating on its release date?

Having drinks with my wife, most likely.

Tell me your favourite Saturday night and Sunday morning records (Saturday night – Getting ready to go and party, Sunday morning – chilling out at home, recovering from the night before!)

1. Saturday night would be Reasonable Doubt by Jay Z

2. Sunday record would be Harvest by Neil Young.

Are you planning on appearing at any music festivals this year?

Not at this time.

Once the album is released, what are your future musical plans?

I have enough songs written for 3 more LP's right now so I got a lot of releases coming up for 2023 and 2024. 

What are the best channels to keep up to date with your musical happenings?

My website kpvsongs.com and Instagram @kpvsongs

Lastly, the one that everyone has been waiting for…..what is your favourite cheese?

I would say smoked Gouda.

So there you have it folks, pretty much everything you could ever want to know about Kristian Phillip Valentino Giglietti or as we know and love him, Kristian Phillip Valentino. His finished album lands at the end of March and keep an eye out on his Instagram page as he’ll be completing the picture for us soon with the ‘surprise answer’ to the name of the person that he wrote the album about, he says it will shock us all and I for one am itching to know who it is….my money’s on Taylor Swift or someone on the same lines….what do you think? answers on a postcard please!

We wish Kristian Phillip Valentino every success with the release of the album and for his future plans, keep an eye out for the new material which will be landing in the near future.

Keep up to date with his musical happenings via his website and Instagram page.