Band: Since October Title: This Is My Heart Label: Tooth & Nail Review By: JoshIVM
Tracklisting:
01. Emily
02. My Heart
03. Beautiful
04. Disaster
05. In This Moment
03. Guilty
07. World To Me
08. Live To Die
09. Follow Me Down
10. Waiting
11. Everything
Since October is a band we’ve covered on IVM long before they signed with Tooth & Nail. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly they won a new band contest we ran way back. Brandon can either confirm that or tell me I’m way off. I have said since I first listened to their EP that’d they’d be a great pick for the Nail. They would provide the label with another nu metal/hard rock group that would hopefully follow in the footsteps of success that Thousand Foot Krutch has achieved. The band’s EP, Gasping For Hope, were pretty impressive for an independent group, and for those who are familiar you’ll notice many of those early songs reappear on this album. Unfortunately, the band did not live up to my expectations with This Is My Heart.
Since October sounds like many of the other bands in the hard rock/nu metal realm, most notably bands like Disciple. At times they have a bit of a P.O.D. vibe which isn’t surprising when realizing that Marcos helped co-write a few tracks. “My Heart” would be a typical sounding song for this genre. Chunky guitars, thick guitars, with pounding drums mixed with a sing/scream approach. However, when listening to songs like “Beautiful” you’ll be able to notice a bit more use of melody than some others in the genre. This is an incredibly catchy track and a likely contender for the second single. It also features some of that guitar chugging but focuses more on the melodic approach. The chorus is big and catchy which is a must in this genre. “Disaster” was chosen as the first single and is similar to “Beautiful” in most aspects. “In This Moment” is the ballad of the album and a potential single for Christian radio that isn’t into the hard rock.
Overall Rating: An impressive, yet at times repetitive, debut for the foursome from Florida. If they focus hard on staying on the road they will be able to carve a place for themselves in the market. Hopefully a bit more variation will be seen on future releases as well. This band has a lot of crossover potential and I truly hope to see them do some secular tours. (6.5/10)
Band: Secret And Whisper Title: Great While Whale Label: Tooth & Nail Review By: JoshIVM
Tracklisting:
01. Blonde Monster
02. You Are Familiar
03. Vanishings
04. XOXOXO
05. The Actress
06. Spider Besider
07. Looming Moon
08. Attacker
09. Anchors
10. Werewolves
11. Lovers
12. Great While Whale
You probably know the story by now. There was a band named Stutterfly who lost their vocalist. They replaced him with Charles Furney and due to how much his vocals affected their sound, they opted for a new moniker. So began Secret And Whisper. It certainly didn’t take long after that for T&N to scoop them up. They were last in a series of signings of bands from the Great White North but also the ones with the most potential for success. You also have undoubtedly heard the comments that this band is a complete rip-off of Saosin and Circa Survive. I think this is predominantly due to the fact that Charles’ vocals are similar to both Anthony Green’s and Cove Reber’s ranges and approach, but there are musical matches as well. However, while I due acknowledge the similarities, I wont go so far as to call them rip-offs. So that’s the back story if you want it.
For a band in this genre keep the music upbeat and surprisingly heavy on the majority of the album. Normally if a band is going to keep it heavy they will throw in some screams and I’m glad this band didn’t. The opener, “Blonde Monster” is a great build-up track and begins to introduce you to Furney’s range, before jumping full on into “You Are Familiar“. This track is a perfect track to introduce people to the band. Through the song it shows the various sounds the band provides throughout the rest of the disc. “XOXOXO” is the single, which is a driving, heavy track with a killer chorus! This band really knows how to write great songs, as it was hard for me to find any weak tracks on this album. The band also slows things down on tracks like “The Actress” and “Werewolves” which focus more directly on Furney’s vocals than the music.
Overall Rating: I have played this album straight through numerous times and have yet to get sick of it. If they are a “rip-off” as people claim, they are a mighty good one. In fact, I’d say that Secret & Whisper has released a better album than the band people claim they copy. This album was by far the most enjoyable out of T&N’s new crop of debuts lately. Great White Whale has provided with me with every I wanted in an album like this and will definitely be heard emanating from my speakers for some time to come! (9/10)
Standout Tracks: “XOXOXO”, “You Are Familiar”, “Werewolves”
Band: Kingston Falls Title: Armada On Mercury Label: Facedown Records Review By: JoshIVM
Tracklisting:
01. The Christening
02. Armada On Mercury
03. Too Hot For Cold Feet
04. On Contentment
05. The Great Divide
06. Freakin’ eXtreme!
07. The Illusionist’s Dream
08. Songs & Fables
09. Curse of Might
10. Dry Skin (Moz Def)
11. Sand Castle Karma
12. Too Bad About Your Situation
Kingston Falls in the past few years have lost a vocalist and been bumped on to Facedown from its imprint Strike First. Their debut on Facedown and first with Nate Lambright Dale, their new vocalist leading the way, recently released. I had previously reviewed their last album and ranked pretty low because of the mix between vocalist and band, so I was hoping for a change there. Sadly, I could probably just write the same review because it is my complaint once again.
After the short intro, which I did like, the vocals were an immediately noticeable issue for me. The opening guitar lick was cool and then came this raspy scream. It sounded like someone who’d been on the road and their voice was shot. The singing during the chorus was great but again didn’t fit with the screams. This is pretty much how I felt about most tracks until I reached “Freakin’ eXtreme!“. This was the band’s first single and I think a mistake to release. It really got me excited for this album which turned out to sound nothing like this song. It is the odd man out here. Sadly, I wish the album sounded more like this. I’m assuming that the vocals here were also done by Nate and I see no reason they couldn’t have done this throughout the album. If all of the songs on the album were like this it would have received a 9 of 10 or higher guaranteed. I think there are plenty of parts throughout the album as it is that this punk metal style could have been utilized. Some examples are upbeat tracks like “Curse of Might” and “Too Bad About Your Situation“. Much of the singing on the album would fit a more punk oriented album as well. But enough of my hopes, you’ll have to decide for yourself on this one.
Overall Rating: They are better all around since releasing Crescendo Of Sirens, but I still cannot get into them. They just keep picking the wrong vocalists. Neither of the vocalists were bad, but with the sound they are pursuing it just doesn’t work for me. Some of the music here is awesome but I can’t enjoy it with the vocals. This band could be so much better if they wanted to and I think “Freakin’ eXtreme!” and other portions of songs show that. My opinion, switch the screams for yells and do more singing to go with the punk/metal/hardcore approach. (6.5/10)
Standout Tracks: “Freakin’ eXtreme!”, “Too Bad About Your Situation”, “On Contentment”
A few friends came into town this past weekend so that we all could hit up the Stronger Than Hell Tour in Allentown, PA. It is quite amazing how all the details came together because these friends are limited to Saturday shows which never seem to work out. Oddly enough for once things did work out and all of them could go, so we met up on Saturday afternoon and drove just a bit over 2 hours to what hopefully would be an extremely enjoyable show.
Thankfully the crowd wasn’t huge! The last time I attended a show here it was for Underoath and when I arrived the line was all the way around the city block. I hate being packed like sardines into a small club so it was nice that it wasn’t a sell out. Due to my planning, and a pizza place across the street to waste time, once inside it only took a few minutes before Advent took the stage. I had been looking forward to seeing these guys despite the fact that I didn’t enjoy their album as much I had hoped to. They delivered pretty much exactly what I expected but the crowd was not into it. The hardcore kids were the extreme minority at this show and it showed. Just a few kids were attempting to dance. I felt bad for the band because hardcore bands feed off of the crowd. Regardless of the lack of crowd participation they put on a quick but solid set.
The Famine took the stage next and flew through a good portion of their recently released debut, The Raven and the Reaping. They were tight and easily the heaviest band of the night. The crowd began to stir a bit more during their set and the band did their best to encourage movement. As their set continued the crowd did begin to get into them more. I was very impressed with the band’s show. Nothing too crazy or out of the norm. No dancing around or jumping or anything of that sort. Just flat out, knock down metal.
Oh, Sleeper were the band that really got the show started. It’s safe to say they gained a good number of fans. They were all quite lively and the crowd responded well. As with the other young bands that opened this tour they played a good portion of their debut on Solid State. I didn’t expect this band to be as good as they were but I definitely will be seeing them again. This is a band I’d highly recommend seeing live if you get the chance. Definitely an up-and-comer on the label!
Many people were probably in attendance because of Living Sacrifice. It certainly was the seller for me, although I probably would have attended regardless. This wasn’t my first time catching them live as I’d seen them anywhere from 3-5 times before (hard to remember how many Cornerstone sets). They played a great mix of tracks from all their Solid State releases. Highlights were “Enthroned“, “In Christ“, and “Symbiotic“. I was hoping to hear one of the new tracks live and also to hear “Reject” once again but unfortunately that didn’t happen this time around. They were as fun to watch as I remember years back and I’m really excited for their upcoming full length due out in early 2009!
This was my first time seeing Demon Hunter. I can’t say I’m terribly familiar with all of their material but I knew them enough to like them. After watching their set it made me wish I knew all the lyrics. They were by far the surprise of the night for me! The band was extremely tight (although the music isn’t terribly intricate) and the vocals were dead on. They played quite a few songs from the new album and most of the favorites from the past ones as well. The crowd really surprised me here as well. Most of them knew the lyrics and were singing along. They often carried the songs as the mic was held over them. I didn’t realize that DH had so many dedicated fans up here but apparently they do. If I wasn’t a fan already this show would have won me over. It’s too bad they don’t tour because they definitely could get on some bigger tours and gain fans.
Overall it was a great night and one of the better shows I’ve been to in years. If you can check out this tour before it ends I recommend you do.
Album: My Grandfather, the Cubist
Artist: Joy Electric
Label: Tooth & Nail Records
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. Victorian Intuition/ Father Winter Replies
2. Rudimentary Animation
3. Draw for Me, M.C. Escher
4. Four Gone Pierre (Or What Electricity Made)
5. The First Time I Loved Her It Was Here
6. I Recall the Telephone Booth
7. On Being Principally Utopian
8. Whether by Horse, or Horseless
9. Only Copernicus
10. Prelude to Cubism
11. My Grandfather, the Cubist
12. Cubism Interlude
I must admit, I am a sadly late passenger of the Joy Electric railroad. Today I browsing a local used CD vendor and came across a copy of Old Wives Tales from 1996 and thought, man, this guy’s been around forever. I wonder what he sounded like back then, towards the beginning. I mean, I heard “Monosynth” (repeatedly) on that one BEC sampler and I saw some videos on those old T&N tapes, but I never actually had a whole record until the recent Hello, Mannequin. So my review of this record is more from the stance of a music fan in 2008 than of a longtime friend of JE.
And the reason this is sad is because I have trouble getting into a lot of this disc. From what I can tell, I probably would have liked his stuff from the 90s better. Which is a little strange for me to say, because from what I can tell, almost all of his material sounds the same. I mean, I like this album. I really do. My Grandfather, the Cubist is full of smart melodies and even features some further electronic experimentation on tracks like “Draw for Me, M.C. Escher.” The problem is that it sits in my collection as an occasional guilty pleasure. As I listen right now, “Four Gone Pierre” is sounding great through my speakers, but on previous spins, I’ve been tired of this style by the end of the album and wanting to change it to something else. It’s good; it’s just not something I can listen to for very long. Again, the dark minimalist sound of “The First Time I Loved Her It Was Here” is a beautiful thing in my ears, one of my favorite JE songs of all time, but overall the music is just a little too close to those Sonic the Hedgehog games that dominated my childhood. And Ronnie Martin’s vocal approach isn’t what it used to be either. He seems to have forgotten his higher, crisper singing voice and gone for a deeper almost whiny sound (a la Brand New, Bright Eyes, etc) that doesn’t really fit. For an example of what I’m talking about, listen to the chorus of “Whether by Horse, or Horseless” or the verses of “I Recall the Telephone Booth.”
My advice for Ronnie is to go back to the happier, poppier sound that his music had before the Legacy series. I can definitely appreciate the artsy, darker side of Joy Electric that has been prominent of late, but his songwriting is really at its most enjoyable when it is more accessible, such as the old “Lift Up Your Hearts” or even “Children of the Lord.” But as it stands, My Grandfather, the Cubist was another worthwhile effort. A few rough points here and there, but on the whole, it really is a good musical offering. “Only Copernicus” is especially good, with the upbeat chorus and the weird bleeping experimentation. Overall though, I was just hoping for a more substantial directive development.
Oh, and by the way Ron, that Christmas album was sweet. I’m looking forward to the next one that I hear is currently in the works. Also, while I have you on the line, did I ever tell you that “Cubism Interlude” presents an interesting aspect of your work because it is straight instrumental, therefore not constrained by the verse-chorus approach? Perhaps you should make an instrumental record as well. That, my friend, I would also look forward to!
As I write this, it’s 1:46 A.M. I spent most of today working and most of the last hour listening to the latest acoustic, digital-only Alkaline Trio single. I wasn’t actually planning on writing this review right now; I’ve been trying to songwrite for the past few hours. I’m not having any luck. I’ve been stuck with writer’s block since October (no pun intended). I don’t think We Shot The Moon have ever (in their rather short career) had this problem. I say this not because We Shot The Moon manifest born natural-sounding songwriting ideas throughout Fear and Love but because it feels like the band took any old ideas that happened to grace their collective heads, jotted them down quickly without bothering to, you know, make sure they were good ideas, and thus a record was born.
Time out. This may seem a bit harsh. You might be thinking, “Hey, Headless, weren’t you rather fond of the EP? You gave it a pretty nice write-up.” Well, yeah. And I stand by what I wrote there. Let’s start by talking about the EP, though. Sans the closer (and probably the best song) “Welcome Home,” it’s all here. It smacks you across the face the first time you try to listen to Fear and Love. I know bands breaking into the scene for a debut often re-release EP tracks. No big deal, right? Generally, maybe, but most of these bands don’t make the first three debut tracks EP cuts. Fear and Love opens with the all-too-familiar “The Water’s Edge.” It’s not a better song than it was on the EP, when it was, well, a mediocre song, with a fairly nonsensical, somewhat pleasant (for the first couple of listens) chorus. It was forgettable on the five-song EP, and it’s a forgettable opener here.
Time out again. Is that such a big deal? After all, Composure opened with the fairly mediocre “Shades of Grey” and was a positively great record. Let’s not be hasty. Point granted. The next two cuts are two of the record’s best. “Sway Your Head” and “LTFP” are catchier (if anything) than the opener, and they don’t make you feel like an idiot for listening to them. The lyrics are much better, and the songs are overall more interesting. Well and good. The next cut is “Faces.” It sounds pretty much like the previous three tracks, except with a chorus that not only isn’t as catchy, it’s not half as competent as the previous two (”If you slow down, could it ever be this fun? In a small town, with nowhere else to run, give it time; figure it out. Get in line and narrow it down. You’ll go farther than you ever thought you could.“). The idea is simple enough, but it sounds like the lyrics sort of needed to rhyme after that, and so the band threw in basically whatever words rhymed, no matter how cliched the sentiment or how little the finished product makes sense. Not that it’s not a fun listen, but it makes the listener realize that We Shot The Moon should probably mix something up right about now.
And they oblige. “Perfect Time” is, up until the chorus, a rather endearing (if slightly simplistic — not always a bad thing) piano ballad. And then the chorus hits. Why We Shot The Moon insist on ruining good song ideas with dull, choppy, power-chord infused choruses is beyond me. The lyrics are trite and repetitive enough (“You are, you are the only one for me. You are, you are the only one for me. I tried for years to get this right. I’m not about to lose this fight.”) without sounding like Jonathan Jones is covering the latest Hinder ballad. And for the record — anyone writing lyrics for a band, please, please, please heed my advice — never under any circumstances should keeping a girlfriend be compared to winning or losing a fight. This is a very bad idea.
The rest of the CD, believe it or not, is sort of like this. “Hope” and “Julie” are pretty decent songs until the band unleashes their inner nu-metal group. The former has a reasonably dumb first verse, a pre-chorus that makes it sound like the song might turn out to be great, and an incredibly disappointing (and did I mention plodding? It’s practically a breakdown, for heaven’s sake) chorus. “Into the Blue” has a truly atrocious chorus and bridge. “On Your Way” is very close to being a good song, and then Jones breaks out a vocoder. Wow. We’ve really sunk that low. It’s still pretty close to being a good song, and considering the mediocre (and that’s sort of generous) chorus lyrics, that says a fair amount. You get the picture.
No, the record’s not entirely this poor. “Tunnel Vision,” immediately following “Perfect Time,” puts it utterly to shame. This is a piano ballad that’s interesting, that isn’t stupid (not even the hippie throwing the narrator a peace sign), that is reminiscent of the tale of the prodigal son, and, perhaps best of all, that sounds nothing like Nickelback. “Upon Waking She Found Herself A Cougar” proves that the band has written more than one totally perfect mid-tempo pop tune (the other being “Sway Your Head”). It’s the best track, musically speaking, on the CD, and it proves that the departure of the Sherwood boys hasn’t hamstrung We Shot The Moon completely; they really can do better than post-grunge-with-pianos. The lyrics are very well done; they really can do better than, well, most of the other lyrics on this CD. The vocals and the hooks are to die for. While this makes for an excellent listen, it also leaves this listener wondering how much of Fear and Love went so wrong.
We Shot The Moon fade out after “Please Shine,” a truly moving love song that is, well, pretty much everything “Perfect Time” isn’t. But by now, the damage has been done. Some of the songs on this disc are truly near intolerable. Lyrical examples ranging from mildly trite to absurdly poor are not in short supply. The number of genuinely interesting musical passages can be counted on one hand. Even the chorus hooks, the true pop staple, are sometimes just forgettable. I’m not going to tell you you definitely won’t like this CD, and with eight of the twelve tracks available for streaming (see the above links) and the CD only $6 on iTunes (and cheaper with an eMusic plan or free trial), you shouldn’t take my word on anything I’ve said here. As for me, though, I don’t know if I’ll ever listen to half of these songs again. Before I thought We Shot The Moon’s potential was nearly limitless and with time, their skills would far outweigh their shortcomings. Now I’m not at all sure. Boys, you’re on notice. It takes more than a few rhyme schemes and power chords to write a good pop record.
Rating: 4.5/10
Standout Tracks: “Sway Your Head,” “Tunnel Vision,” “Upon Waking She Found Herself A Cougar,” “Please Shine”
RIYL: Copeland, Leeland, Waking Ashland, Mae, Pillar’s or Kutless’s softer material.
3/20/08- Day 1 of tour had started and I was already really tired from staying up late with Jesse the previous night just talking and finishing up putting seats and seatbelts in the van. Thursday was a busy day where we worked nonstop on the van. Jeremiah and his girlfriend Meggie worked all day making a raised platform in the back of the van so we could put a futon on and have a bed (which really came in handy for Aaron who loves to read and sleep.) Friday has now come and we had to get up early to go pick up the merch and all the stuff from the practice space. Thats when we realized we had an infestation of earwigs and ants in the trailor. We had nothing to kill them with so we just kept spraying them with Febreze which actually worked. When we left the practice space we ended up meeting up with the guys girlfriends and just other great friends from the community at the waffle house. We ate and just hung out and said our goodbyes and were off on the road. We arrived in Georgia after 5 hours of driving to do a show with our new buddies Ocean is Theory. We arrived at the venue early which happend to be First Baptist Church in Woodstock which is one of the top 100 biggest churches in the United States. This church was huge so to waste time we went to the gym the church had and played four square and basketball. After getting tired from all of that we all wanted to see the inside of this huge church. We checked every door on the first floor except 2 doors thinking they would be locked, then we headed to the second floor where every door was locked, and same with the third floor. We went back down to the first floor just to see if those doors were unlocked and by some miracle they were. “We entered the core”, as I said, when we went in. For some reason Aaron thought that was hilarious. Jeremiah also came up with the brilliant and hilarious idea that someone should change all the lights to the clap on lights so when people are at church and started clapping it would be like a rave and no one would know what was going on. I think we laughed a good hard 5 minutes on that one thinking about peoples reactions. Anyways, the show was amazing of course, but what was funny was my buddy Joel (who is on this tour and also works for IVM) and I kept mistaking the ”scene” guys for girls. At the end of the day what really grabbed me and was awesome was just staying at Josh’s house (lead singer of Ocean Is Theory) and just him and his family opening their house to people they have never met and being just so friendly and awesome to us meant alot. I guess I am just not used to this because I have never been on tour, but its great there are people that are out there who care about the ministry this band truly is and that they would do anything to help a bunch of smelly bearded guys fulfill that ministry. That was preety much it from our busy first day of tour and what I learned, but I am sure there are tons of more stories to tell coming up for the rest of this tour.
Artist: The Myriad
Album: With Arrows, with Poise
Label: Koch Records
Release Date: May 13, 2008
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. You Waste Time Like a Grandfather Clock
2. “Get on the Plane”
3. Forget What You Came For
4. A Clean Shot
5. The Accident
6. Holiest of Thieves
7. A THoseand Winters Melting
8. Polar Bears and Shark Fins
9. Throwing Punches
10. “Don’t Let Them See You!”
11. Braver than the Rest
12. Stuck in a Glass Elevator
The arrows, of course, are these twelve songs. And the poise is to take over the world. Or at least the current music world. Yeah, it’s that good. And I don’t think I’ve said this in at least two years, but what really sets this record apart in my mind is the bass. It may not stand out as immediately as Jeremy Edwardson’s soft, smooth, crisp voice or the intricate drum rhythms supplied by NAME, but it is indeed the bass guitar that completes this album. The bass lines are thick and solid, molding everything together with power and control, adding a darker edge to an otherwise poppy band. The rock and roll exits on With Arrows, with Poise in a very jazzy, crooning sort of way, as opposed to a blazing, crunching guitar-driven kind of way. But even though these roots are more easily traced to The Animals or The Doors than to Guns N’ Roses or Nirvana doesn’t mean The Myriad can’t rock. “The Accident” could fit very easily on the next release from Lovedrug or MuteMath. But important that how rocking a record can be is how original it is, and this is where this band really shines. “The Holiest of Thieves” stands out for this reason, with one of the most creative blends of mellow and intense sounds I’ve heard in a while. The flow is perfect, and the bridge is fantastic. The whole disc maintains a consistency that helps keep things easy on the ears, but the creative juices behind it know how to still create a grand variety within that consistent sound. A much more up-beat, happy sound is heard on “A Thousand Winters,” whereas “Get on the Plane” is more spacious and epic. The piano helps broaden the sound, along with some electronic additions here and there, including a drum machine. As I sit here now listening to the album again, “Polar Bears and Shark Fins” reminds me a lot of something from the Water disc of Thrice’s Alchemy Index. It has the same, well, watery feeling, and Jeremy’s vocal approach even sounds similar to Dustin Kensrue’s on that EP. I have no doubt in my mind that With Arrows, with Poise will be featured in multiple magazines and websites at the end of this year as one of the top albums of 2008. The songwriting and production are both incredible and work together wonderfully, and artwork is pretty sweet too. A great blend of melody and energy, of pop and rock.
Artist: Man Alive
Album: Man Alive
Label: B& Recordings/Doghouse Records (US)
Buy: The IVM Store
Review by the Headless Horseman.
1. If You Breathe, You Bleed
2. The Things Left Worth Dying For
3. In Spite of All
4. Invincible
5. Stick Around
6. Mission Abort
7. Morningside
8. Laugh or Cry
9. Until Somebody Screams
10. Proud To Be Un-American
11. Myth vs. Fact
There’s something great about listening to the artists we can still unabashedly call punk.
Before I go on, let me clarify that: I am not here referring to bands like Black Flag, whom I would consider hardcore. Black Flag, while important in their own way, really aren’t much fun to listen to. I am also not referring to bands like Relient K and Fall Out Boy, who play pop music with semi-distorted guitars. These bands, while certainly fun in their way, don’t really carry over the heart or the energy found in punk and often sound like their music exists only to sell the hooks; they come off as somewhat manufactured. (This is truly an age of style over substance, a prioritization we attribute mercilessly but often correctly to today’s powerpop and pop-punk bands.) Bands I’m referring to include (in the secular realm) the Lawrence Arms, Social Distortion, Face to Face, No Motiv, Leatherface, Against Me!, and (in the “Christian music” realm) Too Bad Eugene/Thrush, Ace Troubleshooter, Hangnail, Ghoti Hook, MxPx, and Dogwood. You get the type I’m talking about? Good. Where was I?
The beauty of listening to today’s punk music is that the listener doesn’t sacrifice either intelligence and competence or catchiness and memorability for the sake of the other. Hangnail wrote as a matter of course hooks every bit as good as those of Relient K, but they didn’t sound cute while doing it. Ghoti Hook made you think a lot more than Hawk Nelson does (see “Mach 3,” “Lullaby”), and even so their songs would stick in your head for days on end. Sadly most of these bands are gone from the Christian music scene today. Lamenting the direction Tooth & Nail Records has taken in the latter part of this decade has become the cool thing to do, but even so, it’s hard to look back and not wish that some of that style had remained. The departure of punk from Tooth & Nail paralleled its departure from prominence in Christian music in general.
Into this kind of a scene enter Man Alive. They’re a rad Israeli punk band. They follow in the footsteps of the bands listed above. They’re very catchy. They write anthems that can make you contemplate, make you believe, as well as make you sing at the top of your lungs. On their fourth CD, they tear through an entirely enjoyable, often even an epic half-hour of unforgettable hooks, poignant lyrics, and some truly impressive guitar playing (”Invincible,” “Mission Abort,” “Morningside”) with hardly a misstep; only the somewhat plodding “Stick Around” feels out of place, and in large part it redeems itself with a catchy guitar riff and a solid chorus.
While Man Alive isn’t the kind of record that you can pigeonhole as a “summer album” — this seems to be reserved for cutesy powerpop albums short on substance and theoretically long on fun — plenty of these songs won’t be out of place when pedestrian hear them emanating from your car stereo. Arguably the album’s best song, “In Spite of All,” an anthem about loving an unlovable friend, has a hook that’s just dying to be played for everyone you know. Punchy cuts like “The Things Left Worth Dying For” and “Mission Abort” should also be quite enough to get your toes tapping and your hands air-drumming within a few seconds.
Make no mistake, however: Man Alive write with substance and meaning. They take on tough issues — and I don’t mean tough issues like feeling down or being dumped by your girlfriend. I mean tough issues like youth being brainwashed by militant Islam (”Myth vs. Fact”). I mean tough issues like many of the people in America renouncing personal accountability for their actions and forgetting the principles this country is founded on (”Proud To Be Un-American” — Note: this is the meaning of the title; the band is presumably asking us “What makes you so proud to be un-American?”). Tough issues like the soul’s struggle between good and evil (”Mission Abort”) and inevitable sorrow even in a universe where God promises to make everything right in the end (”If You Breathe, You Bleed”). In fact, “Laugh or Cry,” arguably the album’s other best song, contains one of my favorite lyrics of all time: “I don’t want to see you through these clouded eyes…[I] wanna live forever, but a different life.” You’ve been warned: Man Alive aren’t content to just be playing in your stereo. They want to challenge you.
I remember discussing in the forums a while back why no artists that played with the energy and the heart of those on labels like Fat Wreck Chords are prominent in the Christian music scene today. Man Alive are a band like that, and what’s more, they have a message to bring. This record’s very catchy and very fun to listen to, but it may take you a while to get into like it did for me. But this is a band that’s really worth listening to, not only because they give secular counterparts like the Lawrence Arms and Against Me! a run for their money — and believe me, in my opinion, that’s a huge compliment — but because they bring profound thought into a genre that often lacks it. This one will almost certainly make my Albums of the Year list, because when it’s done not only competently but in exemplary fashion, punk music makes for a really awesome listen.
Rating: 9/10
Standout Tracks: “In Spite of All,” “Mission Abort,” “Laugh or Cry,” “Myth vs. Fact”
RIYL: Hangnail, No Motiv, Too Bad Eugene, Ace Troubleshooter, Against Me!
Artist: Ocean Is Theory
Album: “Into The Mouth Of Lions”
Label: Independent
Review by: Billy G
Recording their debut EP, “Into the Mouth of Lions” with Matt Malpass (Copeland, Rookie of The Year) and Matt Goldman (Underoath, As Cities burn, Cartel). Ocean Is Theory is yet another group that severely impresses me. These guys are young,(Four out of the five members are still in high school) but that does not limit their musical ability at all. Recently being selected as one of the 16 winners of the New Band Showcase Contest for Cornerstone Festival, these guys have a very bright future ahead of them.
This 5 song EP shows amazing songs,talent, and plenty of potential for a great full length. It opens with Plant Your Fields and right from the get go you can tell this band has intense passion for their faith. Lyrically this album is filled with scriptural references. From the song By No Means, the chorus belts out “Must we force this grace to increase? By no means!”. Taking an apparent liking to Romans the band keeps up with the theme on More than Conquerors with the lyrics, “We are more than conquerors by your grace”. Musically speaking these guys tend to lean towards the indie/emo/rock outfit. With well placed melodies and melodic vocals this EP seems to be flawless. While there is a bit of un-originality with their choice of genre, they do indeed add a bit of there own blend to the mix. Songs like “By No Means”, carry catchy choruses and amazing falsetto. The apparent single for the album titled, “Oh Broken Son” has a darker undertone to it while carrying the same strength the rest of the EP has. This song is where OIT does something I love, an epic chorus. Too many bands rely on catchy hooks or sing alongs, yet this seems to come naturally to OIT all without being overdone. Overall it’s a solid effort from a very young and very promising band.
8.5/10
For Fans Of: My Epic, Number One Gun, Search The City
Band: Inhale Exhale
Album: I Swear
Label: Solid State Records
Review by: Kimberly J
Tracklisting
01. I Need A Space Ship (Instead I Got Problems)
02. Its Myself Vs. Being A Man
03. The Impatient Will Suffer
04. Is The Fact That Im Trying To Do It, Doing It For You?
05. I Live The Bad Life (You Make It Worse)
06. No One Is Invincible
07. The Words That We Have Chosen
08. Drink Till We Drop
09. Ill Die with No Friends And A Grin On My Face
10. Fluvanna
11. Knowledge Priceless
Ryland Raus-Vocals
John LaRussa- Guitar
Jeremy Gifford- Bass
Chris “Gator” Carroll- Drums
The past few years have seemed to be a good place in time for Christian metalcore artists to stretch their limbs a bit. Many bands have taken the opportunity to test the waters of experimentalism (yeah that’s a word) and different musical textures. One of the bands taking this step of musical acceleration is Inhale Exhale. Their debut album “The Lost. The Sick. The Sacred…” held a nice hand few of standout tracks and memorable moments for me, leaving me with a great impression of the band and their musical style. Two years later they’ve graced us with their latest creation, I Swear…
One thing that initially stood out for me with this record was vocalist Ryland Raus’ vocal stamina. I had speculations of his vocal greatness, but this album has really given me that push to just accept it. Not only is he a great screamer, he has the vocal chops that can make a song from thunderous and epic, to personal and intimate. After listening to the first track off of the new record, “I Needed a Spaceship (Instead I got Problems)”, I definitely got that original Inhale Exhale feel; hard hitting, with big, ridiculously massive, guitar riffs! The second track on the record “It’s Me vs. Being A Man”, might actually just be one of my favorite songs as of right now. It has this slow groove to it that manages to stay cohesive with even the heaviest parts of the album.
I Swear… has some common metalcore qualities such as anthem type songs; Inhale Exhale just has a different approach. I don’t want to get over analytical, which I tend to do on a regular basis, but even within the guitars there seems to be a voice only our hearts can articulate. That’s sort of a crazy statement to make, but I mean it. The songs on this album can seriously raise up something inside you and become fluid and intertwined with your own heartbeat! It’s an awesome feeling!
I could really go through and tell you how wonderful each song is, but I have to refrain myself this time. I hate to just bring this review to a halt, but I can’t help but say I Swear… is just an all around win: musical quality, vocal quality, lyrical quality; everything! This will be the recorded I put on when all I want to do is feel consumed by compelling music. This will also be the record I turn on when my friends and I want to hardcore dance in my living room when my mom isn’t home. So in all, I Swear rocks…Inhale Exhale rocks…Enough said!
9/10
Standout Tracks: It’s Me vs. Being a Man, Knowledge = Priceless, The Impatient Will Suffer
Band: Jadon Lavik Title: Roots Run Deep Label: BEC Recordings Review By: JoshIVM
Tracklisting:
01. Come Thou Fount
02. Blessed Assurance
03. Tis So Sweet
04. My Father’s World
05. I Surrender All
06. Wondrous Love
07. Turn Your Eyes
08. I Need Thee
09. Take My Life
10. What a Friend
11. Amazing Grace
I love hymns. To me, there is no way I’d rather worship than to sing those timeless songs. I realize the praise & worship movement is all the rage now but they will never have the same impact on me. Those were my feelings upon attempting to listen to Jadon Lavik’s new release “Roots Run Deep”. I am no longer terribly familiar with every CCM release as I was when I worked at a Christian bookstore but I still keep up with what’s out there. Most of the newer hymn albums turned me away because their focus was on modernizing the songs. Thankfully, Jadon avoids this and in turn receives my support. He makes these 11 tracks his own while not straying too far from the originals. You will notice many of the titles here such as “Blessed Assurance”, “Come Thou Fount”, and “I Surrender All”, however Jadon has come up with new arrangements for these beloved favorites. The popular CCM artist Fernando Ortega joins him on “Tis So Sweet” and that turns out to be one of the best tracks on the disc. As is the style on the rest of the album, the music here is simple only utilizing an acoustic guitar, piano, and some light percussion. “Amazing Grace” is one of the songs that did stand out because of the arrangement. Jadon went for a more blues/jazz approach and it suprisingly worked with me.
Overall Rating: An excellent project which I honestly did not expect to like! Roots Run Deep might just be my surprise album of the year with its refreshing take on many classics. I think those looking for an natural, intimate worship experience will greatly enjoy this album and I definitely recommend checking it out.(8.5/10)
I like music and lyrics that tell a story. I’ve always been a fan of records that, when listening to them, give the listener a feeling that they are partaking of something bigger than just a cd: records that seem to take individuals on a journey. Such is the case with “Dead Alive”, the latest release from Soul Embraced.
Firstly, what stands out the most is the production quality in comparison to other releases from the band. One of my big gripes with some of the earlier metal releases from Solid State, particularly past releases from Soul Embraced, had to do with the production value. Such is not the case with “Dead Alive”. In fact, it’s top-notch. Finally, listeners have a Soul Embraced record where everything sounds exactly the way that it should sound from a production standpoint. For example, on previous releases from the band certain songs would feature guitar parts or drum parts, even vocals that sounded off in comparison with the other parts in the song. If nothing else, the production quality on previous Soul Embraced records would always seem to come up short in comparison with other metal bands during the time period of release for their past cd’s. Not so this time around. Everything is featured blaring perfectly through whatever system you choose to pump this record through.
You want metal? You’ve got metal. Soul Embraced cuts no corners on this one, giving the listener a meaty, hearty, helping of punch-you-in-the-mouth-meat-and-potatoes metal. The music hits hard and it does so from the beginning. Heavy guitar riffs, raspy/gutteral/hissing vocals, Mega Man-esque guitar solos, and pounding double bass pedals fill the brunt of the record. There are even moments that are reminiscent to a smooth guitar riff that could be found on any Guns and Roses record. Such is the case within the bridge of “Crawl” which features a slick guitar riff that rhythmically moves and pounds the listener before climactically cascading back into the chorus. Another soft moment is on the beautiful acoustic track “In Memory” which seems like it’s been placed on the record with the sole purpose of relaxing the listener and allowing them to breathe before destroying them on the next track.
After listening to the new Soul Embraced, I have to say in an unequivocal manner that this is metal done right. The music is in your face and it makes no apologies. Basically, what I’m saying is that it speaks for itself and stands on its own. The cd is nothing short of greatness. It’s the best release from Soul Embraced to date and it hearkens back to the days when Zao, Living Sacrifice, and Extol dominated the Solid State roster. And not to be a downer on the new breed but, as they say, those were the good ol’ days.
(8/10)
Standout tracks: Curtain of Deceit, The Devils Reflection, Crawl, Into Darkness
p.s.-how about we get a METAL tour featuring Living Sacrifice, Becoming the Archetype, The Famine and Soul Embraced?
Artist: Underoath
Album: Survive Kaleidoscope
Label: Tooth & Nail/ Solid State Records
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist (for both CD and DVD, unless otherwise noted):
1. Intro (Salmarnir)/ Returning Empty Handed
2. In Regards to Myself
3. It’s Dangerous Business Walking out Your Front Door
4. You’re Ever So Inviting
5. To Whom It May Concern
6. A Moment Suspended in Time
7. Young and Aspiring
There Could Be Nothing after This [ONLY ON DVD]
8. Writing on the Walls
9. Everyone Looks So Good from Here
10. Casting Such a Thin Shadow
11. Moving for the Sake of Motion
12. A Boy Brushed Red, Living in Black and White
Before I actually start this review, two things must be understood. The first is that while this is a combined live CD and live DVD, both of which contain pretty much the same track list, they are in fact separate recordings from the same tour. The DVD takes place all in one night. It is a film of a single show on October 28, 2007 at The Electric Factory in Philadelphia, PA. The CD, however, is a compilation of various recordings from several dates throughout this tour last fall.
The second thing to understand is that I love Underoath. I have from the moment I heard “Letting Go of Tonight” on This Is Solid State Vol. 3 and from the first time I saw the video for “When the Sun Sleeps.” Since then, I have been a loyal follower, and I can’t wait for the new studio album to be released in the coming months. In fact, when Define the Great Line dropped almost exactly two years ago, I rushed out and bought the deluxe version with the DVD and better artwork on the first day. That said, I have had quite a long time to become quite familiar with the material on that record.
Which leads to my dilemma with the actual review here. See, only three songs come from They’re Only Chasing Safety. And the nine others are all from Define the Great Line. For a band with three (or five) records under their belt, that seems like a pretty limited selection. So once I actually got this thing into my CD player and started pumping it out of my speakers, all I could think of was, “I’ve heard all this before.” Literally. Sure, it’s a live recording, but they seem to not be into the whole funny stage banter thing, so it’s basically just an exact replica of their last release, except with the songs rearranged and a bunch of cheering thrown into the background. The sound quality is impressive, and I applaud the engineers and everyone else involved, including the band for being so on the spot with everything, but for someone who has already spun Define the Great Line as many times as I have, it just comes across as a simple rehashing of old songs. Well played, well recorded… but give me a little more variety here. I wanted to hear funny stories between tracks, songs selected from more than one record, and maybe even a new one thrown in to get us pumped for the next release. I mean, that’s how Five Iron Frenzy did it back in the day with Proof That the Youth Are Revolting, and it has been my standard for what a live album should be ever since. A standard that is hard to reach.
Thankfully, the DVD strips me of my negativity and apathetic drivel and suddenly plops me in the front row of one fantastic concert. It’s strange that I wasn’t actually there. I do live about thirty minutes away, but I guess that’s what happens when a sweet concert is happening on the night of your anniversary. And for the record, I do not regret missing this show… especially since I now have it right here in my hands. And I must say, everything is right on. The performance itself is incredible. The lighting and everything else about the venue works well with the footage, and Underoath play through their songs in an above par quality. Spencer Chamberlain (lead vocals) connects with the crowd instantly and is able to maintain stamina throughout all thirteen songs, an impressive feat for someone doing so much screaming and running around. Watching this DVD also made me realize/remember how great Aaron Gillespie (drums and vocals, The Almost)’s voice quality is. Some singers just aren’t as good live. I’m not blaming that on Pro-Tools or whatever other studio magic exists. I’m just saying that some guys can sing great in a relaxed atmosphere like a studio and then just don’t do as well trying to run around playing an instrument on a stage for twenty to forty minutes. But not Aaron. His voice is clear and hits all the high notes with passion and flair. At one point between songs Spencer takes a few minutes to explain that the reason Underoath is around making music is because of Jesus, the man who saved his life. That little bit alone is worth the whole DVD, and it was encouraging to see and that the band said it live and the label allowed it to stay on the film.
As a total package, I’d say that Survive Kaleidoscope is a worthy purchase for any truly hardcore Underoath fan or anyone new looking for an idea of what the band is like. The DVD is obviously the superior disc, but the CD isn’t complete crap… it’s a good recording and a fun listen, it’s just not going to be anything new and exciting for those of us who have heard Define the Great Line so many times before. So if you’re like me, I’d say definitely give this thing a shot, but maybe borrow it and give it a test drive before deciding to fork over the cash.
Review by: Jason B
Track Listing:
1. Crumbs For the Murder
2. Isabella’s
3. Mr. and Mrs. Cuckoldom
4. A Bag of Marbles
5. I, Lucifer
6. It’s Always Cold In Paris
7. A Pathetic Psalm
8. Luxuria
9. On Falling Leaf
10. A Novel Of War
11. A Mountain So Big, A Question So Small
When Destroy the Runner burst onto the scene in 2006 with their ferocious debut “Saints” they were filling four minute time slots of songs with familiar breakdowns, guitar solos and chug-a-chug riffs that would make the biggest of As I Lay Dying fans question whether vocalist Tim Lambesis had been replaced with another guy. Comparisons to that other band aside, it was a record that immediately had people talking. I remember seeing them on tour with August Burns Red and I went away saying that they were the most impressive metalcore band that I’d ever seen live. A beast of a record, “Saints” was extremely powerful, but it didn’t really distance the band from any of the other bands inside of the metalcore world. Thus, their cd quickly found a spot collecting dust on a shelf somewhere in my room. Now, in 2008, they’ve returned with their sophomore release “I, Lucifer”.
The first thing that stands out when listening to “I, Lucifer” are the vocals. Former vocalist Kyle Setter surprised everyone when he jumped ship in favor of pursuing other ventures, and the band scooped up Chad Ackerman to take over. While many fans and scene kids everywhere were wetting their pants in fear of what lay ahead, DTR were busy in the studio crafting some of the most impressive vocal melodies that this reviewer has heard in awhile. Every track on the cd is epic from a melodic standpoint. Much like Underoath, the band weaves and intertwines singing/screaming vocals and music together perfectly for a sound that is just as deep as it is mesmerizing. Unlike their previous effort, this record flows along so effortlessly. If “Saints” was an elephant in terms of explosiveness, “I, Lucifer” is a behemoth in the way that it captures melodies. It’s so good that it’s almost soothing.
From a musical standpoint the band is just as heavy as they were on their previous effort, but it’s just a different version of heaviness. For example, while there are still breakdowns they seem to have so much more of a reason to be there than the ones that were heard on “Saints”. What I mean to say is that instead of just filling space and putting breakdowns into their songs because that’s what metalcore bands do, DTR have advanced past that, seemingly now using breakdowns to their advantage to aid in their new sound because the flow of the song really called for it. Gone are the random guitar solos, but in their place can be found some of the more catchy and memorable guitar parts and fills that will be heard on any release in the genre this year. Every guitar part, every drum fill, every breakdown has a purpose. The result is a much more powerful, emotional, and memorable record than the majority of the releases of their counterparts in the scene.
While “Saints” seemed to be intent on pummeling the listener by trying to be the most brutal, take-no-prisoners metalcore record possible, “I, Lucifer” is content with offering the listener the chance to grow and mature with the band. One can almost get the sense that the lyrics from the song “Isabella’s” are almost like an anthem from the band to let the scene know that they are fine with what they’ve produced, what they’ve become, and where they are headed: “You cannot stop us, this is who we are”. Sophomore slump? Not a chance.
(8.5/10)
Standout tracks: Isabella’s, Mr. and Mrs. Cuckoldom, Luxuria, On Falling Leaf
Artist: The Famine
Album: The Raven and the Reaping
Label: Solid State Records
Release Date: May 27, 2008
Reviewed By: Caleb T
Track Listing:
1. Scar The Earth
2. Behemoth
3. Consume, Devour, Repeat
4. The South Will Rise
5. Death Threat
6. Killing For Sport
7. Cut From The Stone
8. Ascend
9. Another Foot To The Shovel
10. Unending Silence
11. Stitched In Plastic
When you think of the word “famine”, deep growling vocals, fast guitar riffs, and endless double bass usually aren’t the first things that pop into your head. This, however, is what The Famine have given us with their Solid State debut “The Raven and the Reaping”. Sticking to the trend of reuniting, The Famine, which consist on members of ex-Embodyment, have brought back the metal sound we all came to know and love during the Living Sacrifice, Extol, and yes Embodyment era. This is a nice break from the usual metalcore, emocore, or ____core that seem to be saturating the music scene these days.
From the very first track, the listener is sucked into the experience. Beginning with a chant of “Rise” which is sure to get anyone pumped for what’s ahead, the first track “Scar The Earth” kicks off the album with a bang that never lest up. The best part about the entire album for me were the vocals and the message they carry with them. The production quality is excellent to say the least. Listeners can still manage to hear every word clear despite being accompanied with heavy guitar and an endless amount of double bass. The message that is portrayed in the vocals is the most impressive part. The usual themes of death and destruction are clearly present through out the entire album. It’s the hope and light at the end of the tunnel aspect that is found in the songs are what set this apart from others in the same genre. It’s reassuring to hear a band that’s not afraid to put thought and emotion into every single word that is said in the cd.
You can’t review a metal album without mentioning the guitars that come along with the territory. The guitar riffs start early and don’t stop until the last second on the album. They mix well with the other aspects. Not once did I feel overwhelmed or lost in what was going on. My only complaint is that the guitar parts are so intricate that the bass gets lost in the mix. This is quickly forgotten once you get deeper into the cd. There are even a few guitar solos thrown in that offer and nice break before the onslaught begins once again(see Death Threat).
Overall Rating: This pick up was an unexpected surprise when I decided to give it a listen. I honestly wasn’t expecting much from The Famine’s debut but I was proven wrong. Every song on the album seems like a little story in itself. This makes the cd easy to get into and easy to listen. I found myself anxious wanting to see what the next song had in store. I do, however, have a few small complaints. The songs are relatively short. This is disappointing because I found myself want to here more and more. My only other complaint is that a few of the songs tend to have the same heavy guitar and double bass the entire time. It would have been nice to see The Famine try to incorporate some fresh music that often isn’t seen. They did place a sound clips and the beginning of a few songs which I have always liked. Overall, this is a good cd to own if you enjoy any metal cd. It’s a solid debut but mostly a solid foundation in which they should be able to grow in the years to come.
Final Rating: 7/10 Standout tracks: Scar The Earth, Death Threat, Unending Silence
The Hotshot Freight Train - The Devil Pays in Counterfeit
Artist: The Hotshot Freight Train
Album: The Devil Pays in Counterfeit
Label: Future Destination Records
Release Date: October 23, 2007
Review by: Eric Pettersson
Tracklist:
1. Love like Heroin
2. Zoltar
3. Liars Like Us
4. My Dear, Sweet Little Faith
5. Appalachia
6. Had I Known
7. Too Close to Let Go
8. My Holy Spirit
9. Don’t Fight It
10. This Train
11. On and On
Combining punk with good old rock and roll, along with a swig of indie, The Hotshot Freight Train continue to perfect their sound and strive for originality with their latest release, The Devil Pays in Counterfeit. The guitar tones, riffs, and solos are all a wonderful nod to the 70s, but the overall feel remains modern and unique, with vocals (and especially gang vocals) that show a definite love for unpolished punk. The standout track in my mind is “Appalachia,” a tribute to the band’s homeland, “where the Bible and the cross are as visible as the sun, and endless debt and addiction have our children on the run,” but the guitar solos alone in “My Holy Spirit” and “Don’t’ Fight It” are enough to set those tracks apart as well for the sake of their soul-hitting grooves and feelingful melodies. Spiritual themes are frequent but not constant, as general life issues are discussed throughout, and always in a thoughtful and poignant way.
1. March (A Prelude to Spring)
2. Love Isn’t Made
3. In My Arms
4. Baptize My Mind
5. Your Love Is Strong
6. Revenge
Folks that have followed Jon Foreman’s work since the first Switchfoot album came out in 1997 have long been aware of the fact that he is a brilliant songwriter. Jon has always seemed able to deftly pen a song or ballad that both provokes the muse in all of us, and also cuts deep to the heart and soul.
With the release of his first EP “Fall,” last autumn, it became apparent that Jon’s talents go beyond the lyrics, and extend to truly innovative and probing instrumentation. From the opening chords of “Cure for the Pain” to the lingering falsetto lines of “My Love Goes Free,” it was clear that Jon Foreman’s solo work would find a stable position in the good graces of fans and critics alike. Turns out “Fall” did pretty well on the digital charts too, scaling iTunes’ best-selling albums list to clear the top 10 the first week of release. Jon’s second EP, “Winter” was fittingly bleak and melancholy, containing the painfully beautiful highlight “Somebody’s Baby”, a song which AbsolutePunk argued would be hard for ANY band or artist to top in ‘08. Strong words for an album released in the first calendar month!
Now comes “Spring,” the third of the four promised seasonal EPs. For a songwriter as prolific as Foreman, the question never was, “could he write enough songs?” but rather, how would the solo work of the frontman for the dynamic rock group–Switchfoot–translate to the intimate setting of a mostly acoustic-based musical endeavor? More than that, the EPs are seasonal, a distinction which Jon takes seriously. The titles “Fall,” “Winter,” “Spring,” and “Summer,” are more than names; they set the thematic and musical tone for their respective albums.
I think “Spring” is Foreman’s most ambitious EP yet. In recent years, his songwriting has taken on a bleaker tone (one need only look at the track-listings of the last two Switchfoot records to know what I mean). “Spring” is quite a mood shift from the first two EPs, and the instrumentation reflects this wonderfully. From the opening bars of the first track (”March - A prelude to Spring”) you will realize you are being treated to some of the best the indie music scene has to offer: honest, intelligent lyricism enhanced by a lush backdrop of graceful guitar chords and up-beat brass. There is a hint of the style of Beirut in this track, a style which complements Jon’s distinctly rugged vocals.
The theme of “love” runs strong throughout this EP – as a record about life should. As Jon has often explored through Switchfoot, he again delves into the ways in which we’ve bought and sold our love like a commodity (in “Love Isn’t Made”), removing the intangibles and making it a stale commercial exchange. As in the past two EPs, Jon is not afraid to take his voice to the next level, hitting high notes with more ease in “Spring” than he has in the past. Still, the emotive power of Jon’s singing is best experienced when he softly croons a love song like he’s whispering into his beloved’s ear (a la “In My Arms”).
“Baptize my mind” will doubtless remind listeners of a more stripped-down Sufjan Stevens song, but it is the message of spiritual regeneration that propels this song. Jon makes the listener pause, think, and then go “aaaah!” with smiling admiration when lines like “for these seeds to give birth to life, first they must die” grace the ears.
My favorite track is the enduring “Your Love Is Strong,” a song that Switchfoot fans have long awaited. For a EP that is full of words sung, whispered, breathed, and crooned to a human lover, it is very refreshing to see Jon sing this – the arguably best love song on the record – to his Heavenly Father. Most of the verses on this 5 minute song either quote or paraphrase a section of scripture, but the poignancy comes in the simple, repeated chorus lines “Your love is…strong enough” and Foreman’s request for “the kingdom of the heavens” to “invade [his] heart, invade [his] town.” True to form, Jon’s graceful lyrics (”Will you sell yourself to buy the one you’ve found?”) are like a choice morsel put on the top shelf; the deliciousness sitting in full view, but the reality of the tastiness unknown until it is brought down and thoroughly digested.
The last song “Revenge” is sung from a broken man who has lived his life for sin and revenge, but when he looks back he realizes that the only “revenge” exacted on him for his sin was the sacrifice of Christ. In the immediate wake of easter it is critical to remember that this is our position: deserving of TRUE revenge for our sin. What we got instead though, was not really revenge at all…it was grace. Boundless and free. Appropriately, this song contains the least amount of musical accompaniment; Jon obviously wants the focus to be on the words, which are–though seemingly esoteric at times–truly amazing.
In summary, Jon somehow topped his efforts in “Fall” with this latest EP; some of the best solo work I’ve heard in a long while. I am almost breathless in my expectation for “Summer.” Having reached the mountain top, one’s first inclination is to take a second or two to breathe the air up there, relish the moment…and then look around for any other peak that may be higher. The search for perfection, being never fully achievable, is never quite ‘enough.’
But that has never stopped Jon from trying, and he inexplicably continues to draw closer.
Rating: 8.5/10
Highlight tracks: “Your Love Is Strong” and “Revenge”
Let’s talk about pop music. Why doesn’t the underground music scene like pop? This is the question Search the City begs. After first experiencing the band, I had them pegged as a relatively uninteresting pop-punk band, but then a more knowledgeable reader here set me straight, calling them a relatively uninteresting pop band. And that’s the best way to sum up this release. Search the City are a pop band.
What exactly does this entail? First of all, the music is interesting but not groundbreaking. Give Search the City credit, however: they are interesting. Make no mistake about this. Riffs like those on “Talk is Cheap and I’ve Got Expensive Taste” and some of the other cuts here are the types that should have been present on the latest In Flames CD in abundance (and sadly were lacking). There’s plenty of 2/4 and even some cut time. “Clocks and Time Pieces” opens with a breakdown. There’s nothing that will amaze you or even surprise you, but it will keep you on your toes a bit. Is this something you can get into? Well, if Fugazi and Between the Buried and Me are your favorite bands, no. Probably not. But if you don’t hold every band to those kinds of platonic standards, then you might find Search the City pretty cool. They mix things up enough that, for the genre, their music is quite solid.
If you are a relative pop music connoisseur, your first thought upon reading the first paragraph was probably “How are the hooks?”. Well, the hooks are great. Don’t worry about this for a second. “Ambulance Chaser,” “The Rescue,” “Son of a Gun,” and basically all of the songs here will reside in your head for days. These are songs that are fun to sing at the top of your lungs. They’re fun to play in the summer (or really any month you fancy) with the windows down. And let’s face it: this is what makes pop music. Can we craft a fun song that makes you want to sing along? That’s the question. Search the City almost always deliver. Admittedly, occasionally the hooks desert them, and the results are mediocre and forgettable at best and simply undesirable at worst. I don’t ever want to listen to “To The Moon, For All I Care” again. It just kills the CD’s rhythm. But almost all of A Fire So Big The Heavens Can See It delivers on this count. Is this something you can get into? It should be.
How are the lyrics? Generally a bit sophomoric, with a fair few too many relying on turns of phrase and slices of pseudo-irony, but with a few cool metaphors (”Ambulance Chaser”). Is this something you can get into? Well, the hooks are probably good enough that the lyrics won’t get in the way, and sometimes they’ll help make the song too (”The Rescue,” “The Streetlight Diaries”). This is a major opportunity for growth, but it hardly ruins the experience.
Let’s talk about pop music. Most people really like it. It’s easy to love. Some people think it trivializes musical skill in general. That is their right. But a word of advice to these people: if you dislike everything about the current pop and pop-punk scenes, or if you insist on liking such bands almost only as “guilty pleasures,” then don’t write off Search the City as “generic” or “forgettable.” You’re stuck in your own little world, in which all that matters is how often bands can make up a new time signature or how fast they can play a solo. You can’t understand what a band like Search the City does, and you probably don’t want to. This is your right. But don’t talk about what you don’t understand. I grant you both that technical proficiency, profound lyrics, and musical innovation are all to be commended and that Search the City (in varying degrees) lacks all of these. But pop music is founded on different principles, namely, that memorable, catchy, and enjoyable vocal hooks and musical sections that allow the listener to sympathize with the lyrical standpoint, to deal with their own emotions, and to dance and sing like crazy are the main goal. And believe it or not, Search the City improve upon nearly all of their peers in this category. They really are that good at what they do.
Is this something you can get into? If you recognize the brilliance in the world’s Bleed Americans as well as its Blackwater Parks, then assuredly so.
Rating: 8/10
Standout Tracks: “Ambulance Chaser,” “Talk is Cheap…,” “The Rescue,” “In This Scene You’re Just An Extra”
RIYL: Jimmy Eat World, Run Kid Run, Anberlin, Acceptance, Number One Gun, Fall Out Boy, Capital Lights
I attended The Almost show this past Sunday night and wrote some thoughts down about it. I have never done this before but thought it might be good for those wondering if they should check out this tour which includes in support Emery, Envy On The Coast and Army Of Me.
At first I somewhat dismissed Army Of Me because I hadn’t heard of them before but these guys made me interested enough during their set to be my only purchase of their night. I picked up their album at the end of the night. The lead singer had good vocals with good backup vocals by the guitar player. They are definitely more rocky live then on the cd but still sounded pretty decent. Envy on the Coast was next up and immediately drew comparisons in my mind musically to Circa Survive or The Mars Volta. They have an interesting live show which seems pretty sporadic at times what with their one guitarist Sal switching between guitar, keys and backup or lead vocals. They did a pretty good set overall though the guy who was mixing their sound seemed to be having a hard time with putting it all together and letting us hear the individual parts…I couldn’t distinguish what any of the backup vocalists were singing for most of their show. Now on to Emery - I had only seen them before do an acoustic show so this was quite a treat. I thought at one point that they now had 3 vocalists but I was told that they still have the same main 2 vocalists (Toby and Devin switched between vocal lead and bass playing throughout the night) but the keyboardist also does backup vocals and a good bit of the screaming. Emery had a good amount of crowd involvement, played 2 new songs from an EP that they will be releasing later on this year and a good variety of tunes from their other 3 albums. This was not a super long set but had a good energy and was a good lead in to the final event of the night. The Almost triumphantly entered the stage to Johnny Cash and a huge round of applause from the crowd. They definitely went for the vintage feel this tour with a sign in the background of their name in old school bulbs and not much light production on stage apart from a few white lights here and there being manipulated (I have pictures of this which I will try to get posted). Musically they were as tight as ever (though I haven’t seen them live before). It strikes me that most people were there to see Aaron Gillespie as I’d say a huge majority of the people took pics of him and not of the other band members. As far as the stage presence of the band outside of Aaron, only the drummer really held my attention for any length of time and did a stellar job. The rest of the band did their parts but didn’t really capture any of my attention with their stage presence. The Almost did most of the songs off of their Southern Weather album including a crowd pleasing/inclusion version of “amazing because it is“, an encore of “dirty and left out” to end the night off as well as a cover of “yellow” (originally by Coldplay). After all was said and done this tour definitely has a good line up and seemed worth the 16 bucks it cost me to see the show. If I’d had the money, could’ve actually heard Envy On The Coast’s full ensamble and didn’t already have Emery and The Almost’s albums I probably would’ve picked up all 4 tonight and not just one, they were all worth it.
Well, I attended the Thrice show last night at House of Blues in Anaheim, CA. (Downtown Disney) and it was quite a show. I got there kinda late and we were hungry so we ate in the restraunt portion of the venue while Aushua and Pelican were playing. I didn’t hear either band so I apologize if I can’t comment on them. We finally finished up our meal and I entered the venue just before Circa Survive went on…..
Circa Survive went on and immediately I wanted to cover my ears. I was checking my watch all during their set. I mean I appreciate their musicianship but I’m not a fan of the vocals, sorry. I wanted to leave and come back but we decided to stay. Well CS finished up their set a good 30-45 minutes later and the crowd grew anxious for Thrice. When the Thrice “Alchemy Index” banner dropped behind the stage, the crowd was elated and cheered. It was only a banner but you could tell what this crowd was there for. The band finally took the stage after what seemed like endless minutes of set up time. This is where my review gets a little sketchy. I cant entirely remember what song they started with but it was one off of Alchemy Index. I believe it was “Firebreather”. Everyone cheered in unison as soon as they hit the last note of the song. It was nuts. It was also unbearably warm in the venue and my legs were beginning to hurt, yeah I’m a big baby and not used to “standing” so long in a venue. Anyway, the band immediately ripped into another Alchemy Index track next and I can’t remember which one. I do know they played Digital Sea, Come All You Weary, The Whaler, Open Water, and the Frodus cover. Before all this went down, the band informed us of one very important tidbit, the show was being taped for a future LIVE DVD! So that was pretty cool. When the band decided to tear into songs from the Artist in the Ambulance album, the crowd went nuts. Everyone seemed to know the words and were singing along. It was classic. I know they played Stare at the Sun, All That’s Left, The Melting Point of Wax and a few others that I can’t remember the names to. Sorry guys and gals, I’m terrible with memory retention. In a suprising move, someone from the crowd was chanting for them to play T&C (Identity Crisis) and Dustin kindly asked them to be patient and that they weren’t going to play it just yet (I think that’s what he said of course I could be dreaming he said that, I dont know, my hearing isn’t near what it used to be. They did play an Illusion of Safety track that I can’t remember which one off the top of my head but it was good, believe me. The crowd ate up the older material and you could have sworn from the energy of the room that they were playing brand new songs but they weren’t, this was classic Thrice in all their glory. Just as I was getting fired up about the older material, my wife was kindly asking me to leave so we could get some air. I was in agreement with her and felt I needed to get outside too. This is where the story sadly ends, once we got out from behind the ropes, that was it for the evening. I knew we weren’t coming back. I worked all day and was just too tired to stand there and listen to 1 1/2 hours of Thrice, even though I regrettably wish I had. I have a feeling and I’ll have to check some sources later today but I think they WERE going to play Identity Crisis songs, maybe one or two. I am sure they played another Illusion of Safety track as well. Bummer for me. The point is this. I have grown accustomed to R
