I was flipping through Rolling Stone last week, killing time waiting to meet up with my girl Faye(I see you Faye), and the most important part of that magazine, to me, is the Billboard top forty charts in the back. So I'm persuing that, and I see MercyMe right at forty, one below Miss Britney at thirty-nine, so that's pretty dope, you know, an outspoken Christian pop act making music good enough to break the top forty(a lot of Christian acts don't make good music), and then I'm working my way up and Third Day are at TWELVE with their latest album, Wire. How 'BOUT that??
Also in that issue of RS was this feature on musicians-as-athletes or something, and Switchfoot drummer Chad Something(can't remember offhand) was featured as a surfer. For those who didn't know, 'switchfoot' is a surfing term. Such a great band.
Out of the Monetary, straight outta southern Ontario, have a new album in stores. There's an interesting story behind this here: these guys changed their name from Steadfast to OOTM, signed a deal with Word Records(the Christian division of Warner Music), made a great record with some big-name producers and engineers...and then Word collapsed, and a lot of artists were dropped, including OOTM. So long, long story short, now a year or so later, their album is indeed out, independently, and it's really something. Reminiscent of Dogwood in musicality and vocals, it's worth checking out. Hit up their website for more, and listen up.
Speaking of Dogwood, they have a new best-of album out on Tooth and Nail Records, their home since 1999's More Than Conquerors(their best album); this CD features a compendium of their T&N material, some out-of-print stuff from the early days, and two new tracks that are pretty killer, 'Instigator' and...um...what's the other one called...just go find it in a record shop near you.
In Bands We Like But Certainly Don't Endorse news, Mindless Self Indulgence song have been heard in two very unlikely places here in Ottawa: one on CHEZ 106.1 FM behind some commercial, and another behind some other commercial(we're not big on details here today). As well, activist punks Anti-Flag, another unlikely radio sensation, have had their 'Right On' track pumped behind this ad for a driving school. What is the world coming to??
Check it out: Downset, one of the very earliest rap/metal hybrid bands from the mid-'90s, have a new album coming out tomorrow entitled Universal, and the first single, 'Jumping Off', has a video attached that can be seen over here. Thanks to Jordan and pastepunk for the link. Downset rules!!
MORE reasons why pastepunk rules!! They're Calgary Flames fans! GO FLAMES GO!!!
Read a review of the new album from Misery Signals, featuring ex-members of 7 Angels 7 Plagues as well as defunct Canadian band Compromise(you might remember hearing about two of their members being killed last year in a highway accident). This band is immense.
Essential listening for today, May 31st, is The Redemption Song's 2003 debut, Plays Dead In Stereo. This release was pretty well overlooked(I only read one or two reviews of it after it hit), but it's crammed with really good, albeit underproduced screamo/hardcore-leaning songs. I dig it. 'Open Your Eyes' would be a good place to start.
Posted by mike at May 31, 2004 05:55 PM