Equal Vision Records is proud to welcome Detroit, MI's We Came As Romans to its roster! The band was recently featured in Alternative Press' "Hometown Heroes" special (AP #247), having been voted #1 by the magazine's readers.

The band -- vocalists David Stephens and Kyle Pavone, guitarists Joshua Moore and Lou Cotton, bassist Andrew Glass, and drummer Eric Choi -- have been extremely active since the release of their breakout EP, Dreams, on tours with the likes of Our Last Night, Gwen Stacy, and The Number 12 Looks Like You. The sextet is continuing their busy streak, hitting the road with A Plea For Purging and Burden Of A Day on April 24th. The forthcoming full US trek will conclude May 22nd in Minnesota, just before the band heads to the studio to record their debut LP.After his work on Dreams, We Came As Romans has decided to once again record with producer Joey Sturgis (The Devil Wears Prada, Emarosa, Before Their Eyes) at his Foundation Recording Studio in Connersville, IN this June. Currently putting the final touches on the new material, Cotton promises "the full length will be similar to the EP but with a new edge to it." The album is planned a Fall 2009 release on Equal Vision Records. http://www.equalvision.com Read More..

Artist : Depeche Mode
Genre : Rock / Alternatif
Album : Sounds Of The Universe
Location : Basildon, United Kingdom
Website : www.myspace.com/depechemode
Label : Mute, EMI, Capitol records
Releases : April 20th, 2009
Available Format : CD, Digital Download, Vinyl LP (plus bonus audio CD), Special Edition CD+DVD Combo

Desription :

Sounds of the Universe is the twelfth full-length album by Depeche Mode, released in Europe on 20 April, and on 21 April in the US and Canada. Recorded in Santa Barbara and New York, 'Sounds Of The Universe' reunites Depeche Mode with producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Doves, Elbow), who previously produced their 2005 album 'Playing The Angel'.
Track Listing :
1. "In Chains" – 6:53
2. "Hole to Feed" – 3:59 (Dave Gahan, Christian Eigner, Andrew Phillpott)
3. "Wrong" – 3:13
4. "Fragile Tension" – 4:09
5. "Little Soul" – 3:31
6. "In Sympathy" – 4:54
7. "Peace" – 4:29
8. "Come Back" – 5:15 (Gahan, Eigner, Phillpott)
9. "Spacewalker" – 1:53
10. "Perfect" – 4:33
11. "Miles Away / The Truth Is" – 4:14 (Gahan, Eigner, Phillpott)
12. "Jezebel" – 4:41
13. "Corrupt" – 5:04 (8:58)
"Interlude #5" – 0:41 (hidden song starting at 8:17)

Members :
Dave Gahan
Martin Gore
Andrew Fletcher

Press Release :

DEPECHE MODE
ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF
SOUNDS OF THE UNIVERSE
APRIL 21, 2009

January 15, 2009- Groundbreaking, chart-topping electro legends Depeche Mode are proud to announce the release of their long-anticipated new studio album, Sounds Of The Universe on April 21, 2009 (Mute Records).

Eclectic and energized, the band's new release is their most dazzling and diverse album in decades. Recorded in Santa Barbara and New York, Depeche Mode returned to using a lot of vintage gear, from analogue synthesizers to drum machines, in order to conjure up the retro-futuristic arrangements featured on the album. Lyrically the release contains many of the group's enduring obsessions plus more overt black humor than any of their previous collections.

Like with their 2005 studio album, Playing The Angel, Sounds Of The Universe features writing credits for both Martin Gore, the group's primary songwriter, and Dave Gahan who after honing his talents on two solo albums, has earned his place as Depeche Mode's second writer. The release also marks a reunion between the band and producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Doves, Elbow), who worked with the band to help give their new album its timeless sound. The first single from the release, "Wrong," grabs the listener's attention from its first stack-heeled, staccato shriek. Over stomping beats, screeching synthesizers, and Dave's overlord chant, "Wrong" already feels like a Depeche Mode classic. Other standout tracks include Martin's velvet-lined Scott Walker croon on the sensual lounge-music ballad "Jezebel," to the sci-fi gospel-blues hymn "In Chains" and "Hole To Feed," which marries modern electronics to a floor-shaking, bone-rattling Bo Diddley beat.

As one of the most influential bands of the post-punk era, with global sales in excess of 100 million, Depeche Mode belongs to a select premiere league of super groups who have survived from the early 1980s with their ideals, creative vision and core members intact. Formed in 1981, Depeche Mode - Martin Gore, Dave Gahan and Andy 'Fletch' Fletcher - continue to win critical and commercial acclaim across the world both in the studio and on the road. All of the band's 11 studio albums have reached the Top Ten in not only the UK and USA but 20 plus countries around the world including Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Belgium. Additionally, since their inception Depeche Mode's live shows continue to be a must-see attraction, with the group playing to 2.8 million people across 31 countries on their last tour alone.http://www.depechemode.com

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Artist : The Chariot
Genre : Hardcore / Post Hardcore
Album : Wars And Rumors Of Wars
Location : Atlanta, GA
Website : http://www.myspace.com/thechariot
Label : Solid State records
Releases : May 5th, 2009
Available Format : CD

Description :
The Chariot have never been a band comfortable with the status quo. This year's Wars And Rumors Of Wars will tip the scales and push the limits of what modern metal-core can accomplish in the span of just ten songs. The band's 2007 epic sophomore full length, The Fiancée, saw the band trade it's signature chaotic charm of 2005's Everything Is Alive... and dish out a more focused and brutal brand of chaos. Wars And Rumors Of Wars takes this new direction even further, and turns up the heat another 250 degrees. The Chariot have found a comfortable spot atop the mountain of wreckage they leave behind after every show, and with Wars And Rumors Of Wars, it looks like their gonna camp out for a while. You've heard the rumors, now grab your combat boots. The war starts May 5th, 2009.

Track Listing:
1. Teach
2. Evolve
3. Need
4. Impress
5. Never I
6. Giveth
7. Abandon
8. Daggers
9. Oversea
10. Mrs. Montgomery Alabama iii.

Members :
Josh Scogin
David Kennedy
Dan Vokey
Bryan Russell/Rusty
Jonathan (KC Wolf) Kindler

Bioghraphy 2009
Press Kit :

The Chariot “Wars And Rumors Of Wars”

In 2003, the hardcore underground received a fresh burst of raw, scorching energy in the form of The Chariot. Under the leadership of front man Josh Scogin, the band spent two years touring under their debut album “Everything Is Alive, Everything Is Breathing, Nothing Is Dead, and Nothing Is Bleeding” and their 2005 EP “Unsung.” After solidifying their lineup, The Chariot hit the recording studio again to release the full-length album “The Fiancee” in 2007. “The Fiancee” was well received by hardcore listeners and helped to boost The Chariot’s constantly growing fan base.

Their newest full-length record, “Wars and Rumors of Wars,” is set to be released in May of 2009.

The Chariot has been quick to gain renown with fans of heavy music. Their one-of-a-kind sound combines the searing vocals of Josh Scogin with intense breakdowns provided by Brian Russell Taylor and Dan Vokey on guitar, Jon “KC Wolf” Kindler on bass, and David Kennedy on drums. All elements of the band come together to create an aggressive presence that appeals to punk rock, hardcore, and metal fans alike. They are known for their adrenaline-fueled live performances that can only be described as pure, boundless rock and roll.

There is one thing everyone can be certain of: The Chariot will continue to be a driving force on hardcore punk scene. Current and soon-to-be fans alike have a lot to look forward to as the band’s reputation continues to grow, and “Wars and Rumors of Wars” is no exception.http://www.solidstaterecords.com


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Artist : Through Solace
Genre : Hardcore / Rock
Album : The World On Standby
Location : Newport/Barry, Wales, United Kingdom
Website : http://www.myspace.com/throughsolace
Label : Strike First / Facedown Records
Releases : April 28th, 2009
Available Format : CD, Digital


Description :
Through Solace is a band that understands and respects where their music comes from, and cares deeply about keeping those roots alive. "Through Solace is ready to make its mark and display our potential, and we're running on a tank full-up with a stubborn desire to carry

on whatever the cost."

Track Listing :
01. We Were So Sincere
02. Aspects of Dreams
03. Through These Years
04. Taylor
05. Almost
06. Change of Heart
07. Landmark
08. An Opening
09. Seth Loomis
10. You Were My World
11. Lead by Example
12. Tides II

Members :
Luke Nicholas | Vocals
Rob Milligan | Guitars/Vocals
Kevin Williams | Guitars
Rohan Bishop | Bass
Sean Fletcher | Drums
Agent Palmer | Merch/Driver

Biography (2009):
Through Solace knows that the antidote to long roads and sleepless nights is a solid
soundtrack of classic records that define modern hard music. On their tours across the UK, Europe and North America, records such as Shai Hulud's Hearts Once Nourished... and Poison the Well's Opposite of December became more than entertainment as five guys from Wales sped along the world's highways. "We learned lessons from early metalcore that our sound-alike peers in the genre have been quick to forget. We wanted to do something that had a history and would last, rather than just being part of a trend."
Comprised of a writer, a political Press Officer, a supermarket clerk, body builder and bar tender, Through Solace live up to the reputation as a band Terrorizer Magazine acclaimed for their "rare sense of individuality." The band employs a mix of melodic and metallic hardcore that is nostalgic to fans of Beloved and Blindside. Combined influences from South Wales neighbors Funeral For a Friend and early Poison the Well lend their effect while denizens of intelligent hardcore will find comfort in the atmospheric layers and melodic passages a la Misery Signals and Satellite Years-era Hopesfall. Through Solace has been climbing the DIY ladder in their native South Wales since 2005, and doing it the old fashioned way has paid off for the 5 piece from Newport & Barry. After self-releasing their first EP An Innocent Confession and booking tours and festivals throughout UK and Europe to promote it, they caught the eyes of labels and zines alike. Establishing their potential early on and benefitting from a steadfast integrity, Through Solace's sound has since matured into a more intelligent, melodic and technical brand of hardcore. In 2007 they signed their first deal and released The Stand which ultimately brought their sound to the US and into the hands of Strike First Records. The Stand has garnered many accolades for Through Solace, being touted as "one of the most assured, exciting proponents of metalcore in the UK at the moment" and "sure-fire potential stars of the future." Their sound has been described as "powerful and effortlessly
crushing...absolutely colossal."
Through Solace is a band that understands and respects where their music comes from, and cares deeply about keeping those roots alive. "Through Solace is ready to make its mark and display our potential, and we're running on a tank full-up with a stubborn desire to carry on whatever the cost."

Through Solace will release their first full length through Strike First records in early 2009.http://www.myspace.com/throughsolace Read More..

Artist : Tumbledown
Genre : Rockabilly / Acoustic / Country
Album : Tumbledown
Location : Bremerton, Washington, United States
Website : http://www.myspace.com/tumbledowncountry
Label : End Sounds
Releases : 5/19/2009
Available Format : CD, Digital

Description :
Mike Herrera may be best known for being the frontman of MxPx but his solo project, Tumbledown, is the flipside of MXPX's distinctive punk rock sound. Herrera's country music project may have been a long time coming but it's definitely worth the wait. The record is still in the very early stages and there is no current release date. Check here for performance dates and for news on Tumbledown's much anticipated first release.

Track Listing :
1. Let's Drink
2. Butcher of San Antone
3. Break Out of History
4. Movin' On
5. I’m Still Here [feat. John Davis (Superdrag)]
6. State Line
7. Came Here To Fight
8. Second Hand High
9. My Sweet Darling Dear [feat. Jeff Turner (Say Anything)]
10. Son Of A Gun [feat. Jon Snodgrass (Drag The River, Armchair Martian)]
11. Homeward Bound

Members :
Marshall Trotland (standup bass)
Mike Herrera (songwriter / lead vocals / guitar)
Jack Parker (lead guitar)
Harley Trotland (drums)

Biography 2009 :
Under the influence of great American songwriters, countless punk rock shows, pop music and folk musical legends, Mike Herrera's Tumbledown was born. Forged from Herrera’s experiences on tour – miles and miles of landscape, experience, and the lonely open road, Tumbledown encompasses the love and heartbreak that comes with a life spent on the move, away from home in Bremerton, WA. While the world-traveling musician may be most well-known as the dynamic bassist and lead singer of the Left Coast three-piece MxPx, beneath all the tattoos and piercings, the ranting and stage-wrecking, Herrera has long been an acoustic wielding songsmith. His alt/country/pop-punk-a-billy solo project Tumbledown is at the root and on the flipside of all that (distinctive) punk rock.

“It's all about the songs,” Herrera says. “What it sounds like depends on who you are.”

The music carries an old-school country-western swagger, reminiscent of Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, with Herrera strumming a big dreadnaught acoustic over a chugging snare drum and stand-up bass. Guitarist Jack Parker adds to the Americana, with swiftly meandering, mean lead work.

“I don't claim that we're a country band... we're just a band...I just like the fact that it's a different sound,” Herrera says. “Different than a country band, different than a punk rock band, different than a rockabilly band -- we're somewhere there in the ether, somewhere in between it all.” http://www.endsounds.com

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Fearless Records, in business since 1994, has an exciting roster of bands on the rise and has been home to greats such as Plain White T's, Sugarcult, At The Drive-in. The label offers a diverse selection of alternative rock, punk, and hardcore. On the pop side, Fearless has developed The Maine, Mayday Parade, Every Avenue, and Plain White T’s. On the heavier side of the roster there are A Static Lullaby, A Skylit Drive, and Alesana. And for those that like their rock experimental, there is Gatsbys American Dream and Portugal The Man. Some of Fearless Records newest bands include The Word Alive, Sparks the Rescue, and Motionless in White. Fearless Records is also home to the "Punk Goes Series," which is one of the top themed compilation series available.Fearless Records, an independent record label in Huntington Beach, is hiring interns for the summer semester.

Fearless Records Looking for people who are…
- Energetic and reliable
- Interested in the music business and/or entertainment industry
- Hardworking, dedicated and self motivated

Fearless Records will have internships available in the following areas:
- Tour Marketing
- Publicity (Please include some writing samples and/or press releases. school assignments ok)
- New Media (Viral Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Content Management, Online Promotions)
- Street Marketing
- Retail Marketing
- Strategic Marketing
- Promotions
- Graphic Design (please also include your portfolio)
- General Marketing Internship

You must be able to work 2 or 3 days a week (9-5:30pm), unless specified, in Huntington Beach, CA and be at least 16 years old. The Summer Internship goes from the end of May until the end of August. You must be able to commit to this time frame in order to be considered. If your school schedule differs from this time frame, we are willing to work around your schedule. Please still apply, we will try to work something out.

If interested please email a cover letter, resume and position/s of interest to Joyce@FearlessRecords.com.
All applications must be received by 5pm on Sunday, May 10, 2009 in order to be considered.

For more information about Fearless Records, please visit www.fearlessrecords.com.

Internships are unpaid, but check with your school about earning college credit. We will help take care of any paperwork relating to college coursework. Source : http://www.myspace.com/fearlessrecords Read More..

The Color Fred Posted on myspace bulletin and blogs that The Intervention EP comes out in this Saturday April 18th only at independent record stores. For participating stores, visit: http://www.recordstoreday.com. The Intervention EP features three brand new songs, plus four acoustic/alternate versions of songs from The Color Fred's Bend To Break album.

Track Listing :
1. If I Surrender (Acoustic)
2. Complaintor (Acoustic)
3. Terrible Things
4. The Intervention
5. Dark Clouds
6. It Isn't Me (Acoustic Demo)
7. Hate To See You Go (Demo)Limited edition CD EP created for the second annual Record Store Day (Saturday, April 18th, 2009)! Only available at participating indie retail stores. Artwork created by leading music photographer Ryan Russell. For more details log on to myspace page The Color Fred, http://www.myspace.com/thecolorfred Read More..

Artist : MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA
Genre : Indie / Rock
Album : Mean Everything To Nothing
Location : Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Website : http://www.myspace.com/manchesterorchestra | www.themanchesterorchestra.com
Label : Indie

Description :
Mean Everything To Nothing is the second full-length album from the Atlanta musicians Manchester Orchestra. It is to be released via Favorite Gentlemen/ Canvasback Recordings on April 21, 2009.

Track Listing :
1. "The Only One" 2:37
2. "Shake It Out" 5:11
3. "I've Got Friends" 4:57
4. "Pride" 5:47
5. "In My Teeth" 4:42
6. "100 Dollars" 1:50
7. "I Can Feel A Hot One" 4:19
8. "My Friend Marcus" 3:41
9. "Tony the Tiger" 3:09
10. "Everything To Nothing" 5:37
11. "The River" 11:33
* "Jimmy, He Whispers" (hidden track starts at 7:24)
12. "Go"*

Members :
Andy Hull -- vocals, guitar
Jonathan Corley -- bass
Jeremiah Edmond -- drums
Christopher Freeman -- keyboard
Robert McDowell -- guitar

Biograpy (2009):

Manchester Orchestra
Mean Everything To Nothing (2009)

Mean Everything To Nothing , the second album from Atlanta's Manchester Orchestra, is everything you want a rock record to be: raw, urgent, emotional, and 100 percent authentic. "There is nothing fake about this record," says frontman and lyricist Andy Hull. "There's not one fake sound on it. We recorded it live because we wanted it to sound like a band, and I think it does: live and loud!"

Inspired by the pounding, primal assault of Weezer's Pinkerton , Nirvana's In Utero , and Foo Fighters' The Colour and the Shape , this young band has created its own version of what a classic rock album should sound like, complete with fiercely beautiful melodies, shifting guitar and keyboard textures, loud/soft dynamics, and an urgency in each band member's performance, especially Hull's cathartic vocals.

The drama is magnified by the fact that the album's first six songs bleed into one another without stopping. The blistering opener "The Only One" immediately gives way to the propulsive "Shake It Out" and the torrential first single "I've Got Friends," followed by the anguished "Pride" and the menacing "In My Teeth," before slowing down on the darkly funny "100 Dollars." Then the album pauses and down-shifts into less relentless yet equally gripping territory on songs from "I Can Feel A Hot One" (which was featured on Gossip Girl last September), to the ruminative closer "The River."

The breakneck pace is both exhilarating and exhausting, which Hull says was intentional. "I like the fact that there isn't a chance during the first six songs to say anything if you're listening to it with somebody. It's seamless. We did that to emphasize that there are two halves to the album." The first half is a brooding tale of teenage angst and anger -- the confusion and disillusionment of growing up and becoming an adult. The second half is about redemption and an overall re-evaluation of the self. It's about Hull beginning to realize in his own words "that things are not ok, I am not ok, and there's a beauty in that -- a calming, a forgiveness," he says.

A fully realized album, Mean Everything To Nothing is the sound of a band coming into its own after spending 300 days on the road in support of their debut album, 2007's I'm Like A Virgin Losing A Child -- a coming-of-age chronicle that expressed the then 19-year-old Hull's hopes and aspirations as he sought spiritual knowledge. Virgin was an attention-getting shot across the bow that Rolling Stone praised as "expansive in scope and rich in texture, even while remaining lyrically focused on small moments of revelation" and the New York Times called "music to swoon to." But whereas the songs on the debut were voiced by a fictional cast of characters that Hull created to obscure his own emotions, the intensely personal songs on Mean Everything To Nothing are all him. "I was able to be more honest when singing as someone else," admits Hull, who is now 22. "Now I've realized, although it's incredibly difficult, it's more powerful to just say it myself."

Although Hull writes all the lyrics, he describes the process of making Mean Everything to Nothing as more collaborative than that of its predecessor. "Writing the album was such a joy for me because the things these guys contributed were insane," Hull says. "I had plenty of suggestions and opinions, but the parts are theirs. This was not a one-man show. Jeremiah is patient and wise; he'd make me play a song five times before jumping in during our writing rehearsals. Robert's talent and creativity are obvious throughout the album. His vocals, keys, and guitar parts shine in moments where you don't expect them to. Jonathan has always been an amazing bassist, but on this album he let go with more freedom in writing his parts than he has before. And Chris doesn't really play keys, it's more like lead guitar. Most of the moments that sound like a crazy guitar are actually keyboard. He really made the record his own by writing ambient swells, piercing tones, and adding chunky, beefy distortion."

Indeed the band's chemistry is palpable on Mean Everything To Nothing , perhaps because, after more than a year of touring with such artists as Kings of Leon, Brand New, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Say Anything, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, as well as performing their own headlining shows, Manchester Orchestra has become a powerful and well-oiled machine. "The touring made us so incredibly tight on all levels," Hull says, "so there was no pride involved if someone said, 'No that doesn't work, don't do that.' No one got their feelings hurt because we were all dedicated to the same thing -- making the best record we could."

The band were supported in the process by their producers, studio vet Joe Chiccarelli (The Shins, My Morning Jacket, The Raconteurs) in conjunction with longtime friend and producer Dan Hannon and the band. "Joe is the absolute tone master," Hull says. "The sounds he gets are so good. We wrote these songs so quickly and he was great in helping us do surgery to make them better. When Dan came in, it was like fresh blood pumping through the project. He'd move five knobs and click a few things and it was like, 'Oh shit, that's great.' The whole thing was a great collaboration."

Recorded last fall in Nashville and Atlanta, the album was made on the heels of a very active period for the band. In 2008, they played several major U.S. festivals, including Coachella and Lollapalooza, and released a five-song EP, Let My Pride Be What's Left Behind , in October. Included with the EP is a DVD of the previously unreleased What's Left Behind documentary film of the band directed by Sam Erickson (My Morning Jacket's Okonokos ). In addition, Hull released The Eventually Home -- the second installment of his epic solo project Right Away, Great Captain , which tells the ongoing saga of a 17 th -century sailor who catches his wife in an act of betrayal with his own brother. All of Hull's and Manchester Orchestra's output is released on Favorite Gentleman Recordings, the indie label Hull and Edmond founded in 2004 as a way to stay in control of their music and to pass along the good fortune of their own success by signing other artists, like Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Kevin Devine.

"It's all been great," Hull says, "but I'd have to say the best thing about the past year has been developing the brotherhood the five of us have. This band has been through hard times and come out stronger than ever before. That's what makes it worth it."

Mean Everything To Nothing will be released by Favorite Gentlemen/Canvasback on April 21 st , 2009. http://www.themanchesterorchestra.com

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Artist : FM Static
Genre : Pop Punk / Rock / Pop
Album : Dear Diary
Location : Canada
Website : http://www.myspace.com/fmstatic
Label : Tooth & Nail Records

Description :

FM Static (composed of Thousand Foot Krutch singer Trevor McNevan, and drummer Steve Augustine) returns with "Dear Diary", a concept album where every lyric is the innermost thought of a soul-searching teenager.

“This is the first concept album I’ve worked on, and it was a ton of fun,” says McNevan. “It felt theatrical from the start. I imagined this high school boy, new in town, writing through life’s big questions about faith and fitting in as he grows up toward college. He’s also falling in love for the first time with a girl from across the street and dealing with how crazy that can be. It’s been a while since I was in high school, but I’m still enthralled with all of those politics.”

No doubt FM Static listeners—by and large a student audience—will also be enthralled with the spot-on relatable happenings and character confessions of "Dear Diary", a project whose special story can only be unlocked as it happens, from song one to song ten.

Although Dear Diary is a work of fiction, Trevor McNevan says, “the songs reflect thoughts me and my friends all had growing up. And there’s a lot of me in the more serious songs toward the end.” What listeners can ultimately expect is a rocking, melodically-charged coming-of-age story that somehow combines the creative vibe of independent films like Juno and Napoleon Dynamite, a dash of High School Musical charm, and the altogether rare element of uncensored faith

Track listing:
1. Boy Moves To A New Town With Optimistic Outlook
2. The Unavoidable Battle Of Feeling On The Outside
3. Boy Meets Girl (And Visa Versa)
4. Sometimes You Can Forget Who You Are
5. Man Whatcha Doin'?
6. The Voyager Of Beliefs
7. Her Father's Song
8. Take Me As I Am
9. Dear God
10. The Shindig (Off To College)

Members :
Trevor McNevan - Vocals, Songwriter
Steve Augustine - Drums

Press :
FM Static
Dear Diary

What’s the difference between FM Static and Thousand Foot Krutch? Singer-songwriter Trevor McNevan and drummer Steve Augustine lead both bands, but the former is a side project to the latter. In fact, the public has shown center-stage love for each act’s efforts, from FM Static’s summery punk-pop to TFK’s more autumnal, metallic rock.

More than anything, having two names makes it easier to take some fun creative chances. Like pursuing the idea for a concept album where every lyric is the innermost thought of a soul-searching teenager. When that spark of inspiration entered Trevor’s head last year while TFK was on tour with Skillet, he knew Dear Diary was a perfect job for FM Static.

“This is the first concept album I’ve worked on, and it was a ton of fun,” says McNevan, who has also penned hits for tobyMac and Hawk Nelson. “It felt theatrical from the start. I imagined this high school boy, new in town, writing through life’s big questions about faith and fitting in as he grows up toward college. He’s also falling in love for the first time with a girl from across the street and dealing with how crazy that can be. It’s been a while since I was in high school, but I’m still enthralled with all of those politics.”
No doubt FM Static listeners—by and large a student audience—will also be enthralled with the spot-on relatable happenings and character confessions of Dear Diary, a project whose special story can only be unlocked as it happens, from song one to song ten.

It all begins with a couple of self-explanatorily-titled rock tunes. “Boy Moves to a New Town with Optimistic Outlook” introduces the never-named star who hopes to find something or someone worth living for. Over a punk tempo and pop melody he wonders: What will we leave behind but the pages of our life? “The Unavoidable Battle of Feeling on the Outside” drills into the psyche with a simple guitar riff and his simple social truth: I’m not an idiot, but I feel like one a lot.

That feeling aside, “Boy Meets Girl (and Vice Versa)” finds the main character making a crucial new friend. He refers to her as “E.T.” in writing (extended entries for each song are printed inside the Dear Diary packaging). That’s because she was like no one I had ever met. Her purpose seemed to glow, like she was plugged in. Soon, he’s thinking more about what life means and feeling less alone on the anthemic “Sometimes You Can Forget Who You Are.” In the Weezer-like stomp, “Man Whatcha Doin?” the boy meets a homeless philosopher who helps straighten out his thoughts about money and happiness. It’s a well-placed moment of fun just before the album’s concept goes much deeper.

“The Voyage of Beliefs” is Dear Diary’s crossroads, a gripping indie rock duet between McNevan and Superchick’s Tricia Brock where the characters both step up in faith, proclaiming a belief in God that is their own, not just the one their families have handed down. And, oh, how they need it for what happens next.

Up to this point, FM Static’s Dear Diary would already be unique enough for its concept and catchiness, but the next arc of songs turns the album into something truly remarkable. Without warning, the girl’s dad kills himself, an event that leaves our boy asking why everyone we love still lets us down in the cinematic quietness of “Her Father’s Song.”

Not surprisingly, E.T. suffers a crisis of faith and later moves away. Although the boy tries to shake off his new beliefs as well amidst his devastation, he feels this strange, warm feeling come over me . . . a simple peace letting me know I was okay that fuels the message of Dear Diary’s first single, “Take Me As I Am.” A poignant, piano-driven dénouement, this revelation that faith can still grow even amidst struggle will resound to all ages. Those same determined emotions extend to the boy’s “Dear God” letter following the girl’s departure. To its credit, FM Static conjures in these two songs a timeless, trend-immune pop sound that stretches McNevan and Augustine in their top-notch performances beyond anything they have previously recorded.

True to its resilient teenage characters, Dear Diary ends on a celebratory high note. The accompanying story written by McNevan explains how the “Dear God” letter was answered: the boy and E.T. end up attending the same university and maturing in their beliefs together. They don’t have all the answers, but they have a purpose, and they still know how to have fun. Album closer “The Shindig (Off to College)” is a steam-blower full of sing-along pop culture references and youthful wisdom: Tonight may not be the best night that we’ve ever had. But it may be the best time ever to realize what we have.

Although Dear Diary is a work of fiction, Trevor McNevan says, “the songs reflect thoughts me and my friends all had growing up. And there’s a lot of me in the more serious songs toward the end.” What listeners can ultimately expect is a rocking, melodically-charged coming-of-age story that somehow combines the creative vibe of independent films like Juno and Napoleon Dynamite, a dash of High School Musical charm, and the altogether rare element of uncensored faith.

It was definitely worth McNevan writing about, and definitely worth a close listen.
http://www.myspace.com/fmstatic

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Artist : mewithout You
Genre : Rock/Indie
Album : it's all crazy! it's all false! it's all a dream! it's alright
Location : Philadelphia, Pennyslavina, United States
Website : www.myspace.com/ascitiesburn | mewithoutYou.com
Label : Tooth & Nail Records

Description :
Over the course of three albums and several hundred mesmerizing shows, audiences have consistently heard something dramatic and altogether different from mewithoutYou. Spirits have been jolted and calmed, in equal measures.

"it's all crazy! it's all false! it's all a dream! it's alright" is another daring adventure charted by frontman Aaron Weiss, guitarist Michael Weiss, bassist Greg Jehanian, and drummer Rickie Mazzotta. Helping to further stretch the group’s boundaries is the production duo of indie dynamo Daniel Smith (Danielson Familie) and Philly workhorse Brian McTear (Mazarin, Matt Pond PA).

Much of the mewithoutYou anguish of old has given way to a sense of gentle wonder, as the band and a whole slew of guest musicians have unearthed strange and beautiful sounds that accompany the album’s many marvels. A more tranquil Aaron, following an artistic progression he began on Brother, Sister, has more or less dropped his signature sing-shouting and is now a full-fledged singer. The band remains in left field, but one that continuously draws to them more eccentrics, seekers, and lovers of original music. Track Listing:
1. every thought a Thought of You
2. the Fox, the Crow, and the Cookie
3. the Angel of Death came to David's room
4. goodbye, I !
5. a Stick, a Carrot & String
6. bullet to Binary (pt. two)
7. Timothy hay
8. Fig with a Bellyache
9. Cattail Down
10. the King Beetle on a Coconut Estate
11. Allah, Allah, Allah

Members :
Aaron Weiss - Lead Vocals
Michael Weiss - Guitar
Christopher Kleinberg - Guitar
Greg Jehanian - Bass Guitar
Richard Mazzotta - Drums

Press :
mewithoutYou
“it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright

Great music asks something from us. It’s not enough just to listen. The best albums move us because we’ve responded to their wake-up calls.

That’s the kind of invitation mewithoutYou first issued on its full-length debut, [A -> B Life], seven years ago. Those needing something better found just that where they first encountered the Philly-based group, whether on a disc or in a sweaty venue. And over the course of three albums and several hundred mesmerizing shows, audiences have consistently heard something dramatic and altogether different from mewithoutYou. Spirits have been jolted and calmed, in equal measures.

Oh wake up, sleepers.

Fans have long anticipated the fourth wake-up call from mewithoutYou—it’s all crazy! it’s all false! it’s all a dream! it’s alright. Following the expansive Brother, Sister, the album is another daring adventure charted by frontman Aaron Weiss, guitarist Michael Weiss, bassist Greg Jehanian, and drummer Rickie Mazzotta. Helping to further stretch the group’s boundaries is the production duo of indie dynamo Daniel Smith (Danielson Familie) and Philly workhorse Brian McTear (Mazarin, Matt Pond PA).

Anyone familiar with [A -> B Life] and the sophomore Catch for Us the Foxes knows the band’s intensity rests largely on the anguished wondering of Weiss’s lyrics. There have always been more questions than answers (“How can this great love be inside of me?” “What new mystery is this?”). This latest offering begins where Brother, Sister left off, with a series of meditations on forgiveness, love, death, and the illusions of self—all set to indelible melodies, lush compositions, and rousing choruses.

“O, Porcupine,” a standout track on Brother, Sister, asked us to listen to creation’s groans. Well, there’s plenty of that groaning on this album, together with all the cawing, chattering, and warbling by an allegorical cast of foxes, crows, bunnies, sheep, donkeys, and over a dozen other animals. Even the vegetables have something profound to say in this imaginative world.

Other surprises abound. Much of the mewithoutYou anguish of old has given way to a sense of gentle wonder, as on the celebratory “Timothy Hay” and “A Stick a Carrot and a String.” Jehanian, Mazzotta, Mike Weiss, and a whole slew of guest musicians have unearthed strange and beautiful sounds that accompany the album’s many marvels. A more tranquil Aaron, following an artistic progression he began on Brother, Sister, has more or less dropped his signature sing-shouting and is now a full-fledged singer.

That’s not to say that this album is afraid of the dark. “The Angel of Death Came to David’s Room” is a stark treatise about where we’re all headed, and “The King Beetle on a Coconut Estate” recounts an old fable about the blistering fate that awaits the fearless truth-seeker. It’s hard not to get chills when band and full orchestra reach the song’s devastating finale.

Recognizing how well the group eludes neat genre labels, mtvU awarded mewithoutYou the Left-Field Woodie in 2005 (picking them out from an illustrious pack that included the Arcade Fire and M.I.A.). Four years later, the band remains in left field, but one that continuously draws to them more eccentrics, seekers, and lovers of original music. “It’s all crazy,” Aaron sings on the closing “Allah, Allah, Allah,” (sure to be the New Anthem, as fans at recent shows already know). No doubt, but don’t refuse that call to join the band. Read More..

Artist : As Cities Burn
Genre : Rock/Indie/Progresive
Album : Hell Or High Water
Location : Lousiana, United States
Website : www.myspace.com/ascitiesburn
Label : Tooth & Nail Records
Description :
If musical progression is a dirty word, As Cities Burn will need to wash their collective mouths out with soap. The band returns this spring with Hell Or High Water, the follow up to 2007's acclaimed release Come Now Sleep, and there's plenty of that "dirty word" to go around. Completely leaving behind the band's heavier, sing scream past, Hell Or High Water still brings the rock, though the rock sounds a bit more mature, and it's in the purest, most unexpected way. Stand-out tracks like "Into The Sea" and "Made Too Pretty" find the band furthering the sound they perfected with Come Now Sleep, while offerings like "Capover" bring a welcome shift into uncharted waters. Catching up to peers like Brand New and Thrice, As Cities Burn have come into their own, and in the full scope of the band's career, Hell Or High Water will prove to be a cornerstone. The album was self produced and mixed by Brad Wood (mewithoutYou, Pete Yorn, Placebo) and drops April 21st, hell or high water.

Tracklist :
1. 84' Sheepdog
2. Errand Rum
3. Into the Sea
4. Made Too Pretty
5. Lady Blue
6. Round and Round
7. Petty
8. Daughter
9. Pirate Blues
10. Capover

Members :
Cody Bonnette - Vocals, Guitar
Colin Kimble - Bass
Chris Lott - Guitar
Aaron Lunsford - Drums

Press :

As Cities Burn - Hell Or High Water

Surviving or overcoming insuperable obstacles is often referred to with the slang expression, “Hell or High Water.” Ironically the alternative rock band As Cities Burn has chosen to title their third studio project after said expression, which releases April 21, 2009 on Tooth & Nail Records.

The band’s fearless leader since the release of their sophomore project, Cody Bonnette, connects the dots with the title and content of the album. “This title just sat well with my soul. It felt like a closed chapter in our book moving onto something new.”

Recorded in Cleveland, TN at First Street Studio over three months, “Hell or High Water,” takes the band in a new direction with more focus on creating an ambiance and musical groove as opposed to the previously recorded heavily guitar and scream-o-driven albums. Produced primarily by Bonnette along with the aid of Tyler Orr, Jae Ham, Robert Chisolm and Tyler Schwindt, the album was recorded to sound more similar to the band’s live sound.

“I was tired of songs that had so many riffs and changes,” shares Bonnette of the musical direction. “We wanted to create an album with that groove-ability that gets your head bobbing as well as your mind thinking.”

One such track that fits the goals of the album is the steady paced “Daughter,” which showcases a somber jazz feel with Bonnette’s sultry voice. “Made too Pretty” bears a spiritual correlation to being made in Christ’s image, “We bear your name and you let us say you are something that you are not...” . The song ends with the accusation that that humans don’t understand why they were created, “We don’t want a god we don’t see ourselves; don’t see we’re in need; I think we became too pretty so much we don’t see it yet.”

“Hell or High Water” is comprised of many tracks that will compel the listener to understand that people and things change. With that in mind, the band asks fans to come to their own conclusions on the meaning and significance of the tracks rather than being told.

As Cities Burns hails from Louisiana and includes Cody Bonnette (vocals, guitar), Christopher Lott (guitar), Colin Kimble (bass)and Aaron Lunsford -(drums). The band formed in 2002 and have released two projects on Solid State/ Tooth & Nail Records: “Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest” (2005); “Come Now, Sleep” (2007). The band has toured with Emery, So Long Forgotten and Jonezetta. www.myspace.com/ascitiesburn

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