This Day & Age were a band I first heard in the fall of 2004 when their album Always Leave the Ground came across my desk at 91X. The sticker on the front said for fans of Mae, Copeland, etc. I popped it in the CD player and was treated to some great tunes that did indeed evoke the sound of those two bands. Singer Jeff Martin’s voice was able to reach the higher registers and the liberal use of piano throughout the record kept things interesting, but like most debuts some of the songs were lacking. I was looking forward to what This Day & Age would be doing next and I was very impressed last August when I got their new album The Bell & the Hammer. I know it’s clichéd to say that a band “matured” but I could really tell a difference in them. They seemed to be more comfortable in their own skin and the album was more cohesive than the one before. After enjoying this record for a couple months, I was surprised to see on the band’s Myspace page that they would be going on “indefinite hiatus,” a music industry term for breaking up. I thought it was odd that they had spent months recording and promoting a new album and then Martin decided he didn’t want to do it anymore. I guess I can respect his decision to walk away when it no longer felt right. The remaining members have since formed The Reign of Kindo. Their sound is very jazz influenced and quite different than This Day & Age, but good nonetheless. Their self-titled debut EP actually came out yesterday. But now onto today’s song which is the opener of The Bell & the Hammer. I have to say I love the bass line in this song. It’s far more lively than anything on Always Leave the Ground. I also like the use of the bells and chimes along with the excellent guitar tone. The Bell & the Hammer was an excellent CD that probably could’ve put This Day & Age on the indie map to stay. The world may never know.
Hey, my name's Jess. I just stumbled across your blog by searching for Mae fans and was shocked to also see This Day and Age on your list. I truly do think that most Mae fans would like TDAA, but they are not nearly as well-known, which is unfortunate because I agree with you that they probably could have been if they hadn't broken up. What are your thoughts on Kindo? I am loving the EP and I'm so glad Joe decided to sing.
Anyway, this is a brilliant idea. I'm pretty sure I'll be going through all your song posts that I'm unfamiliar with. Thanks for making the effort to enlighten. :)
One new song everyday until I get tired of doing it again. Click on the artist's name to get more information about them. Click on the album art for purchase information. Click on the play button to listen for yourself. Enjoy.
This Day & Age were a band I first heard in the fall of 2004 when their album Always Leave the Ground came across my desk at 91X. The sticker on the front said for fans of Mae, Copeland, etc. I popped it in the CD player and was treated to some great tunes that did indeed evoke the sound of those two bands. Singer Jeff Martin’s voice was able to reach the higher registers and the liberal use of piano throughout the record kept things interesting, but like most debuts some of the songs were lacking. I was looking forward to what This Day & Age would be doing next and I was very impressed last August when I got their new album The 
Hey, my name's Jess. I just stumbled across your blog by searching for Mae fans and was shocked to also see This Day and Age on your list. I truly do think that most Mae fans would like TDAA, but they are not nearly as well-known, which is unfortunate because I agree with you that they probably could have been if they hadn't broken up. What are your thoughts on Kindo? I am loving the EP and I'm so glad Joe decided to sing.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this is a brilliant idea. I'm pretty sure I'll be going through all your song posts that I'm unfamiliar with. Thanks for making the effort to enlighten. :)