With over a decade of music to their name, you could say Sanctus Real has officially reached veteran artist status, a title with blessing and curse attached when the time for new album comes around. On the upside, they need no introduction. The 2002 Sparrow debut Say it Loud brought their modern rock sound from the garage to the world, and the Dove award winning follow-up Fight The Tide proved Sanctus was here to stay. But with that kind of longevity comes plenty of expectations for every new release, questioning if it will break new ground or follow what works, if it will surpass or pale next to their best work. So how does Sanctus Real's fifth offering Pieces of a Real Heart measure up? This time around, they take a different musical direction, but it just might be some of their most mature and honest work to date.
Style: Rock / Alternative
Street Date: March 9, 2010
Track list:
01. Forgiven (3:37)
02. These Things Take Time (3:21)
03. The Way The World Turns (4:08)
04. Lead Me (3:48)
05. The Redeemer (3:45)
06. Take Over Me (3:05)
07. I Want To Get Lost (3:54)
08. 'Til I Got To Know You (3:57)
09. Dear Heart (3:01)
10. I'll Show You How To Live (3:19)
11. Keep My Heart Alive (3:26)
Nothing can be more of a blessing and yet such a curse as the notorious B-Side. These songs are the forgotten, set-aside tracks that were considered but never accepted. And while some artists/bands could easily release an album of songs that they never thought were good enough, others might recognize their hidden quality yet know they were made for something… or somewhere else. With the latest Switchfoot release, we are given just that in Eastern Hymns For Western Shores. But let it be known that four out of six of these songs have already been heard; whether they were found on previous/random releases, fan sites, or somehow snagged off of infamous music pirating outles. However, this compilation is a pure representation of the darker and more mysterious side of Switchfoot. For any friend of the Foot, these "hymns" aren't complete unless they come together.
Styile: Alternative Rock / Experimental
Street Date: December, 2010
Track list:
01. We Are Bound (3:29)
02. Stitches (3:08)
03. Daylight To Break (3:35)
04. Overthrow (3:36)
05. Dirty Second Hands (Original Recording - Eastern Hymns Sessions) (2:50)
06. Connect With The Spine (2:44)
As part of a new distribution deal, Whiplash Records band Manic Drive decided to put forth a sort of re-release of their latest album, Reset & Rewind. Titled Blue, the new project combines eight of Reset's tracks with four new ones. The slew of new songs include "Music" and "Walls," which are both high-energy techno-fused rock anthems, something new for the band. "Closer" is a beautiful worship song that makes use of Autotune, which surprisingly works well. "Rain" is a nice ballad, but is clearly the weakest of the four new
tracks.
Style: Alternative / Rock / Electronic
Street Date: August 18, 2009
Track list:
01. Music (3:25)
02. Walls (4:14)
03. Blue (4:16)
04. Closer (4:08)
05. NYC Gangsters (3:43)
06. Dancefloor (3:20)
07. Eleven Regrets (4:07)
08. Rain (3:23)
09. Hope (4:05)
10. Better Man (3:41)
11. December Mourning (4:09)
12. Change (3:22)
After two years of touring and the promotion of their debut, the Canadian-based quartet known as Manic Drive is back with the release of their sophmore album entitled Reset And Rewind. With a collaboration of new stylings as well as guest appearances from well-known artists, Manic Drive hopes to please and win over listeners and critics alike.
The raw opener, "NYC Gangsters," kicks off the album while setting the boundaries for the overall mood of the release. "Eleven Regrets," the hit single, touches upon the issue of past mistakes and regrets, while "Blue" deals with the concept of trial-and-error and how submitting to God makes all the difference. The latter also features guest vocals by former dc Talk legend Kevin Max, another added plus. "Dancefloor," which features female rap artist M.O.C., has no lyrical depth whatsoever; it's just a party track about letting loose and having a good time.
"Obvious" is a rapid-paced track, laced with aggressive vocals, dynamic, accusational lyrics, and an added in-your-face message. The acoustic rock balled "Hope" encourages us that there really is hope within this lost and hopeless world ("Believe it or not, there's hope"), whereas "December Mourning" features echoes from the song "Carol Of The Bells," producing an edgy yet intimate feel, while at the same time painting a picture of personal sadness felt during the jubilant Christmas time. "Better Man" represents our human habit to fail and give in to sin, with references to our questioning conscience about the importance and worth of life in general ("Who's this life for?").
"Addiction" is all about resisting the temptations and addictions we face from day to day, while "Change," an orchestrated serenade, points out our need to change and draw closer in our walk with Christ. "L-O-V-E" is a catchy tune about the love between us and the Father, which is really the only track that feels like the album should have done without. "The End," ironically, is not the album's finale, but it does add flavor to the taste of the record as a whole. "The Inventor" is a beautifully constructed piano piece, gracefully closing Reset And Rewind.
Manic Drive has matured incredibly in their music as well as the reoccurring themes that they have woven throughout their latest release. I am quite eager to see what they craft into their third record, and you should be too.
Here's a bit of trivia for you: what do the bands Rush, Blur, Thousand Foot Krutch, and Hawk Nelson all have in common? The answer would be that they all hail from Canada. Another band to add to the growth of rock bands attempting to get recognition in the United States would be Mississauga, Ontario natives Manic Drive. This particular band fuses together alt rock, metal, and progressive power pop, sounding similar at times to bands like 38th Parallel and Linkin Park. Is it improper for a band to sound like another popular band? If they are striving to be original, then such a task is too redundant.
Style: Rock / Metal / Alternative
Street Date: July 20, 2005
Track list:
01. Intro
02. Something More
03. Luckiest
04. Nebulous
05. Memories
06. Middle Of It All
07. Only One
08. Aimlessly
09. Wasting Away
10. Tragedy
11. Crying
12. Alive
Pop/rock Georgian quintet After Edmund is yet another emerging act to be listed on the roster of artists for Slanted Records. Although they are not a "familiar" band at the moment, they hope to become a fresh face in today's music industry. Hello serves as the band's national debut, and a friendly introduction to music listeners far and wide.
Style: Alternative / Pop Rock
Street Date: february 26, 2008
Track list:
01. Thank God
02. Fighting For Your Heart (Let It Go)
03. Everyone
04. Like A Dream
05. Darkest Room
06. Come And Rain Down
07. Tears
08. Stealing Away
09. Go Oboe!
10. Clouds
11. It's Alright
12. To See You Leave
One of the recent additions to VSR Music Group, the Phoenix, Arizona natives, Echoes The Fall, are ready to break onto a crowded rock scene. Formed in 2005 by brothers Mitch and Mike Gable, Echoes The Fall has been seen sharing the stage with artists like Skillet, Project 86, and Seventh Day Slumber. Their debut project, Bloodline, has been toted as rock album which is full of chemistry, maturity, and the band's raw power.
Style: Alternative Rock / Metal
Street Date: September 8, 2009
Track list:
01. Break Away (3:46)
02. Here To Stay (3:00)
03. A Life Less Loved (3:50)
04. Bloodline (3:46)
05. Things Will Change (This Time Around) (3:46)
06. Dirty Water (4:05)
07. Your Move (4:35)
08. Black And White (3:49)
09. Eye Of The Tiger (3:49)
10. Things Will Change (This Time Around) (Acoustic) (3:58)
It seems that sometimes it's the collaborative efforts between a few truly creative minds that bring out the best in the individuals involved. Pop vocalist Leigh Nash and songwriter Matt Slocum were a divine pairing when Sixpence None The Richer was together. Last year, Nash made her solo debut, and although the record offered some fantastic melodic pop tunes, Slocum's touch was missed. Fauxliage finds Nash pairing up with Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber of the alt/ambient pop group Delerium for a new direction in music for the vocalist.
Fauxliage isn't Leigh Nash's first collaborative effort with the guys of Delerium. She's contributed her talents to a few songs on the group's own albums, but this time provides the vocals to all of the tracks on Fauxliage, save for a pair of instrumentals. Sixpence fans might notice that Leigh's vocals are much more channeled towards the melancholy than her solo project Blue On Blue and there is no upbeat fluff here at all. "All The World" opens the project, a noticeably moody but ultimately slick and delightfully dreary electronic pop song. Nash's lyrics are some of her best to date on this record, and the artist has admitted that they're some of her most personal as well. While she writes ambiguously, she's also not afraid to mince words, stating bluntly (and arguably inappropriately) "It's hard as hell tonight to sleep" in the heartbreaking "Let It Go" (also the only song in the CD jacket not to have lyrics included), and on "All Alone" she asks, "What is it for? What is this for? If love is not for us / Then who is it for?" There is still hope to be found on the album however, with "Rafe" serving as a prayer for Leigh's ailing cousin for recovery (and who has since started doing well).
Style: Indie Pop
Street Date: August 14, 2007
Track list:
01. All The World
02. Someday The Wind
03. Draw My Life
04. Let It Go
05. Magic (instrumental)
06. Without You
07. Rafe
08. Vibing (instrumental)
09. All Alone
10. Rafe (Gabin Remix)
11. Rafe (Pacha Remix)
After the members of Sixpence None The Richer decided to go their separate ways a few years ago, lead vocalist and Sixpence's chief personality Leigh Nash began pursuing her own musical endeavors. Sixpence consisted primarily of one of the most dynamic duos in alternative music, pairing the beauteous vocals of Nash with the multi-talented Matt Slocum, but individually the two carry distinct musical strengths. Although Leigh has done scattered solo work while in her previous band, Blue On Blue marks her full-length debut out on her own.
Blue On Blue is a distinctly more pop-driven effort than most anything Sixpence None The Richer had done. But taking into consideration Divine Discontent, the band's final studio album, as the last time we really heard an all-new full-length recording featuring Nash, this album seems like the natural next step in Nash's musical evolution. Leigh had a hand in the band's songwriting more towards the end of their run, but being on her own gives her the chance to really write and sing what's on her heart, making her music all the more passionate, all the more personal.
Style: Indie Pop
Street Date: August 15, 2006
Track list:
01. Along The Wall
02. Nervous In The Light Of Dawn
03. My Idea of Heaven
04. Ocean Size Love
05. Never Finish
06. Between The Lines
07. More Of It
08. Angel Tonight
09. Blue
10. Cloud Nine
11. Just a Little
The final piece of Future of Forestry's "Travel Trilogy" is here with the aptly titled Travel III EP. The final EP follows suit with its predecessors: Travel name, travel theme (this time it's automobiles), and six songs. The comparisons pretty much end there. Travel III is a very airy and ambient sounding experiment, which features a different sound for the indie alt-rockers. A majority of the album features more drum machine, "hip-hop style" inspired beats; the different sound still seems to work for singer/front man, Eric Owyoung, who seems to make whatever he puts his talents to sound great. The album starts with the track "Bold and Underlined," featuring a nice guitar riff and you think, "Here's the Future of Forestry I'm used to". As you prepare for the song to progress, the undeniably catchy beats kick in and you notice the change. "Working to Be Loved" is an extremely catchy acoustic guitar driven songs that may remind you of something Jars of Clay would do. "Did You Lose Yourself?" is the next track up and it features some powerful vocals by Owyoung on the chorus as he asks, "Did you lose yourself? Did you leave yourself behind? Did you lose yourself? Did you let your heart unwind?" "Protection" is easily one of the best songs on the EP and is laden with head bobbing beats and some simple, yet nice, guitar work throughout. "Horizon Rainfall" comes at you with the most airy sound of the EP. The strings, piano, and Owyoung's falsetto make this a beautiful song to experience. The EP closes with "Your Day's Not Over" which has a big intro reminiscent of older FOF. The song shifts to a slower beat and strings before eventually moving back to the bigger sound to close the album and the "Travel Trilogy". This is not your typical sounding FOF album, but you if you are a fan of the band or alternative indie rock, this is an EP you are going to want to check out. I promise you won't hear anything else quite like it.
Style: Indie Rock / Alternative
Street Date: June 29, 2010
Track list:
01. Bold And Underlined (4:05)
02. Working To Be Loved (3:49)
03. Did You Lose Yourself? (4:47)
04. Protection (4:14)
05. Horizon Rainfall (2:54)
06. Your Day's Not Over (5:00)
We are currently in the midst of a three-part journey indie alt-rockers Future of Forestry are undertaking called Travel, a set of three EPs to be released a few months apart from each other. The first chapter has come and gone, and we're now on the second installment, aptly titled Travel II. Travel I was quite an ambitious effort from Eric Owyoung and friends, but arguably fell a bit flat in the end. So how does the sequel fare? Thankfully, Travel II is a better EP than its predecessor; where there were faults, Travel II has filled up the holes nicely.
Style: Indie Rock
Street Date: September 8, 2009
Track list:
01. Hills Of Indigo Blue (3:48)
02. Holiday (3:17)
03. Set Your Sails (3:58)
04. Slow Your Breath Down (5:00)
05. So Close So Far (3:30)
06. Someday (4:56)
Kicking off what is apparently a three-part series, Future Of Forestry have released their Travel EP into the wild. Starting things off with "Traveller's Song," I have to say I like what I hear. The song is airy, experimental, yet still accessible; when Eric Owyoung hits the falsetto, things get really interesting. "This Hour" has a bit more of an edge, but not too much. The song itself seems to be a call for believers to not hide their faith, but to "sing out" and let others know what they stand for; not only is it solid lyrically, the melodic arrangement itself is really appealing too. However, I'm not quite sure what Future Of Forestry hoped to achieve with "Colors In Array." Lyrically, it appears to build on the message of "This Hour" and the song itself is pleasant, but it has no hook, nothing that grabs your attention, and it drags on a bit. The second half of the EP is primarily acoustic, and handled quite well. The first of these, "Close Your Eyes," is a gentle ride sonically, woven together with guitars, violin, cello, and the occasional synth effect. "Closer To Me" is similar in some respects, though it focuses on relationships (presumably with God). It too is complemented in a fashion quite like the previous track, except for the addition of soft drumming and an accordion. Finally, the EP closes with the worshipful "Hallelujah," a very fitting choice with which to finish the EP. Overall, the Travel EP is a unique and fresh collection of lyrically solid, ethereal Christian rock music.
Style: Indie Rock
Street Date: April 21, 2009
Track list:
01. Traveler's Song (3:49)
02. This Hour (3:41)
03. Colors In Array (5:40)
04. Close Your Eyes (4:02)
05. Closer To Me (4:11)
06. Halleluiah (5:55)
Drentch es una banda que proviene de Edmonton, Alberta, Canadá. Ya han lanzado 3 albumes. En cuanto aestilomusical,labandanosolodependederiffsde guitarra, tambiénutilizael piano,cuerdas,orquesta,dramáticasgananciasguitarra eléctrica yuna variedadde otrosestilosinstrumentales.Al mismo tiempo,labandamantienesu misiónoriginalsobre el uso dela músicacomola alabanzayla creación deunministeriocontemporáneodemúsica a unpúblicojuvenil.
Style: Alternative Rock
Date: 2009
Track list:
1. Static
2. Jesus No Other
3. Revolution
4. Take Control
5. I Swear
6. Healing
7. Collide
8. Emmanuel
9. Just To Live Again
10. 37 (Jesus Be Glorified)
11. Everything I Need
12. Worthy
Their brand new EP, Under The Gun, which is also their last release, is entirely self-released via iTunes. Their sound can be best described as a southern rock style mix reminiscent of secular bands like Nickelback and Puddle Of Mudd.
Street date: October 28, 2008
Style: Rock
Band Members: Tj Harris... Lead vocals, Guitars
Jason Weekly... Bass
Dallas Farmer... Drums
Track list:
01. Desperate
02. Under the Gun
03. With My Hands Up
04. Road to Carolina
05. Stop Me Cold
06. Steal Away (Bonus Track)
07. Tonight (Bonus Track)
08. Come Home (Bonus Track)
09. Take My Life (Bonus Track)
Una buena banda para el recuerdo. Fighting Instinct se formó el 2004 y se separaron el 2008 luego de grabar "Under the Gun EP". El vocalista TJ Harris pasó a ser el nuevo vocalista de Decyfer Down. Tiene una poca de Creed, 12 Stones y tal vez la versión mas melódica de Disciple.
Style: Rock
Label: Gotee Records
Track List:
1. i found forever
2. you don't known
3. crush
4. light my way
5. back to you
6. me hear cries out
7. the call
8. you found me first
9. all or nothing
10. just to please you
