Tag: Tooth & Nail

Most of you will know that Ronnie Martin has been making music since the late 80s (at least) with Morella’s Forest 1988, Dance House Children, and most famously Joy Electric, not to mention a host of side projects like Ronald of Orange, The Foxglove Hunt, The Brothers Martin, and so forth. While there’s a lot of history with Martin’s expertise in making quirky, electronic pop music, in a sense none of that matters. Not that the history isn’t respectable–but what we really want to know is, is this record going to be good?… Continued →

I’ve been listening to Ronnie Martin’s music since the late 80s, when he and brother Jason (of Starflyer 59 and many others) were known as the duo Dance House Children. That group reveled in synth-pop, but with a super quirky edge. There was nothing in the Christian nor secular markets quite like it. After two underrated albums, the pair split. Jason started the legendary indie rock monster Starflyer 59, while Ronnie carried on with synthesizer-created music in the form of Joy Electric.… Continued →

No, The Supertones weren’t the first Christian ska band. The Israelites’ first album pre-dated them by a year. But in the UK, Rev Counta and the Speedoze* (another incarnation of Ishmael United) had released a full-length as early as 1980! And perhaps some Jamaican bands that didn’t fit into the CCM/CBA mold had been active earlier than that, it’s hard to say. However, the Supertones were the first Christian ska band to release an album on a nationally-distributed label, releasing The Adventures of the O.C.… Continued →

Y’all better to get ready to put your boxing gloves on. You ready for this? Pokinatcha is the best MxPx (Magnified Plaid) album. Why? It was melodic, but still very much punk–bordering even on old school hardcore at times. It’s by far their most unique record, before they settled into the more polished pop-punk sound that everyone remembers. To be clear, I have no problem with the direction they later took (except for maybe moving further away from Christian spirituality and theology as the years went by, but that’s another post altogether).… Continued →

This band was the epitome of one of those all-too-common scenarios in 90s Christian music: the frustratingly great one-album wonder. Driver Eight released Watermelon via Tooth and Nail Records in 1996, to high acclaim from fans and critics alike, and then disappeared into the . . . well, that’s just it–we don’t know what happened! The album featured a highly-effective mix of alternative rock styles including Britpop (even though the band was American), quasi-shoegaze, and jangle pop.… Continued →

Following up last year’s big 20 I thought it was only appropriate to continue on with these “anniversary” look back at the past type posts. These are my 20 favorite albums from the year 2001, in the Christian Music realm. Read on to see what albums made the list.… Continued →

I remember when I first heard this song. It was on the Tooth & Nail Songs from the Penalty Box compilation, amidst other songs ranging from pop-punk to hardcore and everything in-between. But Blindside was hard to peg. It was heavy and raw, and kind of hardcore, but not really. There was a mild rap influence in the delivery, but it wasn’t really rapcore either. Post-hardcore hadn’t really occurred to me as a category yet. The band put the song on their debut, self-titled, full-length album and a year later released a second–both albums on Tooth & Nail/Solid State.… Continued →

Among the plethora of pop-punk bands in the Christian scene, Slick Shoes were one of the best, probably top 5 out of hundreds. Formed in 1994 in Southern California (like most Christian pop-punk bands), they released their debut EP for Tooth & Nail in 1997, then proceeded to release 6 full-lengths, a split with mainstream band Autopilot Off (FKA Cooter) and a live album. The band won a lot of points with me by taking their name from one of my favorite movies of all time, The Goonies.… Continued →

Havalina Rail Co. was a delightfully quirky, eccentric, genre-fusing and genre-bending experimental band from California. Across their 10-year career (give or take), the band dabbled in folk, ska, jazz, ragtime, blues, Americana, surf, and multiple internationally-themed genres. No two albums in their canon treads the same ground, and yet each successive opus is clearly recognizable as Havalina. The band stopped recording as HRC somewhere in the early 00s, but members have turned up elsewhere. Most notably are Matt Wignall who is a renowned photographer and is perhaps now best known as the producer for several Cold War Kids albums.… Continued →

So a new friend or acquaintance finds out you’re into music. The inevitable question follows: “what kind of music do you like?” How honest are you? Do you simply say, “I like a little bit of everything?” You know that’s not true. You can’t stand Matchbox 20. Do you try something a little more honest, but still generic, like, “mostly rock stuff.” No, that won’t work either–they might think you mean Lynyrd Skynyrd. Or are you blatantly honest with them, knowing they are unlikely to have a clue what you mean: “my favorite genre is probably shoegaze.”… Continued →

Jason Martin is back at it, never ceasing to create and release new music. The new single is called “Sunrise” and is decidedly more upbeat than the recent “Life in Bed.” Perhaps the two work as companion pieces? The 80s post-punk and new wave influences are here again, but filtered through Jason’s shoegaze and indie rock background. Check out the song on your streaming platform of choice. Be sure to download and support the artist where possible.… Continued →

I’m a sucker for all things shoegaze, including music that often falls under the wider umbrella of dream pop, madchester/baggy, indie pop and some forms of Britpop and space rock. While shoegaze had a limited representation amongst Christian artists, there were a few who really excelled in the genre. Ypsilanti, Michigan’s Velour 100 was one such artist. Led by Trey Many (who had honed his skills in the mainstream His Name is Alive and Liquorice; also a member of indie rock supergroup Lo-Tom), and rounded out by vocalist Amon Krist (daughter of renowned folk artist Jan Krist) on the debut, the band employed a trio of lead vocalists for their more accessible and also edgier sophomore effort Of Color Bright.… Continued →

"O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation." -Psalm 95:1

Today’s perfect “Christmas” song is none other than MxPx “Christmas Day” from that cherished 1999 compilation album, “Happy Christmas Vol. 2”. This compilation was released on BEC Recordings / T&N which brought some classics from artists like MxPx, Sixpence None The Richer, All Star United, Plankeye, Hangnail, Flight 180, Starflyer 59, Fanmail, Element 101, Deluxetone Rockets, and so many more. First 3 Volumes are pure classics! MxPx brought it at a time where the band was exploding with “Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo”.… Continued →

Another Song of The Day from the great Happy Christmas series of the late 90’s. The first 3 Volumes still remain some of my favorite “Christmas” collections of songs, by far. My song of the day, which is the 2nd today, Christmas Eve. Fanmail came out swinging with a punk rock classic done with their (now) classic sound. Scott Silletta (Ex-Plankeye) was always in his best element by showing a bit of edge behind the guitar and mic.… Continued →

A classic Tooth & Nail pop-punk band, Hangnail, that everyone will claim is an underrated band who definitely should have been “bigger” (whatever that means) in their time is seeing a most triumphant return to the music realm. With hands held high in applause, we welcome these posi-pop-punk gentlemen back and we welcome their brand of uplifting, spiritual punk rock with our arms wide open (cheesy Creed pun, sorry). You can pick up or stream “Christmas Hymns” on your favorite Digital Network, December 4th, through long time label home, Tooth & Nail Records.… Continued →

Head over to the Tooth & Nail Merch Site right now and order yourself a copy of “No Sir, Nihilism Is Not Practical” on VINYL! There is a limited number of copies left. This was carefully and thoughtfully put together by UnoriginalVinyl for T&N and on behalf of the band who also worked together on this Vinyl pressing. Go check it out here.… Continued →

"He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." -Psalm 147:3 Spirit Filled Post Hardcore act, Idle Threat. have released their Tooth & Nail debut "Nothing Is Broken For Good" full of passion, heart, and faith. RIYL: My Epic, Household, Paperweight, Arms for Elephants, and Trainwreck-era Boy's Night Out

Slick Shoes just released a jaw dropping new melodic punk inspired tune called “Visitors” to all digital platforms. The song will appear on the band’s upcoming EPIC new album “Rotation and Frequency” due out September 25th. Listen to the song below. This band continues to “Wow” and “Inspire” even after almost 25 years. This song is certainly no exception to the rule that Slick Shoes are one of the most powerful voices in today’s modern punk rock scene.… Continued →

It appears that all the handles for the band I Am Empire have been re-lit and are active once again. Some posts have been made and one says a big announcement is coming this week. Maybe by the time this is written and posted, the announcement will be made? The band released several independent albums/eps before signing with Tooth & Nail and putting out “Kings” in 2011 then “Anchors” in 2013. What was your favorite IAE song?… Continued →

If you asked me what the heaviest Christian release of all time was, a strong contender would be the self-titled EP from Portand’s Warlord (not to be confused with the secular heavy metal band of the same name). One of the earliest releases on the Tooth & Nail imprint, Solid State Records, their debut EP featured deep, dark, heavy riffs and lengthy songs. In fact, this 4-song effort clocks in at longer than some full-lengths, due to the longevity of the tracks.… Continued →

Tooth & Nail Records brings you “Songs From The Penalty Box Vol. 8” which feature a ton of great bands from both T&N and Solid State Records. Something to please each person. Check out the compilation on YouTube below. You can also buy on CD from T&N right here for only $5.… Continued →

Alt-Rock/Indie band known as KIDS. just dropped 2 new songs via their new label home Tooth & Nail Records. Check out the songs below in lyric video form or find them via your favorite digital network. The songs are titled “All Smoke, No Fire”, and “Pale Horse”. FFO: Foster The People, Cold War Kids, Walk the Moon, Two Door Cinema Club, The Killers, One Republic, and good music. Love the sax on “All Smoke, No Fire”.… Continued →

The band Tigerwine just dropped a new song titled “Black Water” off their upcoming Tooth & Nail Records debut record “Nothing Is For You”. Pre-order the album on Vinyl and CD right here.… Continued →

Check out this very special video of Orion Walsh performing select Slow Coming Day songs acoustically from his living room. Video premiered a couple days ago and you can watch it below. Catch Orion Walsh with a facebook live performance tomorrow at 3pm CST by clicking here. It’s going to be a great performance with some songs as well as classics. Sorry for the video cutting out at the end on this video I uploaded. I couldn’t edit the original video so I put the whole thing up as recorded without making changes.… Continued →

East Coast natives known as Element 101, have returned and will be releasing a brand new album in 2020! Yeah you heard that right. The band have entered the studio and you can see some clips of that session below. Check out their official new facebook page right here. Who here is excited about album #4? You can also follow on instagram @element_101… Continued →

I was listening to this Unashamed song the other day through one of those Daily Mix Spotify Playlists that they so graciously create for me each day and I was brought back to a different time in my youth. So much anger, rage, and hope all in one song. It’s amazing to think that an artist can channel such aggression while at the same time harnessing a profound sense of love and hope derived from a Faith in God that is bigger than oneself.… Continued →

UnoriginalVinyl and Tooth & Nail are continuing to team up on these special limited edition Vinyl re-releases. This time it is SLICK SHOES! Today, all 3 vinyl releases go on sale and ready to ship beginning today. That’s right, “Rusty” getting the vinyl treatment for first time in over 20 years, “Burn Out” getting it’s first premiere on Vinyl, and “Wake Up Screaming”, also for the first time on Vinyl. You can buy them each individually or as a 3-pack bundle.… Continued →

In a follow up to the news posted a few days ago, Solid State is releasing a special 15th Anniversary Edition of Haste The Day “Burning Bridges” with special liner notes to go with the awesome (metalcore) sounds. Vinyl goes on sale at 10am PST today! These classic vinyl releases are being produced/created by UnoriginalVinyl in association with T&N and Solid State. Make sure you click the newsletter link here and sign up to get in on the news before everyone else.… Continued →

Focused are releasing six previously unheard gems from 1993 all remixed and remastered. It is called “At Eternity’s Gate” and will be released on Vinyl/CD by Steadfast Records on December 13th. This excellent vinyl is being released in 3 different color options with a few of them extremely limited so hurry up and order before it sells out. Click here to order this incredible offering by one of the greatest Spirit-Filled Hardcore bands of all time.… Continued →