JamisonParker was a rock/emo duo who released an EP and one full length album in their short time together. Their name, not to be confused with Jameson Parker, the actor from the 80s TV show Simon & Simon, comes from their combination of their first names. Jamison Covington and Parker Case kind of sound like the names of investment bankers, however they made some pretty good rock music. Their debut EP Notes & Photographs was released in 2003. The fives songs didn’t stand out too much from the rest of the indie rock that was coming out then, but they did show promise. Their only album Sleepwalker came out in summer 2005. Ken Andrews produced the record and also played bass, keys and sang backing vocals. The album has some pretty catchy songs but overall they kind of bleed together as there’s not much difference from track to track. Today’s song was the album’s only single and easily the best track. The chorus is especially catchy and will stick in your head for sure. Since parting ways, the two musicians have undertaken other endeavors. Covington started a new band called E for Explosion and they just released an EP called Paper Flowers. Case has started a new project called I and the Universe and is currently playing keyboards for Say Anything.
VAST is one man band that is the brainchild of Jon Crosby. VAST is an acronym that stands for Visual Audio Sensory Theater, which was also the name of their debut album which came out in 1998. What I’ve heard of that record has a somewhat industrial feel with some songs like “Pretty When You Cry” and more a British rock feel on tunes like “Touched.” In 2000 VAST released their sophomore album Music For People which mixed hard rock like “Free” with more mellow tracks like today’s song. VAST didn’t release another record until 2004’s Nude, which was probably their best release. Since then, VAST has released various remix and demo CDs and another full length entitled April, which was only available online in 2006. April has since been released in stores with six additional songs that weren’t on the online version. Today’s song is a little sad and kind of sappy, but I really dig the strings on this one. I also can’t help but think of U2 when I hear it. VAST is a group that has kind of flown under the radar but you should definitely check them out and see what you’ve been missing.
Copeland is one of several bands that have just released a b-sides and rarities compilation. Dressed Up and In Line is a collection of rare tracks, acoustic versions and covers from Copeland’s first seven years together. Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of bands constantly releasing new music, but much of Dressed Up isn’t new. True fans will already have the covers of “Black Hole Sun” (from Punk Goes 90s) and “Every Breath You Take” (from Policia!)as well as the three songs from their debut EP. The rest of the album consists of demos, alternate versions or acoustic versions of songs that have appeared on their three studio albums. Some of the standouts are the acoustic “No One Really Wins” and the alternate version of “When Paula Sparks.” The main draw for this record is today’s song. “Chin Up” appeared as a bonus track on some import versions of Copeland’s 2006 album Eat, Sleep, Repeat. Singer Aaron Marsh says in the liner notes that the song was written and recorded right after they had finished Eat, Sleep, Repeat. He notes that this is just a demo and the band intends to re-record for their next record. The song is in the same vein as Eat, Sleep, Repeat with it’s slower tempo and emphasis on keys and Marsh’s voice is great as usual. I wouldn’t say this album is rip-off because there are some cool tracks here, but don’t expect anything mind blowing. That being said, I’m still looking forward to their fourth album which will hopefully be out next year.
I featured Say Anything in a previous post and talked all about front-man and mastermind Max Bemis and the intriguing/crazy songs that he writes. It’s been three years since Say Anything’s debut …Is a Real Boy and their fans had probably begun to wonder what the hold up was. Lots of things have happened including Bemis being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and being in and out of mental hospitals and rehab facilities. Now, he and the band have come back with an epic sophomore album entitled In Defense of the Genre. The album features a staggering 27 songs spread out over 2 discs. I’ve heard of bands writing 30 to 40 songs when recording an album and then trimming it down to 10 or 12 but Say Anything just decided to release all of them. I guess it kind of makes up for being off the radar for so long, but with so many songs you run the risk of some of them being filler. I’ll get to that in a minute but let me start by saying that this record is not for the faint of heart. Bemis’ lyrics are nothing short of crass and can sometimes be construed as offensive and most of the time that’s the point. There are few songs that don’t have profanity. I should also note that the “edited” version isn’t entirely edited, some things are still there. The music on In Defense of the Genre makes the title a bit ironic because Say Anything doesn’t represent any definitive genre on this album. Yes, there’s a heavy punk influence but some of the melodies wouldn’t be out of place on Broadway. Sometimes a song changes styles more than twice in the course of three minutes, making for an interesting listening experience. Bemis reached out to his friends in the emo/punk scene and we get to hear some great guest vocals from people like Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday, Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional, Chris Conley of Saves the Day and Pete Yorn, just to name a few. It’s true that In Defense of the Genre could probably be pared down to about 14 or 15 tracks that would make a really solid album, but it’s cool that we get to hear Bemis and Co. try a few different things. Today’s song is my immediate favorite on the record. “The Church Channel” recalls Bemis’ time in a mental hospital and gives us some of the best lines on the record such as: “They let us play with markers but I keep trying to draw infinity and I read the Bible to pass the time.” The bit about the Bible might explain the recurrence of religious imagery throughout the record. This song also features some excellent guest vocals from Hayley Williams of Paramore. It’s hard to say if I think you’ll enjoy this record. I can’t really say that I fully enjoy yet. It will take a few listens and I probably won’t listen to some of these songs more than a couple times. However, if you’re up for a challenge and aren’t easily offended, take a chance on it.
Days Away are an indie band from Pennsylvania who play an interesting brand of progressive rock. The band started out by self-releasing a few EPs eventually garnering the attention of Lava Records, a major label. After finishing their debut Mapping an Invisible World, the band left Lava and opted to go the indie route, signing with Fueled By Ramen, the label known for releasing albums by Fall Out Boy and The Academy Is… among others. Being on that label, some might tend to lump Days Away in that genre, but their music doesn’t really fall into that niche. Their sound is far more expansive and somewhat spacey when compared to their then label mates. Days Away have since left Fueled By Ramen and have recently self-released a new EP entitled Ear Candy for the Headphone Trippers. You can check out the lead track “Wish” on their Myspace page. Today’s tune is probably the coolest one on their debut. It features big guitars and soaring melodies and is more than enough reason for you to be interested what these guys have in store.
When Alabama sang “Play me some mountain music” they were probably talking about the kind of music that Old Crow Medicine Show make. The guys in the band aren’t that old but play beyond their years with a sound that originated in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Growing up in the South, I’ve never had an aversion to country music. That’s not to say that some of it isn’t crap, because there is bad music in every genre. But if you dig deep enough you’ll find some gems as well. I first heard of Old Crow Medicine Show back in 2004 on The World Café with David Dye which is an NPR show that plays all sorts of music from all over the world, but mainly focuses on Americana type music. David Dye has interviewed lots of my favorite artists like Nickel Creek, Mindy Smith and even Death Cab for Cutie. It’s a show worth checking out if it’s on in your area. Anyway, I heard this song and liked it but I kind of forgot about it after a while. I was reminded of it when I saw an ad in a magazine for Old Crow Medicine Show’s latest album and I went back and found today’s song. “Wagon Wheel” is the last track on their 2004 debut O.C.M.S. Everything about it is great from the banjo, to the fiddle to the melody.
DeVotchKa is another one of those bands that I had heard of several times but had never listened to any of their music. I accidentally stumbled across them last year when today’s song was used in the movie Little Miss Sunshine. I didn’t know it was at first but this song’s mix of strings and piano had me hooked as it provided the perfect accompaniment in a scene of the family driving across the desert. I later learned it was DeVotchKa and it is the title track from their fourth album. I’ve yet to check out any of their other stuff, but maybe it’s just as good as this. And if you haven’t seen Little Miss Sunshine I suggest you go rent it tonight.
Jonezetta hail from the deep south of Clinton, Mississippi, but you wouldn’t know it from their brand of indie dance rock. Their debut album Popularity is filled with tracks that make you want to move. I first heard of them in early 2006 when I learned they had signed to Tooth & Nail Records and would be going out on the Tooth & Nail Tour. I downloaded their Four Songs EP and was immediately hooked. I was looking forward to seeing them on the tour and I kind of thought I might be one of the only ones in the crowd that knew the songs. I was wrong because nearly everyone singing along as Jonezetta made the most of their short set and blew the lid off the place. Today’s song is one that was on Four Songs but like the others was re-recorded for Popularity. “Communicate” is one of the more mid-tempo tracks on the album but is one of my favorite, largely because of the excellent bridge. Jonezetta could easily be dominating the airwaves and I’m sure they will before they’re done.
I mentioned Caedmon’s Call in a previous post that featured Derek Webb, who used to sing and write in the band. The band comes from Houston and has been a big name in the Christian market since the mid 90s. They have a mostly acoustic sound, kind of akin to Jars of Clay. Webb recently rejoined the band for their latest album Overdressed, which came out back in September. Today’s song come from my favorite album of theirs, 40 Acres which is their second full length. The album features some of their best tracks like “Table for Two” and “Faith My Eyes.” Since today is Thanksgiving I could think of no better song than “Thankful.” It was written by Webb and is an expression of thanks to God for giving us a Savior since we are “incapable of doing any good on our own.” I can’t think of a better thing to be thankful for.
My Morning Jacket are bringing back Southern rock. Their fourth album, simply titled Z, was on most critics’ top ten lists for 2005. The album has a great chilled out feel to it with lots of reverb effects on the guitars and the excellent voice of singer Jim James. Today’s song is my favorite from that album because it’s just a relaxing rock song that has a killer solo near the end. My Morning Jacket appeared on the soundtrack to the Cameron Crowe film Elizabethtown and also made a cameo as the band who jammed out to “Freebird” at the end. Last year they released a double live album and DVD entitled Okonokos, which features live versions of many of the songs from Z as well as much of their older material.
Rachael Yamagata is a singer/songwriter from Virginia. Her solo career began in 2003 with the release of her self-titled EP which was what I first heard from her. I was immediately grabbed by “Worn Me Down.” Everything from the piano, to the lyrics to Yamagata’s somewhat raspy and soulful voice had me hooked. She eventually released her debut full-length Happenstance in the summer of 2004 which included a re-recorded version of “Worn Me Down” that has a little more of a rock feel and is a bit shorter. Yamagata is gifted on the keys and they are used throughout Happenstance which also features great songs like “Letter Read” and “Be Be Your Love.” Since that release Yamagata has been working on new material and has found time to contribute backing vocals for Ryan Adams and Bright Eyes. Yamagata just wrapped up a tour with Mandy Moore and Ben Lee and is looking to release her second record sometime next year.
Remember the 80s? Stellastarr* does. This band would’ve been huge 20 years ago, but I guess they’ll have to settle for slight indie popularity in the present day. Admittedly I didn’t like Stellastarr* all that much when I first saw them on MTV2’s Subterranean back in early 2004. They were playing the video for their first single “In the Walls” and while I liked the guitar licks, there was something about singer Shawn Christensen’s voice that was off-putting. I saw the video a couple more times and it grew on me but I really got into the band when I heard today’s song. “My CoCo” is a bit cheesy, and maybe even a little over the top, but there’s no denying it’s a great pop song. From the bass line to the melody all the elements are there. The band released their second record Harmonies for the Haunted in 2005. That album is a bit darker and is somewhat comparable to Interpol, but Stellastarr* didn’t lose that great pop sound. The band are currently working on their third album, likely to be released in 2008.
I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing when I start to like music I hear on commercials. Apple has made a few hits with their iTunes and iPod commercials over the years, but I found today’s artist in a more unlikely commercial. I first heard of Hem when their song “Half Acre” was being used in a Liberty Mutual commercial last year. I think Liberty Mutual sells insurance or something, but the commercial does little to confirm that. All I knew was that I dug the song and I poked around online and found out who it was. A couple months ago I saw another Liberty Mutual commercial which had a cool song on it. I saw several times before I decided to see who it was. It didn’t cross my mind that it could have been the same band, but of course it was. “The Part Where You Let Go” comes from Hem’s latest EP Home Again, Home Again and is a great slice of indie folk rock. I’m a sucker for a great female voice and lead singer Sally Ellyson has just that. I’ve yet to buy a CD from Hem but I definitely plan on it because based on what I’ve heard, they can’t be bad. Maybe putting your music on a commercial isn’t such a bad thing after all. Otherwise I wouldn’t have known about Hem.
Number One Fan was an indie/emo band that played songs in the vein of Mae and Copeland. Perhaps they leaned a little more to the emo side. Lead singer Nicholas Ziemann’s voice drifted into a whiny area on more than one occasion, but that being said they had some pretty cool songs. There may have been a bit of confusion about their name in 2004 when their debut Compromises came out. The band was growing in popularity around the same time as a band called Number One Gun, who are also pretty good. Today’s song is easily my favorite as it is quite catchy. The band announced they were breaking up this past June on their Myspace page. To satisfy their fans, they are releasing another album of tracks they had been working on. The release will be titled The Unreleased Album and is due out in December.
No More Kings are a band I just discovered this past week while listening to the latest edition of the Relevant Podcast. I don’t listen to many podcasts but the guys over at Relevant Magazine manage to put out a thoroughly entertaining edition every week. You should also check out the magazine it covers God, life and progressive culture. What more could you want? Again that’s Relevant Magazine. (They really should be paying me for this.) No More Kings were on the podcast playing a live acoustic set which included this song. As you can surmise from the title, it’s about The Karate Kid, which is awesome. I’m a sucker for pop culture references and No More Kings is all about that. While I haven’t heard the rest of their music, I can say that this song is very catchy and extremely clever. But the song itself is only part of the “Sweep the Leg” experience. To get the full effect, you must check out the video. The writer and director of the video, (which is really almost a short film) is none other than Billy Zabka who portrayed Daniel’s nemesis Johnny Lawrence in The Karate Kid. I could go into the synopsis but it’s better if you just click here and watch it. And yes that is Dennis Haskins aka Mr. Belding from Saved By the Bell making a cameo at the beginning. You can download the episode of the Relevant Podcast featuring No More Kings here. And you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes here.
Far-Less are a relatively new rock band on Tooth & Nail. Their debut EP Turn To the Bright seemed more suited for SolidState because of the large number of screaming vocal parts. It was interesting but nothing spectacular. Then early in 2006 they released their full length debut Everyone Is Out To Get Us which I didn’t immediately get, only being somewhat impressed with what I heard on their Myspace. Then I happened to catch them opening for Anberlin and Emery on the Tooth & Nail Tour and I had a newfound respect for them. They put on a great live show with lots of energy and even though I didn’t know any of the songs, I still enjoyed it. Shortly thereafter I picked up Everyone Is Out To Get Us. I liked it for the most part, the title track being the best in my opinion. I thought singer Brandon Welch had a very good voice but parts of the album were plagued with unnecessary screaming. I was wondering what to expect when I heard about their new record A Toast To Bad Taste. “Keep Keep,” the first song they posted online, had me hooked immediately and I could tell the band were headed in a better direction. Then came the next song they posted “A Surprise Funeral (For the Charmed)” and I new I had to get this one. Far-Less have completely abandoned the screaming and have a newfound focus on melody, while exploring their more experimental side musically. The addition of Elizabeth Pina on keys and backing vocals has a lot to do with the band’s new sound. I’ve only listened to this record once all the way through but I love the way it all flows together, with segues leading from one song to the next, giving it the feeling of one massive work. Today’s tune showcases Pina’s skills and is one of my new favorites. Keep your eye out for Far-Less, this album is one other bands will be envying.
You may not recognize the name Primitive Radio Gods. You may not recognize this extremely long song title. But chances are you’ve heard this one before. This tune comes from the band’s 1996 debut Rocket. It remains their only hit and is sure go down as one of the best one hit wonder songs ever. It’s most noted for the sample in the chorus which borrows from B.B. King’s 1964 song “How Blue Can You Get?” Apparently the band is still together and making music, but they will probably forever live in the shadow of this song. But for me that’s OK because this song rules.
Primitive Radio Gods - "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand"
I’m sure you’ve heard of Barenaked Ladies. Almost ten years ago, their single “One Week” was nearly inescapable and not without good reason. The rapid-fire, seemingly nonsensical lyrics had everyone including me trying get the words just right so they could sing along with the incredibly catchy melody. While that song made them a household name and caused their album Stunt to go four times platinum (4 million copies sold), the band had actually been around for a few years before and seen some success with songs like “Brian Wilson”, “If I had $1,000,000” and “The Old Apartment.” Today’s song is one of my favorites that wasn’t a huge hit but is still one of their best. It appeared on Stunt as well as on their greatest hits record Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits 1991-2001. The band saw more success with their next album Maroon which had the singles “Pinch Me,” “Too Little Too Late,” and “Falling for the First Time.” I kind of lost track of them but I know they’re still making recordings. While I like them, I’ll guess I’ll always be just a casual fan which makes Disc One a really great buy, if not for the hit singles then for this song.
Longwave are a cool indie band from New York City that came up about the same time the Strokes were leading the hipster movement earlier this decade. For some reason Longwave seemed to always be mention along with The Strokes, I guess because they played shows together early on, but for me that’s where the similarities end. I haven’t really listened to all of Longwave’s work but they don’t really recall the 70s like The Strokes do, instead having a little more polish and pop sensibility. I first heard today’s song from their 2003 album The Strangest Things when I saw the video on MTV2 (back when they actually played videos.) It’s a very interesting, one-shot video filmed on a rollercoaster and of course the song’s not half bad either. Since then the band has released an EP and another full length entitled There’s a Fire. Both have some good songs, but this remains my favorite.
The Lonely Hearts started out playing a different type of music than they do now. Brothers Will and Josiah Holland and their friend Yogi Watts released their debut album in 2003 under the name Holland. Their debut Photographs and Tidal Waves was a great twelve song collection of catchy upbeat rock songs, but it wasn’t too different from a lot of other bands at the time. After touring behind the album for a while, the band was forced to change their name for legal reasons. Apparently the name Holland had already been copyrighted by someone else. They settled on The Lonely Hearts as a nod to the The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Whether it was deliberate or not, the band’s music ended up changing along with its name. The ten tracks on The Lonely Hearts’ Paper Tapes all lean heavily to the alt-country side of fence. They make good use of slide and steel guitar and there is a little more twang in Will Holland’s voice. I think their new direction is a good one and they seem to be more suited to play this type of music. Today’s song is the opener to Paper Tapes and sets a great tone for the whole record. The band have parted ways with Tooth & Nail Records and are currently independent, but they have recorded some new demos which you can hear on their Myspace page. Just click on their name above.
Cold is a band that really hit their stride back in 2001 when bands like Staind and Nickelback were starting get heavy airplay. (Unfortunately Nickelback still is.) Now that’s not to say that Cold sounds like either of those bands, but their brand of angsty hard rock does put them in the same genre. Their breakout record was their sophomore album 13 Ways To Bleed On Stage was released in 2000, and had some really heavy rocking tracks as well as a few on the more mellow side, like their single “Bleed” and today’s track “It’s All Good.” I heard this song on the radio and then I downloaded it from Napster but was surprised that the album version’s lyrics were far different and unnecessarily more foul than the radio edit. I can usually go either way on whether to get a clean version or the “parental advisory” version of a CD. For most of the bands I listen to, there is no need because there aren’t explicit lyrics, but if there are it’s just a judgment call.I definitely preferred the radio version of this song to the album version and I searched high and low for a clean copy of the CD. I even ordered one from eBay which turned out to be the dirty version, so still I didn’t have the good version of this song. Then in the summer of 2005 while a mission trip to an Indian reservation in Utah, I found the clean version in Wal-Mart. It was serendipitous to say the least and regardless of how much money I had at the time, I knew I had to get it because I may never come across it again. The album as a whole is a tad depressing, but still a great record. Cold released two more albums in 2003 and 2005 but announced on their Myspace nearly a year ago that they were calling it quits. It’s probably better that way because bands can’t last forever and Cold’s genre has already had it’s day in the sun.
Chantal Kreviazuk (just make up your own pronunciation) is a Canadian singer/songwriter who has seen a good deal of success in the Great White North. She’s an acclaimed songwriter who has collaborated on hits for Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson. Now, right now I can feel my rock and roll street cred slowly disappearing, but trust me Kreviazuk writes some really cool songs. Granted they do lean more to the pop side of the spectrum, but you have to appreciate her craft. If it helps, she is married to fellow Canadian rock star Raine Maida, lead singer of Our Lady Peace. Today’s song comes from her 2002 album What If It All Means Something and it has some very cool piano and string arrangements. Kreviazuk released her fourth album Ghost Stories last year and has still seen little success in the U.S., but when she’s the one writing the songs that are dominating pop radio, it’s hard to understand why she hasn’t broken through. But I’m sure she will and now you can say you knew her when.
There are some bands that, despite making more than one record, can only be remembered for their first album. Even though they may exist today and even be recording new albums, they’re only good for the point in time when you first heard them. Greenwheel is one of those bands. I first heard today’s song at least as long ago as 2001 and maybe even 2000 on the local college station. It finally saw official release on their 2002 debut Soma Holiday. The album had some other great tracks such as the opener “Shelter” which was featured on the Spiderman soundtrack. There was also the first single “Breathe” which was a great modern rock tune that was later covered by Melissa Etheridge. It always ticked me off a little that she got so much radio play from that song when Greenwheel actually wrote it and their version was ten times better. The band released an EP in 2006 and has since changed their name to Go Van Gogh. I haven’t heard their new stuff and probably won’t because Greenwheel are only good as what they’re good for: one of those bands that only needed to exist for one album.
Skillet is another one of those bands that started out in the Christian market and in recent years has seen some much deserved success in the mainstream market as well. They released four albums from 1996 to 2001 that truthfully I’m not that familiar with. From what I’ve heard, I gather that they went through varying styles of rock and the first four records had a good deal of electronics involved. I first got acquainted with them with 2003’s Collide which has a much more straightforward modern rock sound that is pretty heavy. It’s probably true that the band were going for a more radio friendly vibe on this album but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. All of the songs are extremely tight musically and have very strong hooks. In 2004 the band signed onto Lava Records who re-released Collide with a new track called “Open Wounds.” This song went further toward the polished modern rock sound that radio was pushing then and is still pushing. It’s not my favorite song on the album but still a very good one. Last year Skillet released their sixth studio album entitled Comatose and it’s probably their strongest yet. They are backed by a huge string section on many of the songs and it adds an extra element that put all the songs over the edge. The lead track “Rebirthing” should’ve been on top of rock radio’s charts last year but for some reason the band have yet to realize the success they deserve. Today’s song is a good one to just rock out to and it remains true to Skillet’s Christian roots. Lyrically, singer John Cooper is describing God as being better than drugs, which might seem crude to some of their Christian fans but I think it will resonate with a wider audience and that’s what Skillet is going for. I know I usually stick to obscure indie rock but sometimes you just want to crank it up to 11 and play air guitar and Skillet is a great band for that.
The Weakerthans are a band from Canada that write verbose, witty and extremely catchy indie rock songs. I didn’t discover them until their third album Reconstruction Site in 2003. I was impressed with singer John Samson’s songs that were lyrically deep and read more like a short story than a song. Some standouts on that record were “The Reasons,” the quirky “Plea From a Cat Named Virtue” which is sung from the point of view of a house cat, and the great climax of the album “The Prescience of Dawn.” I also discovered the gem “Aside” from their previous album Left and Leaving after it appeared on the soundtrack to Wedding Crashers. They just released their fourth studio album Reunion Tour in September and while I’ve yet to hear the whole album, today’s song and lead single “Civil Twilight” is a good indication that it’s worth picking up. This song, like so many other Weakerthans songs, has a definable verse and chorus musically, but the lyrics never repeat. It’s an interesting approach to songwriting that Samson has mastered quite well. Another song on the album that I’m anxious to hear is “Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure” which I can only assume is the sequel to the aforementioned “Plea.” The band posted some webisodes about the making of the album leading up to the release date including this particularly funny one. While I’ve yet to get it myself I think I’ll go ahead and suggest this album. The Weakerthans are one of the most unique bands in indie rock and they deserve a wider audience.
Radford is a band I first encountered in late 2000 when I heard today’s song on the local college radio station. Something about this tune grabbed me and it’s one of those that I was always hoping would come on. In fact I probably have a cassette tape (remember those?) somewhere with this on it that I taped off the radio. This was also one of the first songs I downloaded off the original Napster (remember that?) However, I eventually did the right thing and bought the CD. You should as well. Radford have a great modern rock sound that was popular in the late 90s and early 00s but they never really saw a huge radio hit. After some label troubles, the band took their time coming out with a new album and finall emerged with Sleepwalker in late 2003. Sleepwalker is probably my favorite of their two records, having a more aggressive sound overall. Little has been heard from them since that release although they did put out a digital-only EP entitled Black Out the Sun last year which I haven’t yet heard, but you can purchase here. Their official website seems to be defunct and their Myspace hasn’t been updated in a while, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we haven’t heard the last of Radford.
I think it’s safe to say that Jars of Clay will go down as one of the most successful groups in Contempory Christian Music history. They first saw success in 1995 with the self-titled debut and the monster hit single “Flood” which crossed over to Top 40 radio, with the album eventually going triple platinum (over 3 million records sold). For a lot of pop music listeners, nothing else ever happened with Jars of Clay. They had no other Top 40 hits but Jars of Clay is my least favorite of their records. They followed up with the more subtle and acoustic driven Much Afraid which features some of their best songs ever such as “Tea and Sympathy” and “Frail.” They have continued to churn out great albums in their nearly fifteen year career, most recently with Good Monsters. Jars of Clay have a great ability to make each album sound completely different than the last, but still uniquely like Jars of Clay. Good Monsters finds them rocking harder than they have before with “Work” and “Dead Man (Carry Me)” and also pulling off a more folksy sound with “There Is a River” and “Mirrors and Smoke” a duet with Leigh Nash of Sixpence None the Richer. In fact, it's hard to see why "Work" or "Dead Man" couldn't be a crossover hit like "Flood." I guess some people have just closed their minds and ears when they hear that a band is "Christian." Simply put this is their best album in a while and probably in my top two of theirs ever. One thing that puts it over the edge for me is today’s song “Oh My God.” This is right up there with “Worlds Apart” as far as being one of the most powerful songs JOC have ever written. I could try to elaborate but it’s better if you just read the lyrics here and listen to the song.
Spitalfield were a pretty cool band from Chicago. I just found out they broke up when I got the new issue of Alternative Press and it had a list of “10 Essential Albums by Bands That Broke Up This Year.” AP’s pick was Spitalfield’s 2003 debut Remember Right Now, but I’m more partial to their sophomore effort Stop Doing Bad Things. Spitalfield were one of the few bands on Victory other than Thursday and Taking Back Sunday that I actually liked. In my opinion they were much better than their label mates like HawthorneHeights and Aiden, but I digress. Today’s song is my favorite of theirs from Stop. With one of the many odd titles from this album “Gold Dust vs. State of Illinois” showcased Spitalfield at their best. The sound is definitely a mix of Foo Fighters and Jimmy Eat World and maybe Spitalfield could have been as big as either of those bands, but now we’ll never know. They released their third and final album last year entitled Better Than Knowing Where You Are. I haven’t heard much from that, but I would suggest if you’ve never heard them check out Stop Doing Bad Things.
Coheed and Cambria are one of the most unique bands in the music scene today. When they released their first album in 2002 they were somehow lumped into the emo scene, perhaps because they were on Equal Vision Records. Whatever the reason, I found it curious because they have much more of a prog-rock and even classic rock sound. Coheed and Cambria is a nerd’s dream band with the lyrics of all four of their albums telling a science fiction story. With C & C’s added popularity and growing budget after signing with Columbia records in 2004, lead singer and mastermind Claudio Sanchez has expanded the story with a series of graphic novels telling the story. I’m not much on the mythology of Coheed and Cambria. I have no idea what’s going on in the story, but I do know that the music rocks. For those like me unwilling or unable to get into the story, there’s still plenty to like. Sanchez’s voice has been repeatedly compared to Geddy Lee of Rush and not without merit. Sanchez can hit the high registers and is the perfect person to sing this material. The guitar playing is outstanding, recalling the less annoying moments of the hair metal heyday of the 80s. I had their first two albums but I didn’t really start to like them until I got their verbosely titled third album Good Apollo I’m Burning Star IV, Vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. This album rocked more and had more musical focus than their previous efforts. Their new album is actually Vol. 2 of Good Apollo…, but is simply titled No World for Tomorrow. I’ve only listened to this a few times through but it doesn’t grab me yet like Vol. 1. There are fewer catchy songs but still some pretty great rockers like “Gravemakers and Gunslingers” and the first single “The Running Free.” My only complaint about this record is the horrible packaging. I’ve said I’ll never buy an album on iTunes because I like having the actual packaging and being able to read the liner notes and such. I might as well have bought this online because the packaging consists of little more than a cardboard sleeve and no liner notes. There is a web address on the back of the sleeve that shows you were to find the liner notes, but I can’t help but feel a little ripped off by this. Even so, the album is good so check out one of the catchiest tunes called “Feathers.”
I first discovered Thursday back in 2002 when their video for “Understanding In a Car Crash” was getting played on MTV2. Shortly thereafter I got their album Full Collapse and I absolutely loved it. It’s full of raw emotion from singer Geoff Rickley and outstand musicianship from the rest of the band. The eventually released a video for “Cross Out the Eyes” which is still one of my favorite videos ever. Their 2003 follow up War All the Time was also their debut for Island Records and further solidified their place in the post-hardcore genre with great songs like “For the Workforce, Drowning” and “Division St.” Their fourth album A City By the Light Divided was kind of a misstep for the band in my opinion. The production quality wasn’t that great and the overall quality of the songs was a little lacking from what I’d come to expect from them. The band have since split from Island and are now for the time being back with Victory Records for the release of their rarities album and live DVD Kill The House Lights. The audio portion of this would probably function better as an EP. It features three brand new songs and three b-sides with various demo versions, live versions and alternate mixes of previously released tracks. One of the b-sides has one of the most Thursday-esque titles ever: “Panic On the Streets of Healthcare City.” The first two of the three new songs are pretty heavy and feature a good deal of screaming. Today’s song is the most accessible and makes good use of the synthesizer. The real draw of this package is the DVD which has a feature length retrospective documentary spanning the band’s career as well as a 45 minute live concert. This is a must for any Thursday fan and something to tide you over until they come out with their next full-length.
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.
JamisonParker was a rock/emo duo who released an EP and one full length album in their short time together. Their name, not to be confused with Jameson Parker, the actor from the 80s TV show Simon & Simon, comes from their combination of their first names. Jamison Covington and Parker Case kind of sound like the names of investment bankers, however they made some pretty good rock music. Their debut EP Notes & Photographs was released in 2003. The fives songs didn’t stand out too much from the rest of the indie rock that was coming out then, but they did show promise. Their only album Sleepwalker came out in summer 2005. Ken Andrews produced the record and also played bass, keys and sang backing vocals. The album has some pretty catchy songs but overall they kind of bleed together as there’s not much difference from track to track. Today’s song was the album’s only single and easily the best track. The chorus is especially catchy and will stick in your head for sure. Since parting ways, the two musicians have undertaken other endeavors. 
