June snuck right past me. It probably had a lot to do with selling our house and starting a new job more than anything. Just the headache of both of those activities causes a person to lose a grip on time.

So I’m late to the game on ‘New Music Monday’ once again. I suppose no one other than me gets any enjoyment out of this particular monthly post. My wife has admitted to me that she briefly reads the title and some of the introduction and then blah, blah, blah. My most ardent supporter finds no value in my monthly delve into to musical review foray? Tis true.

Whatever. Onward into the next review despite the loneliness here on the information superhighway (read: dead-end backroad) of the blogosphere.

I seem to stumble across musical nuggets in a variety of places. Mountain bike movie soundtracks have filled more than their fair share of contributions to my musical library. Many a moon ago, I was absorbed by a film which led me to a new band. That band was The Gaslight Anthem from New Jersey. One could describe them as punk meets garage meets roots meets folk meets Bruce Springsteen music. As I mentioned above, they are from New Jersey so there is a very clear element of inspiration from Springsteen in their tunes.


The Gaslight Anthem was just one of many of my favorite groups releasing music. On June 15, the band released their latest studio album, ‘American Slang.’ This record isn’t a stretch in regard to sound. It’s vintage Springsteen a la nostalgia, uhh, I mean The Gaslight Anthem. I’m not a fan of Springsteen but the punkish, rootsy nature of The Gaslight Anthem is pretty compelling. Listen to any one of their releases and you will be amazed to know these dudes are in their 20’s. Their sound, talent, songwriting, and passion suggest that they are old souls.

Get it here.

‘American Slang’ is an extension of American nostalgia. While listening, the album makes you feel like you should be bellied up to the bar at and old roadside 1960’s diner. That’s not to say they have a 60’s sound. It’s Americana and the songs pay tribute to American heritage and small town values. It reminds us that there is a little bit of small town, life’s struggles and hardships, and rewarding successes in all of us. This is what I call driving music. Not driving like loud and obnoxious, but get in your car and road trip across America music. It makes you feel like you should stop and absorb the sights and sounds along the way.

Let’s talk songs off the album:

American Slang – The title track of the record kicks off the album in fifth gear. It sets the stage for a more rocking album than the last. The song is a simple beat and guitar riffs that are naked in production. The song is the metaphor for our way of life in a simpler time. It’s one part American dream (the hope) and one part American slang (the reality).

The Diamond Church Street Choir – A little jazzy guitar and a shuffling beat take you on a journey back in time in the form of the comforting memory of a church choir. It’s a vivid song filled with imagery of the past with a nod to something we can all relate to – church.

We Did it When We Were Young – An austere song which definitely reconnects this album to previous albums. It has that passion and depth that The Gaslight Anthem is known for. The echoing singing is a perfect effect to the earnestness of the message of leaving the past failed relationship behind.

‘American Slang’ isn’t forged in heartbreaking emotion and punk chords like the previous album, ‘The 59 Sound.’ That record was epic. Unfortunately, that makes you want more originality out of this record. The bar has been raised for The Gaslight Anthem. But make no mistake, lyrically and musically ‘American Slang’ is a great album that reinforces the band’s talent and storytelling. It’s much better than most of the cookie cutter poop you can hear on the radio. And while certain songs will make it on rock radio, this is American punk rock music found on a jukebox in your favorite pub in the run-down part of town. This is great music. The Gaslight Anthem is soulful punk paying homage to American nostalgia in the form of old flames, barren highways, hot rods, and memories..

It never fails. “New Music Monday” always seems to sneak up on me when I least expect it. I’m sure there are a ton of excuses for my inability to prepare for this. I’ve discovered over the last few entries that life continually seems to get in the way of my best laid plans. No matter the excuse or reason, here we are again. And while I pride my self in being able to meet deadlines and stick to schedules, I find I’m scrambling to come up with something to write. The silver lining is that this entry forces me to stop what I am doing, planning, or even waiting for. The goal here originally was to review, but on a more esoteric level, it’s become my reason for unplugging life for a small moment and plugging in my headphones.

Considering that it’s life getting in the way, it only appropriate that this review is a byproduct of the day experienced. Son #1 goes to pre-school at a church and occasionally his studies and songs are showcased on Sundays during service. Most people recognize that I’m not drawn to the constructs of practicing my beliefs with the formal structure of a building or denomination. I’m confident in my relationship with my spirituality. But today, Son #1 was singing songs at church. In attendance, I realized during the sermon about the poignancy of recognition of life’s nuances. Son #1’s smile when he sang and saw me take pictures of him, the pastor’s message about being soulfully alert to your surroundings, Son #2 and his lust for pizza, a bike ride with Son #1, a cold refreshing beer with my wife, a blue Subaru driving by, and a tearful memory of a surprise party. All of these are the fabric of existence and the afterlife which are intricately intertwined.


On that note, I started thinking about the artists that tend to make me consider the nuances of life. The Classic Crime is one of those very bands that does just that. I stumbled on to them only five years ago in one of my ways of discovering new music. Given the ‘mental state’ I was in and the message from the lyrics, TCC and their music anchored themselves to my soul. Since that day, The Classic Crime has released one acoustic album and three studio albums; the latest Vagabonds, on April 6th, 2010. For me, this album was hugely anticipated as I’ve grown to be quite a fan of the local Seattle rock group. One could argue that TCC is a Christian rock outfit. However, I’d estimate that they merely explore how they feel and question what they believe.

Get the new Vagabonds record here at Lala.com

Vagabonds is a much more mature sounding album than I was expecting. At first listen, I was fairly disappointed at the result. I was looking for something catchy. A rock riff, an emo sound, and message that I could rally around. All of which were present but existed at a much deeper level than expected. A few more listens began to uncover the complexity of the themes on the album. It was uniquely TCC but the arrangement was more exploratory and less predictable. All of the sounds sound vaguely similar but I believe that this phenomenon happens on everyone’s record. Every artist or group has a brand of sound. Vagabonds takes the sound the band developed on last album and expands on it, creating smooth and mature rock and roll ballads with several melodic surprises. I’d surmise that there are three songs which musically and lyrically embody the spirit of the entire project.

Solar Powered Life – This was the first single off the record and interestingly enough, it is the most non-TCC song on the album. It really relies on an old school guitar riff. Still driving and anthemic like typical TCC songs, but this song is far more stripped down and pays significant homage to simplistic driven rock songs about women. But instead of the old objectification, this is metaphorically about a woman pulling her power and moods from the sun.

My Name – Simply explained, this track soars musically and lyrically to a peak over the life of the song reaching its peak moments before the end. Listening, you feel like it is climbing a sound mountain. As you close the distance between you and the peak, the music and message increase in volume and urgency. Lyrically, the song is about definition of oneself through faith. As the music fills out with more sound and complexity, you can begin to ‘feel’ that no one can define your existence but you and your Faith. Then, there's the addition of a church bell in amazingly appropriate places. If you only listen to ONE TCC song in your lifetime, listen to this one.

Everything & Nothing – This is a quintessential TCC song and it is what I remember about hearing that very first single five years ago. Driving hard melodies and lyrics about belief. What is real? I think a listener could easily find multiple meanings in this tune. It could easily be universally complex as looking for a sign from above for something more or as simple as needing to be advocated by a loved one.

At first listen, I didn’t really like the album. I had unattainable expectations. All of the anticipation led up to a let down as is true with most things. Instead, I gave it a couple of chances to earn back the entertainment performance I had hoped for it. It just took me a few listens to unearth the innate poignancy of the music. It’s about blatant honesty, maturity, and truthfulness. Clearly, the band is defiant of the formulaic drivel available in the industry. Vagabonds is a rare album in which the spirit behind the music—that of remaining true to oneself—is mirrored in the lyrics. And even more importantly, the band donated all of its pre-sales of this album to its personal relief efforts in Haiti.

In lieu of a lack of time and creativity at this exact moment, let me use an overused sports cliché to summarize my latest entry in this blogosphere. I dropped the ball. This is “New Music Monday” but unfortunately, and strangely uncharacteristically, we didn’t acquire any new music albums to our catalog. Over the month, I’ve spent an inordinate amount creative energy on the scripting of the entertainment for Son #2’s upcoming birthday. That project left me in a lurch for time. I searched out new music, even added to my spreadsheet. At the end of the day, I just didn’t buy anything new.

However, I thought back on a group which has seen a lot of play time in my car, MP3 player, and laptop. On occasion, I have used their tunes on this blog to help set the mood and audibly tell the story of my feelings. This album isn’t new nor is it innovative or epic, but it does have listenability and is moderately entertaining.

The band is The Becoming and their debut album is “Vol. 1” released in 2008. I suppose it’s a little presumptuous to call your debut album “Vol. 1.” It almost begs for failure resulting in no chance for a “Vol. 2.” I suppose in a fickle and bureaucratically driven industry like music, you have to be a little confident in your abilities and continually sell yourself as better than the last version of you.

Two words. Christian. Gothic. Now, you wouldn’t expect to use either of those in the same context unless you were a member of one of the groups and were complaining about the intolerance or deprecation of the other. I’ll use them both together here. I estimate that The Becoming is a Christian Gothic heavy metal act. I remember when I saw photos of the band. I was hesitant to buy the album based on their look even though I had heard one single. One thing I’ve lived by in my years is not judging a book by its cover. With enough eyeliner to fill a makeup counter, more body art than an ambitious tattoo artist can do in a week, and an array of perfectly crafted emo hair styles, The Becoming can certainly stand out. But the music is good.

What makes them Gothic? The Becoming borrows everything that is typical and predictive in gothic music. Over-orchestration of strings. Heavy guitar work. Processed ethereal synthesizers and melancholy piano work. Dark and brooding choral sections. A daring and lingering lead voice. Stock in Maybelline.

What makes them Christian? The Becoming has a religious-themed message. This doesn’t necessarily constitute this labeling nor have the band claimed this genre. Typical gothic music is about funerals, blood letting, death, vampire-like ideals, graves; you know, the bright stuff. None of that exists here, just lyrics about heartache, self deficiency, letting go of it, and embracing something pure.

It’s almost paradoxical being a gothic band entrenched in philosophical messaging. Confusing, yet strangely intriguing. The album does have its imperfections and the music is formulaic. Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Break/Chorus. In this instance, it’s acceptable. It’s not one of those albums that you need to listen to 20 times to have it grow on you. The melodies used on here are enough to hook you after one listen. But the thing I noticed that had me coming back are the vocals. The lead singer’s abilities and tone are the perfect accompaniment to the music; Dark and heavy, but linger with every word sung. It’s very ‘Johnny Cash’ in how it’s sung/spoke.

For review, let’s take three distinctly different songs in terms of topic, arrangement, and energy to give a cross section of the album.

Dressed in Black – The opening track starts with a punch to set the tone. There is heavy use of distorted swelling guitar filled in with a synth track very Depeche Mode meets NIN. It’s somewhat of a sonic explosion within the different sections; use of samples, synth-created choir voices, strings, and piano accompaniment. Overcoming the darkness of grief we all experience from loss is the message here in the lyrics.

Your Love – There’s no question that this song could easily classify The Becoming as a Christian band. While close to being denominational, the lyrics touch on the concept of ‘is there more out there?’ Something we all grapple with. Musically, it reminds me of older glam rock with the crunchy distortion and the grinding of the guitars during the verses. To accompany the driven guitar and drums, there is ample synth work to fill out the sound.

Somebody Didn’t Come Home Last Night – This is the most solemn song on the album. It is a melancholy song about regret accompanied by only a piano and a minor amount of strings toward the end. This song shows that the over-processed gothic feel of the other songs can easily share the message with songs of minimalism and elegance.


(enjoy the low-budget, 1980's-feel video)

Depending on your perspective, you may find The Becoming offensive and a disappointment, or creative and genre-bending. The hardcore gothic followers will approve of the appearance but will detest the sappy ‘hope’ lyricism. The Christian music followers may disapprove of the excessive iconography and makeup but will relate to the essence of the message behind the music. The professional music reviewer may point out the predictability and the lack of anything musically innovative on the album. It’s not memorable or epic.

I’m none of these and agnostic when it comes to my musical interests. I listen to music that I can find a message in, music that shares the identical feelings as me at that moment, something that lingers with me after the music ends. “Vol. 1” may lack the energy or the fabric to make it a truly memorable album in the mainstream. But, the reason for listening to music is not because ‘everyone else likes it, so I should’ or because of a band’s stock in Maybelline, but to connect and resonate at a personal emotional level.

On an unrelated note. It's been a quick year of blogging and have a large backlog of entries to post. That, combined with a busy December, suggests that this last month of the year will be blowin' up the family blog. Watch out for some new family stuff coming soon!

For this review on 'New Music Monday,’ I was left with a challenge of picking one of the three albums we gained in October. In September, it was a fairly easy choice. I opted to pick the album that I enjoyed listening to more than one that may have been more musically challenging. For me, the experience of listening isn’t always about the cerebral dissection of the arrangement. A lot of the time, I just want to be entertained without trying to write a thesis. This month, there are no odds on favorites to get my attention. Each is strong in the merit of music and entertainment. So how do I pick?

Here we go: All three were eagerly anticipated. One of them, I felt completely humbled as I listened. It was like a ghost was talking to me. My feelings for that band run pretty deep. Because of that, I think my normally oh-so-objective writing may be tainted. The remaining two, one is a pet project of one of my favorite performers and the second is a relatively unknown EP release from a female-fronted hardrock band. I am a sucker for all female bands and bands with female lead singers. Winner: female-fronted band. With the choice made, I can move forward on this hotly anticipated review I’m sure you are all on the edge of your seat to read.

The Letter Black is a Pennsylvania-based band signed on the local Tooth and Nail Records. Having an acquaintance who once worked at the label put me in earshot of some of the most poignant musicians I had ever heard. I occasionally peruse the T&N website to see the latest releases. Upon one enchanted visit, I read of band to which I had never heard, The Letter Black. It used to go by the name Breaking the Silence which is coincidentally the name of the EP. If you know anything about Tooth and Nail, the label very rarely signs a band out of alignment with the label’s “directives.” This is a band firmly in line with those. It’s hugely uplifting despite the heaviness of the music.


It has one of those important characteristics that a good record must have. I can relate to it. TLB talks about faith, poor decisions, moving on, and believing in something Divine. It doesn’t hurt that the lead singer is easy on the eyes. As I said, I like female-fronted bands. TLB is the husband and wife team of Sarah and Mark Anthony with Sarah doing the lead vocals and Mark doing the lead guitar work. Saying this album is heavy musically and has a female lead singer will immediately get comparisons to mainstream acts like Paramore, Flyleaf, and Evanescence. The difference here, in my opinion, is the sincerity of The Letter Black.

Find it here: http://www.lala.com/#album/576742229319526817/The_Letter_Black/Breaking_The_Silence

There are significant musical differences here, specifically in production direction, when compared to those three. TLB is rawer and doesn’t have the overdone multi-tracking on guitars and vocals to fill out the sound. It’s rougher and darker and less nu-metal than the others. I would call this emo-Christian metal if I needed to put it in a filing cabinet. Listening to just the music, TLB sounds a bit like Dogfight. But as you listen to the EP, you pick up on subtle influences from genres other than just metal. The appealing characteristic here is the urgency in Sarah’s voice. There is a level of sincerity, almost pleading, in her singing. I was a fan of Amy Lee but got tired of the operatic flight in her voice. Sarah’s singing, while shrill, is convincing and is bent more to a punk rock ear.

With only six tracks on the EP, you don’t get too much material to evaluate their musical chops. Interestingly, this is enough to get a feel of what’s important to the band and to know it’s hugely motivated by Faith. This, to me, is refreshing to hear, and has a huge place in my heart and musical catalogue. So this is less of a review and more of ‘this is why I like this band.’ So let’s pick two songs to give a cross section of the EP Breaking the Silence by The Letter Black. For the record, neither of these are the best on the EP nor are they my favorite. (It’s ‘Perfect’ I suggest a listen to this one LOUD)

Collapse – The most obvious trait here is the honesty of the lyrics. There’s no metaphorical code to decipher, no waxing poetic, just flat out telling it like it is. Like I mentioned above, there is an urgent and fragile sound to Sarah’s voice. I would say that this song is ‘on brand’ for TLB. The drum line is heavy and marching but not at a break-neck pace, just a steady punch to the soul. The power chords drip over the beat in a dark melting wax type of way. I get the vision of a dark room, dimly lit with candles, and the lead singer staring out of the window further in to the darkness of the night.

Best of Me – If there was a math theorem for the creation of a hit alt-rock radio song, it was used here in the writing of this song. Let’s see; use of strings + formulaic repeated chorus + anthemic lyrics + multilayered vocals + acoustic guitar. It’s pop-alt-rock borderline emo-country-something-or-other. Again, there’s a massive amount of sincerity in the lyrics and their delivery. But musically, it’s addictive like crack to listen to. It’s an ‘I-can-relate-to-this-song’ type of song.



I’ve never been outwardly religious. Let me rephrase that. I’m not a formal practitioner of brick-and-mortar-church-sanctioned-religio-indoctrinated followings. Mostly this was because I don’t like being told what to believe and not being allowed to interpret meaning. But I’ve been fortunate to have individuals in my life that have encouraged me to find and explore my spiritual beliefs in a way that was most beneficial to me. These same people introduced me to bands like Third Day and Jars of Clay. Yes, these are NOT punk bands but they are bands I recommend for their spiritual depth, musicality, and lyrical poignancy. The Letter Black is one of those bands.