This energetic, female-fronted pop rock band that hails from Texas is poised to break on the scene with their unique brand of high power musical production and poignant, provocative lyrics. Addison Road has spent the last 5 years opening for numerous nationally recognized acts and most prominently as the featured band for Planet Wisdom youth conference. While affording them the opportunity to be in front of hundreds of thousands of youth, these conferences have helped to hone their stagecraft and songwriting focus to laser-like point that dissects and addresses the issues of the contemporary youth culture. Produced by award-winning producer Chris Stevens (TobyMac, Sanctus Real, Mandisa), this self-titled debut sonically represents current cutting-edge pop rock music. Equally at home on the Rock, Top 40 formats and able to execute skillful ballads, Addison Road will be the group to watch for 2008.
For Fans Of: Switchfoot, TobyMac, The Fray, Snow Patrol
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Fresh Beats and Hope| Posted August 17, 2009
'All That Matters' was the first single off of this, Addison Road's first album on INO Records after a string of indie projects, and if your local Christian radio station is anything like mine--you heard this song a couple times a day and by the end of the week, you knew all the words by heart. So needless to say, after hearing the song a few hunded times, I had to run out and buy this album.
It starts off with the earthy and upbeat song 'This Could Be Our Day' about living our lives to the fullest every day and letting nothing fall to the wayside. 'All That Matters' is up next followed up by 'Sticking With You', another upbeat pop song about God never leaving our side.
'Hope Now' is the standout track on the album. Musically sounding much like Leeland and The Fray with the electronic melodies that make the song ebb and flow, and with lyrics so simple yet so powerful as 'I Am Not My Own, I've Been Carried By You All My Life' , this is sure to be one of your favorites on the album as well.
'Start Over Again' runs long but with the same electronic beats as 'Hope', it will leave fans wanting more...'It Just Takes One' takes a clever turn musically. Whimiscal and upbeat, a lot is going on in this song. Sounding almost like a collaboration between tobyMac and Newsboys, with the same message as 'This Could Be Our Day' about making a diffrence in the world around us.
'Always Love' follows the same suit of fresh beats with a hopeful message while the album slows itself down again with the wake-up call song 'Casualties' about the world slowing dying around us in need of a Savior, and the lyrically chilling and musically moving 'Run' (my favorite track on the whole album).
The most current single off this album closes it with a punch. 'What Do I Know Of Holy', Just lead singer Jenny Simmons vocals and a piano, tackles the issue of authentic Christiananity, anbd what it truly means to follow Christ with our whole hearts. A very moving song--whether or not you buy this whole album this one at least worth listening to.
This was one of my favorite debut albums from 2008. Fresh beats and the consistant message of hope running through the album are sure to leave any listener satisfied. I look forward to seeing what the band comes out with next--if your a fan of of some of the more modern earthy pop bands--Addison Road is the band for you.
Nice Major Label Debut| Posted October 13, 2008 Addison Road first got my attention with the excellent first single All That Matters and for several months, that was the only song I heard by this former indie band from Texas, led by lead singer Jenny Simmons. If you like Superchick, Fireflight, or Cadia, you should enjoy this album.
Addison Road, the nice major label debut on INO Records, is more than just the great first single All That Matters, but not what I expected. Overall, it's a more mellow album with some nice messages including Hope Now, Start Over Again, Run and my other favorite stand-out song What Do I Know Of Holy. It is one of the most personal songs on the album with the challenging lyrics: "What do I know of Holy? What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame? And a God who gave life its name?"
Jenny Simmons has a nice voice and this is a promising debut album. I look forward to hearing more by Addison Road.
ADDISON ROAD| Posted September 29, 2008
With two indie albums and an EP to its credit, Addison Road entered the studio with Chris Stevens (tobyMac, Sanctus Real, Mandisa) for its latest offering.
The female-fronted band conjures a defining, driving sound from the very first downbeat. Most of the 10 tracks are upbeat anthems of exhortation and encouragement. Lyrics are simple and direct, which is fine for concert sing-a-longs, but those looking to dig into more heady territory might be bored.
Too often Addison Road falls back on well-traveled metaphors and overused Christianese like “You are my shelter from the storm” and “Your love has set me free,” which fumble otherwise likable tracks. The infectious “Sticking With You” features a whimsical background chorus of "Ohs" that gives the raw rock tune a West Coast, Beach Boys/Shins gloss. The raucous "It Just Takes One" is a call to action, one of many on this disc, which urges listeners to live out their faith to impact the world.
It’s not until a little further down the track list that the listener gets a break from the aggressive, staccato rhythms that the band is so fond of. Sonically speaking, the electric guitar and the drums often sound as if they are battling for the spotlight, rather than harmoniously sharing the stage. The result resembles a shouting match of instruments.
But songs like “Hope Now,” “Start Over Again” and “Run” redeem Addison Road. These tunes begin languidly and build into sweet, sweeping finishes. Here the production is deftly wrapped around her voice, allowing her beautiful, plaintive falsetto to shimmer and her low end to resonate. If the other tracks had followed suit, Addison Road may have hit its stride. - Lizza Connor
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from CCMMagazine.com. Click here to visit CCMMagazine.com today!
Addison Road [Addison Road]| Posted September 24, 2008
[Main Review]
Addison Road – once Indie, now main stream – is breaking into Christian pop culture with a solid force. They are Natasha Beddingfield, Point of Grace, and Superchic[k] all rolled into one, with a little edge – and fan base – all their own.
The lyrics are catchy and clever; the music is energetic and fresh. Most importantly, the message is positive. Laced with scripture and a general focus on God, the music explores some tough emotions, then comes back with hope for second chances and new life in Christ. A huge plus for the band is that the songs are down to earth. In “Casualties of the American Dream,” it starts, “He sees his life just passing by, just another number in a suite and tie, no purpose there, nothing to give, is this what it means to really live? …Casualties of the American dream, have we lost our vision? … Just dying to be revived. In a world so numb, don’t let me become another casualty.” What person has never felt like that at some point in their life? But this song is not about becoming another casualty, it is about being revived. Yes, this world is numb, but we do not have to be casualties. The very next song tells the listener to “Run,” to where you want to go “in this great big world.” You don’t have to be lost and alone. You have a home to run to. It is the place where “the fallen finally land, and the world starts over again.” The focus is still finding life, freedom, and a new beginning in Christ.
The strong, “hey, listen up!” start to the CD fades in later songs into a calm, mild sound. However the lyrics are anything but dull. Track 10, “What do I know,” expresses pain and passion and a longing to be healed, and to know God more deeply. “If You touched my face, would I know you?...Are You fire, are You fury? Are You sacred, are You beautiful? What do I know of holy?” This song conveys a strong sense of how vast God is, His power and boundlessness, and how it is so easy for us to feel small in the midst of such a big God. Elements of love and grace and forgiveness speak through the lines; they draw the listener in and promise adventures in a new life with Christ.
The ending, however, leaves a little bit to be desired. It ended on something of a sad note. “What do I know” may have been better placed in the middle of the CD, instead of the last song. But the overall effect is well worth shelling out the twelve bucks. Addison Road has already shown that they are not going to become just another band. I personally enjoyed it, and am looking forward to their future work.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
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Addison Road has created an eclectic project, with wide-ranging rhythm that is entertaining and thoughtful. They have the sound of energetic power pop fused with classy vocals from lead singer Jenny Simmons (who by the way, writes a very funny blog at addisonroad.com).
Rating: 9.1 out of 10 (91%, A-)
Review written by: Liz Zelinski
(liz.zelinski@christianmusicreview.org)
Review can also be found at:
http://www.christianmusicreview.org/addisonroad_debut.html
This review has been reprinted on NRT with permission from ChristianMusicReview.org. Click here to visit ChristianMusicReview.org today!
This could be their day| Posted February 02, 2008
Whoever dubbed Addison Road for tobyMac fans I don't think have heard Addison Roads self titled debut, and none of the comparisons to either the Fray or Swicthfoot is very accurate. However their first album is a fun up-beat light rock/pop album which is a blast at times.
The Jenny Simmons fronts the band, and her voice is very nice. The first song "this could be our day" has a infectious tune, and makes for a great lift off song for the band. "all that matters" is a fun poppy song as is "sticking with you", both songs are upbeat but are nothing new to the music world. Track five "start over" starts slow, then picks up its pace to be a light rock song, then it picks up again; at the end of the song it is very solid.
Perhaps the reason that Addison Road is compared to tobyMac is the song "It just takes one", which at its core is punk/pop but with just a hint of hip-hop thrown in. "always love' is good, and "Casualties" has a very fast paced feel to it, and is one of the prizes of the album. The final songs "run" and "what do I know of holy" are mainly softer songs, but the whole album is pop/rock.
Addison road, sadly, does not progress past most of their peers. Most of their songs have positive messages but are not that deep, like "run" and "all that matters". The song "casualties", however, is a gem, Addison Road should get high marks for writing it, as it's a perfect song about the American dream and how it can end as a nightmare. "start over" and "always love" have pretty self stating titles which are just expanded upon in the song.
A bunch of catchy tunes and a few exceptional songs both lyrically and musically, but Addison Road does no trail blazing on their debut album, but it's a fun album regardless. Watch this band progress.
Thanks to Mr. McNeese for his advice and encouragement, and to him and the NRT staff for the resources to write this review.
On The Right Road| Posted December 05, 2008
When Addison Road's INO debut album came out earlier in the year(2008) I was somewhat skeptical and didn't even bother checking it out at all. Well through various plays on the radio and internet they have caught my attention and I have come to like them. How much? Well, just read on and see ;).
The album starts off with a nice tune called "This Could Be Our Day." While not the best song on the album, I think it's a pretty decent contribution talking about how we are given one minute to use for God and challenging us to use it.
Next up is a fun song going by the title of "All That Matters" don't be fooled, this song also has a great message. This song talks about how God has set us free and He is all that matters(or should matter) to us.
Musically this next song is my favorite on the album :). "Sticking With You" is kind of a conversation. You can either put yourself as the person speaking or God. I think it works but either way the core message is that the speaker is going to be there for this person no matter what. I think either way you look at the song it's a great message. Either God is going to stick with us till the end, or as believers we're sticking with each other even when we may not want help. That all being said I think that the song leans towards more of a friend to friend viewpoint.
"Hope Now" is a great song reminding us that we are God's even when we forget and that his love has set us free. I think this song is a big contender for my favorite song on the album lyrically. It has a very strong message.
While "Start Over Again's" song concept is definitely not a new one ("Starting Over" by Audio Adrenaline, etc). I think Addison Road has done a good job repackaging the song concept and does a good job reminding us that even when we fall away, God is willing to let us Start Over Again.
"It Just Takes One" is a fun song challenging us to be the one person to share our faith and make a difference in the world. Not amazing, but a good song.
These next three songs are the weakest on the album in my opinion. They're ok, but I don't think anyone would say "Wow!" about them. "Always Love" challenges us to do just that, Always Love. And "Casualties" talks about us being "Casualties of the American dream." The song isn't bad lyrically, but something just doesn't feel right musically. "Run" is a good song, just not amazing. And is probably strongest of these three.
"What Do I Know Of Holy" is an amazing way to finish off the album in my humble opinion. I hadn't heard the song before going into this review, but it's the slowest song and the most powerful. Here's some of the lyrics "I made You promises a thousand times/ I tried to hear from Heaven, but I talked the whole time./ I think I made You too small. I never feared You at all. No./ If You touched my face, would I know You?/ Looked into my eyes, could I behold You?" And that's just the first verse I would have to post the whole song to be happy, so needless to say, check that song out.
Well if you've made it this far you can obviously tell I like them. I think this is a great debut album and I can't wait for the Sophomore release. The main thing I think is a drawback to this album is the fact that some of the songs have a similar tone, but I overlooked that fact for most of my review. I would also encourage you to look at some of their indie music if you liked this album. They have several other good songs in addition to this album.
Pretty Solid Album| Posted July 26, 2010
This cd is a good mix of some mellow pop/rock music, with some sweeping vocals and instruments, that make for an overall pleasant listen. The music makes a great backdrop for her beautiful vocals, that fit so nicely with the softer tone of the music. There are many standout songs, namely being "This Could Be Our Day, All That Matters, Sticking WIth You, Hope Now, and What Do I Know of Holy." 5 standout songs out of 10 is pretty good, i think, but all of them are pretty enjoyable. So nothing too new or exciting but if you like a female fronted pop/rock band, this is one worth checking out.
Addison Road| Posted July 24, 2010
I definately recommend this album it has some amazing songs on it.I love this album,just the songs on it are fantastic.I first heard this album on the way back from PlanetWisdom a few years back and immediatly regreted not buying it.Don't make the same mistake I did,buy this album
Buy the album| Posted July 07, 2010
Highly recommended album. One of the best debut albums of a band I have ever heard. They have great videos as well. Some of their better songs actually aren't their singles. I have a respect for a band like that.
A Great Album| Posted June 15, 2010
This album is fantastic, and immediately after I listened to it, Addison Road was one of my top 5 artists. Every song on this album could be a hit single.
Super| Posted March 12, 2010
Addison Road put out one of the most impressive debuts with this self titled album. With songs like "Sticking With You" and "It Just Takes One" that are catchy fun songs,deep songs such as "What Do I Know of Holy" and "Hope Now" that make us really think about how Mighty God really is,and one of my personal favorite messages is found in "All That Matters" and "Casualities" and that's to remember to not get caught up in what's not important,but to remain rooted in Christ. The mixture of brilliant lyrics,talented musicians,and Jenny's awesome voice,every song is made unique and great. I highly recommend this album, it's an awesome addition to any music fans album collection.
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