The InBetween
by
Scarlet White Black or white. Hot and cold. Good and evil. Dead or Alive. Extremes on continuums. And in-between? An infinite series of points on the scale. Something that seems to define Scarlet White....
If the internet era has bequeathed artists anything, it is the ability to find and grow an audience, and from there attract notice from the music industry. The independent musical landscape is...
Upstart label SRE Recordings unleashes another talented hard rock band onto the Christian music scene with the release of Decyfer Down's debut End of Grey. With I Corinthians 2:13 serving as their motto, Decyfer Down delivers a truth-filled, melodic, sonic barrage on the ears of its listeners.
Decyfer Down's Caleb Oliver belts out vocals that are equal parts intelligible and affecting. His approach throughout directly compliments the tone of the candid lyrics. The other band members do a great job with background vocals that harmonize and reinforce the delivery. There is no need to search the songs for hidden meaning- the band's message is unmistakable and the delivery is vigorous.
Decyfer Down's melodic hard rock is intense, power chord-driven songs built on layered electric guitars and driving drums. End of Grey has an abundance of energetic guitar licks that reinforce the sound without overpowering the song. The band's musical skills are polished but their sound remains insistent. While most of the songs of End of Grey are hard-hitting and flow into each other, the band does a great job of giving each one its own identity.
End of Grey is a strong debut from this relatively young band and gives you another reason to drive with the windows down and the volume up! Decyfer Down's End of Grey conveys a message of blatant fidelity and unswerving hope, leaving no room to live in the grey area of the middle. Fans of Skillet, Nickleback, Crossfade, Project 86 and Red should check this CD out.
Beautiful... Just Beautiful | Posted August-22-2007
New artists are expected to put their best foot forward on a debut project. And there's no doubt in this reviewer's mind Starfield did just that; but with their latest they took a BIG step forward. Beauty in the Broken is a remarkable album. Each song is a well-crafted work of art where faith, life and music cross.
According to Hemingway, "(t)he world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places." If Beauty in the Broken is any indication, the members of Starfield have met "the world" and in the aftermath, have created something strong. Something beautiful. Seemingly taking Isaiah 61:1-3 as their cue, the lyrics of each song are a stirring gift to the Healer and Restorer of the broken and to the (broken) listener.
Although every track on Beauty in the Broken could be called a "praise song," each has it's own distinct feel and character. The music of Beauty in the Broken moves between being dynamic and deeply textured like the current single "My Generation," to being sparse, yet compelling like the almost ethereal "Unashamed." One of this band's strengths is their ability to create a musical atmosphere that effortlessly compliments the import and tone of the lyrics.
Paraphrasing Cicero, Christians should be motivated by a keen desire to praise, and the better motivated a person is, the more they are inspired by glory. After listening to Starfield's sophomore release, there should be no doubt Who motivates the members and what inspires them! If you enjoy modern pop/rock worship alá downhere, Lifehouse, Lincoln Brewster, and Chris Tomlin you definitely need to get Beauty in the Broken (and the guys' self-titled album)- an incredible follow-up building on an impressive debut.
Back in the day there were only a select few in Christian Rock music who took risks, broke down barriers, and blazed trails for those to follow; thereby becoming pioneers and, to some degree, icons. One of these "legends" was a professional guitarist named Dann Huff. His distinctive sound was a hallmark on many definitive albums of the 80's and 90's; just about anywhere a distinctive lick was played, his name was in the credits. He went on to found his own band, Giant, which was one of the first crossover bands.
"What," you may ask, "does this have to do with Decemberadio?" Everything. And nothing. When I first listened to these guys's self-titled debut I was floored. This album is an awesome, straight-ahead, heartland, arena-rock album in the tradition of Bon Jovi, CreedWhitesnake, etc. But from the opening track until the very end, something was tickling the back of this reviewer's mind. "Ah yes," it had been too many CDs and far too long since a high volume listen, but one cannot long forget a "defining" sound. The guys of Decemberadio picked up the baton of Dann Huff and Giant and take off on a tear.
Without sounding dated or nostalgic, this album is a pure arena-rock renaissance. Substantial, dominating electric guitars. Perfectly balanced elemental drum and bass. Tremendous vocal prowess. Strong songwriting. In your face lyrics. Polished production. And not one weak track. This album has it all! What a debut!
Red, Decyfer Down, Sevenglory and Seventh Day Slumber fans should tune in and turn it up! Here's to more hot "tunes" from this "cool" band.
There has been a resurrgence of interest in melodic hard rock, prompting record labels to sign and release like music, thus creating a windfall for fans of the genre... myself included. With the release of Kutless' latest, a sophomore release from Day of Fire and the debut of bands like Red and Decyfer Down it's like the heavens have opened and the floodgates have let loose. Flicker Records, whose motto at one time was "Flicker Rocks Harder," contributed to the deluge when the latest addition to the roster released their debut.
Joining the growing number of female fronted rock acts alá Flyleaf, Inhabited, Superchi[k] and Barlow Girl, Florida-based FireFlight enters the arena with an hard-hitting debut stylistically reminiscent of Evanescence's Fallen. The Healing of Harms is a sonic downpour that inundates the listener with ringing electric guitars, pounding rhythms and deep, intricate melodies. Layered beneath lead singer Dawn Richardson's elevated and yearning vocals are guitarist Justin Cox's contrasting rumbles serving to reinforce the lyrical message FireFlight dynamically delivers.
The Healing of Harms similarity to Fallen ends with the style of the music though. Fireflight takes the goth-rock sound and emotion and infuses it with lyrics that deliver a positive message that counters the shallowness and falseness of our media-defined culture. Richardson's sincere and unselfish lyrics expose disinformation and reveal truth- simultaneously confronting social distortions while comforting its casualties.
Disappointed in the long wait for Evanescence's sophomore release? Spend the money that you've been saving on FireFlight's The Healing of Harms instead.
Get this straight from the outset: Blue on Blue, Leigh Nash's long anticipated solo debut, is not even a pseudo-return of Sixpence None the Richer. Sorry. That being said, Blue on Blue, contains many of the same elements that made Sixpence such a fan favorite: Intelligent, accessible lyrics, shrewd instrumentation and Ms. Nash's trademark ingenuous and evocative vocals.
Blue on Blue's lyrics, many written with longtime collaborator Matt Slocum, include plenty of double entendre, leaving some songs open to romantic and/or spiritual interpretation- just the sort of songs that are ripe for mainstream crossover. Others are tender, unapologetically romantic ballads celebrating love between man & woman and mother & child. To quote her bio on nettwerk.com,, Blue on Blue is "a sweetly understated collection of musings on love and motherhood."
Musically, Leigh's solo debut is an artistic progression from her Sixpence days. The musical mood is introspective but remain optimistically upbeat. Most of Blue on Blue's songs are mid-tempo ballads and light rock infused with touches of orchestral strings or old school, New Orleans jazz. The overall flavor and tone harkens back to Sixpence's "Kiss Me" but with a touch more effervescense and inspiration.
Was Blue on Blue worth the wait? Yes. If Shawn Colvin, KT Tunstall, Diana Krall, Jeni Vardaneau, Sara Groves, and, of course, Sixpence None the Richer are in heavy rotation on your mp3 player, then make some room on your playlist for Blue on Blue.
Ok. Let's set the record straight- Yeah, she can rock but there's more to this girl than the typical bluster and posing of the current crop of mainstream rock chicks. Krystal Meyers' music has a message and she has the know-how, industry cred and mad skillz to deliver. If you doubt, know this... with her first single from her debut album, "Anti-conformity," she displaced the Red Hot Chili Peppers from their perch at number 1 on the pop charts in Japan.
The music of this album is dynamic and edgy- filled with brawny guitars, punchy drum work and thick bass lines. Dying for a Heart has an aggressive sound that's even edgier than her previous effort. She's only a year out of high school but shares more in common with Joan Jett than Kelly Clarkson. Miss Meyers writes, plays and performs like a seasoned veteran.
Krystal's songwriting is insightful and hip without coming off as inane. She charismatically addresses the concerns and struggles of her peers without resorting to worn clichés. Every song of Dying for a Heart contains a straightforward, unpretentious message, yet retains an in your face urgency and relevancy.
From first to last, it's evident that Dying for a Heart embodies the passion and devotion Miss Meyers possesses. If you're into chick rock and names like Barlow Girl, Superchic[k], Avril Lavigne, Sarah Brendel, Kelly Clarkson and Ashlee Simpson populate your playlists, then do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy of this CD.
Just about anyone with a pen can write a song. It takes an artist to craft a song which communicates its message with emotion. New Creative Soul artist Gregory Paul Smith is just such a song-writer. I Can Live Again, his debut from ktc Music and Creative Soul Records, hit stores on May 29th. Though a relative unknown, Smith's resume includes a stint as an All-American Jazz Trombonist, frontman of Christian Rockers Mars Hill Band, and lead singer of the Calvary Echoes Quartet.
The music of I Can Live Again offers a broad cross-section of the numerous stylistic influences to be found across the American soundscape. Stylistically, Smith blends influences from gospel, blues, young/crossover country (i.e. Rascal Flatts) and heartland pop (i.e. Casting Crowns) to create his music. All of I Can Live Again's tracks fall squarely in the pop /AC genre, but the successful blending of diverse and distinctive elements, gives each song a distinct quintessence.
The centerpiece of this debut is clearly Smith's vocals. Gregory is equally comfortable belting out a Steve Green-esque anthem ("Dwelling Place"), which showcases his vocal prowess," to a rock-tinged arrangement ("I Can See Beyond Tomorrow"). He can give a bluesy delivery ("Broken") one moment, and effortlessly segue into a quite and melodic ballad ("I Will Love You").
Lyrically, Smith's songs are hope-filled, worship-centric works. Because of the breadth of influences, Gregory Paul Smith's I Can Live Again will appeal to fans of stalwart favorites like Steven Curtis Chapman, Phillips, Craig and Dean and Aaron Jeffrey, to relative newcomers such as Casting Crowns, Brandon Heath, Caleb Rowden and Josh Bates.
The latest from overlooked, Canadian singer / songwriter Riley Armstrong is a remarkable, yet sure-to-be underappreciated, treasure. La loop is a terrific collection of songs reminding us that even in the hustle, bustle and drudgery of everyday life, it is possible to see God and "practice His presence" in what we see as the mundane.
Riley's trademark understated vocal delivery is about the only sonic holdover from previous releases. Don't take that the wrong way, Armstrong does NOT depart from his idiosyncratic blend of R&B, Hip Hop and Urban pop but he DOES take it to the next level in La loop. The music, driven by sampled beats and drum loops, is invigorated by layered keyboard sounds, occasional guitars and glossy production.
A new level of maturity is evident on La loop. Riley leaves behind some of the quirky humor found on his two previous releases, but does not abandon his penchant for creating great songs from everyday source material, nor his upbeat and oft times whimsical outlook. His ability to bring a fresh lyrical perspective to the ordinary is still intact and second to none.
To borrow from a popular oxymoron, the songs of La loop are "the same, only better" than what has come before. Shame on you if you haven't jumped on the Riley Armstrong bandwagon... remedy the situation post haste and get this "pearl of great price."
Detour 180's Slanted Records debut, Fighting for You is an aptly titled release. Since their small label, American debut two years ago, these New Zealand transplants have spent their time honing their craft, polishing their sound and touring all over North America. Fighting for You proves that hard work, perseverance and relentlessness, can pay dividends. No doubt the band's time in the "trenches" contributed to this album's deeper level of maturity and insightfulness.
The anthemic rock that comprises Fighting for You is tight and filled with plenty of hooks. Instrumentation and arrangements are polished and tight, but in some cases the production has left songs noticeably sanitized. A little guitar fuzz, keyboard fill or production ambience would have benefited the overall sound of the album.
What is evident is that considerable thought went into the theme, tone and arrangement of the songs. Fighting for You is an authentic, impassioned musical testimony of God's obsessive passion for His beloved humanity. For fans of Jeremy Camp, Building 429, Pivitplex and Bleach.
The internet has been a boon to musicians, talented or otherwise. Artists that might otherwise never get noticed garner ever-growing audiences at sites such as myspace.com, purevolume.com and indieheaven.com. Sure you can be cynical and see it as just another tool for shameless self-promotion but for every dozen American Idol wannabes, there are some truly talented individuals who deserve music lovers' attention. One such artist is Green Bay native Danen Kane.
The "She" of the title is a metaphor for the Church and there's no mistaking that this artist is caught up in a passionate love affair with his God. Whether addressing a female friend who feels unlovable or calling the bride that is God's Church to return to her true love, She beautifully illustrates the tender, passionate love our Creator has for His creatures. The songs of She are a wonderful mingling of love sonnets wed to Hosea-like laments delivered lovingly to its listener.
Kane surrounds himself with a small group of professional musicians, keeping the arrangements fresh and simple. The songs are crafted around the acoustic guitar or piano and Danen's voice. A minimal drum kit and bass layered over a subtle melody fleshes out the music, creating an enjoyable, jazz-shaded pop rock sound. The music flows effortless from one track to the next. You'll want to set the repeat on your music player of choice because the ten songs of this album are over way too quickly- even though almost all of them clock in at 4 minutes or more.
She alternates between being an adoring love-letter and an ardent cry to a wayward loved one. It is a tender and moving listening experience from beginning to end. Love takes and holds center stage on each track. Do yourself a favor if you like artists such as Shane & Shane, Derek Webb, Jason Morant and Eli and send yourself a love letter.
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