Hawk Nelson- Letters to the President (Classic Review)

In the summer of 2004, Ontario-based pop-punk group Hawk Nelson made their debut on Tooth & Nail. The year after, they expanded on it by releasing a Deluxe Edition of Letters to the President, reaching out to more and more fans with the help of their peppy live show. While it wasn't their most successful, Letters to the President was the album that gained them such promotions as being featured in Nickelodeon's Yours, Mine, and Ours, and even an NBC show. And with long-time friend Trevor McNevan to help with the writing, it seemed only inevitable that this band would go somewhere big with their music.

The youthful "California" opens up, perfectly describing how everyone who doesn't live there feels year-round. Things become a little more mature as the album progresses, starting with "Things We Go Through." While the song does keep the fun, "Wake up everyone around you, Let's rock until the clock strikes two," there are a few serious parts about the difficulties in life, asking God to help to see them through.

One of the reasons Letters to the President was so successful was because of the unashamed spiritual content. A lot of it is very bold, and Hawk manages to mix it with the fun content perfectly.

The title track is probably the most standout song on the album. The song deals with some serious issues, addressing, "Same sex marriage in a state where they don't care, murder is wrong, but the jail time's not fair, not to mention date rape, felony, and car theft." Lead vocalist Jason Dunn sings about wanting to do something to change the way our world is today. It's a very powerful and energy-packed song. The next two songs, "Right Here" and "Take Me" are both excellent tracks, separated by an instrumental song, and, for however short it may be, is verly lively, filled with the usual punk "Hey"s. The ever quirky and fun natured, "Someone Else Before" and "First Time" follow, leading into the album's heaviest track featuring McNevan on guest vocals. The album slows down at "36 Days," a track that is stays the same throughout, killing the mood presented by the previous tracks. It's a very heartfelt song, but just doesn't seem to fit with the rest.

Hawk's cover of "My Generation" by The Who is a great addition to the Deluxe Edition. They manage to still give it that old feel, and actually cover it very well, filled with those familiar stuttering vocals. On the other hand, the final three acoustic songs ("Every Little Thing," "Take Me," and "Letters to the President") only serve as nice additions to any Hawk fan's library. The best of the three would have to be, again, "Letters to the President," because of the sincerity felt through it.

So really, what made this '04 debut so successful was the spiritual depth. Yes, the punk rock was fun and exciting to listen to, but I think what really drew people in was the honesty and love for God that came with their lyrics. It's something that they've been incorporating lately in their music, and you can expect to find the same depth in their upcoming release, Live Life Loud.

Neon Horse- Haunted Horse: Songs of Love, Defiance, and Delusion

Nobody is exactly sure who they are. They come from Los Angeles and are one of the many bands on Tooth & Nail, but other than that is unclear. Up to this point, they've managed to keep their names and faces a mystery, but voices and something of a talent are what makes Neon Horse something identifiable.

Their odd and somewhat creepy style is something that would repulse most listeners. But those brave enough to listen all the way through a full album found the style growing on them. Rock, fueled by dancy synths and catchy beats sounds great right? Something like old-school Jonezetta or maybe even some newer Falling Up? Not even close. The vocals used by Neon Horse are what sets them apart. They are not in any way normal. It's difficult to describe... very nasally and very eerie. There is not much that is melodic about it, either. And the background singer is even stranger. I don't think words can do them justice--you'd have to check them out for yourself. Nevertheless, they have released a sophomore album that very well lives up to its name.

The grand opening, "When Daddy Gets Home," is somewhat catchy, but still very creepy. Trying to keep it out of your head is more like trying not to scratch a bug bite. And you most likely won't find yourself tapping your feet (although I was tempted to during the final two songs). Haunted Horse was a good name choice for this album. Most of these tracks will have listeners cringing--unless, of course, they're fans--at the spookiness and strangeness. "Strange Town"--track two--has very good synths, but the title describes the song well. It's not anything that you will immediately want to like. Something like this would have to grow on you... and even then it would probably take a long time. I can't say I even like it now, listening to the album through and through. For the third track, "Yer Busy Little Beehive," the even creepier background vocalist takes over. With the addition of some piano, the only word I can use is haunting. And the line, "Dancing with the devil on the edge of the abyss--don't look down" just somehow does not seem right. I question this band's sanity.

Songs such as "When Daddy Gets Home," "Follow the Man," "Some Folks," and "Comin Up Theventh," start with instrumentals that sound somewhat like Starflyer 59--which would make sense if the specualtion about SF59's Jason Martin being in this group is true. I find this odd because of SF59's laid back, slow, normal style--completely contrasting Neon Horse. But then again, Martin is very multi-talented. And I would think that releasing the new SF59 album, Ghosts of the Past, on the same date might be a ploy to throw people off of their suspicion of his involvement with Neon Horse. Very clever.

I would say that the music in "Some Folks" outweighs the vocals, so that I would actually enjoy listening to it again, just for the music. And the following song, "Haven't Sinned In Years" sounds like there's actually some real singing in places, and it doesn't sound half bad! That's a definite highlight for me. The ending synths sound really cool as well.

Altogether, I would recommend this to fans of Starflyer 59, just for kicks. I don't think too many people could take it as serious music, but I suppose it's possible that it could grow on you if you let it. As for me, I'm going to try my hardest not to let that happen. But I'll let you decide that for yourself.

Update 7/28 PART 2

So maybe that was worth an extra update? Yeah. This is a big deal. It will most likely be epic. They said that not too long ago, they'd had a band meeting. They said they would either
a) Quit
or
b) Make the best album of their career

Oh boy. If I were you, I'd give this post a thumbs up. Just kidding--you don't have to. But I would. Expectations are unbelievably high.

-FISHER

Update 7/28

I'm baaaaack!!! A few new things were announced/released today, so here we go...

Thousand Foot Krutch released another single from their new album. It's called "Fire It Up," and if you had any doubts about the new record, this should clear things up for you. It's sweet. You can link up to the iTunes page here, and look for their album, Welcome to the Masquerade, to drop September 8th.

August Burns Red released their video for "Meddler" today, which you can check out by clicking here. I like it because, unlike most metal vids, this one isn't too dark or creepy. It's actually really good, and definitely worth checking out.

Family Force 5 announced the new dates for their Dance Rawr Dance III tour, so to see if they're gonna be near you (cause I know they'll be near me!) link up here.

Today there were two new releases... one from Starflyer 59 and one from Neon Horse. Both are being streamed on AOL, so you can listen here for Neon Horse and here for Starflyer 59. The SF59 album is a two-disc thing, but only one of the discs is being streamed. I'm not very familiar with Starflyer, but I'm liking what I'm hearing. But Neon Horse is being streamed in it's entirety, so I'll do a review for that. Even though I'm not entirely fond of them.

And one other thing! When you enter the site, the pop-up is for your Twitter account. I made mine private because of all the odd and inappropriate followers I was getting, so this way I can approve you all and not look bad. So if you want to be able to view my Twitter updates from this page, follow me, and when you sign in you'll be golden!

Okay.... make this two other things. Do you see the two little boxes below this post? Feel free to select one when you read. I'd love to hear your feedback, even if it is a simple "Thumbs Up" or "Thumbs Down."

So that's really it. Thanks guys!

-FISHER

Update 7/27

Hey guys! I got some news from Falling Up, Hawk Nelson, and Family Force 5. If you're into that kind of stuff, stay tuned. Otherwise, check out my review of Fireflight's album, stuck somewhere between Project 86 and August Burns Red.

To start off with some rather exciting news, Falling Up announced that they are recording a new album. It's due out in 2010, and it'll be a continuation of this year's Fangs! Yes, it's kind of soon, but they (supposedly) left us hanging with the ending of the last album, so it's only fair that they'd continue without hesitation, right? Also, they have a website in the works that will (supposedly) help us to understand the Falling Up mystery. It will be called "Neptuenn's Cavern," and I'll let you know when it's up, because it might be something you want to check out. It sure might help with understanding what we've been listening to all this time.

Hawk Nelson's new album, Live Life Loud, will be hitting the street on September 22, but it's available for pre-order NOW. You can get it from MusiChristian and receive a t-shirt/autographed photo combo package. Also, you can check out the album artwork, which is pretty cool. If you like dogs and 3D glasses, that is.

And, last but not least, Family Force 5 release the full-length version of their anticipated "Dance or Die" video. It might help to have a little background on it, but you can click here to view it. I liked the beginning, but after that it was a little weird. And Soul Glow needs a haircut.

Thanks for reading, guys! Purple Door is gonna happen soon, so I'll try to write an overall review. I'm pretty sure it's gonna rock.

-FISHER

Update 7/20

Hey guys! I know, it's been a while, but it's the summer and I've been busy, so I apologize. There's a lot of news that needs to be caught up on, so here we go...

Most recently, Showbread has posted a song from their upcoming album, The Fear of God, on their Myspace. It's called "Lost Connection With The Head," and I like it a lot. And while you're there, check out the album artwork and pre-order the album. And if you wish to hear another new song unveiled from the new album, check out "Nothing Matters Anymore" from the Fuel Magazine Sampler 2009, which is free, so do hesitate to download it.

In other new release news, Abandon, Philmont, and Skillet are releasing new albums on August 25th.
You can pre-order Searchlights, by Abandon, here.
Philmont's new album, Attention, is available for pre-order here and get an autographed booklet.
Skillet's new album has a few different options. The first features the CD, an Official Fan Club membership, and the immediate download of their single "Hero." The second has all that and an autographed VIP pass. The biggest and best has all that plus a t-shirt. Click here to pick which one you want. And if you don't want to go with those, there's a fourth on MusiChristian.com, which comes with a free t-shirt. All of these options are pretty great, so choose wisely! Also, be sure to check if they'll be near you on their upcoming "Awake and Alive Tour" featuring Hawk Nelson, Decyfer Down, and The Letter Black.

Thousand Foot Krutch will be releasing their fifth studio album, Welcome To The Masquerade, September 8. You can take a look at the pre-order options here. They include the CD, a t-shirt, autographs, and a belt buckle. You can also get their 3-disc anthology, Deja Vu, on the same page.

September 22nd is the date when Pillar's new album, Confessions, releases. More details on pre-orders to come.

Also, pre-orders for Switchfoot's newest album, Hello Hurricane, begin this August. There will be five options: a digital download, standard CD, vinyl w/ digital download, deluxe CD/DVD, and the collectors deluxe edition, which will have the CD/DVD and b-sides, a hardbound 84 page photo book, and an exclusive poster. Stay tuned for more to come...

That's all I've got for now, be sure to check out my latest reviews, look for classic reviews to come, and vote on the poll! Thanks for checking out the blog!

-FISHER

Project 86- Picket Fence Cartel

Thirteen years and seven albums later, you could say Project 86 has gained some experience doing what they're doing. And with that experience most often comes maturity. Project's latest, Picket Fence Cartel, goes to show how far they've come, and how much respect they really are deserving of. But they've made it very clear with the theme of this album. With fame comes power. And with power comes corruption. And they are in no way ready to give in to this corruption. The eighth track on the album, "Two Glass Eyes," puts it best--"Fame is infamy."

While not all songs carry this theme, an idea spawned off of this one does carry on throughout the album. As Project 86 explains it, our society is so driven to get fame in one way or another. But once someone gets what they've wanted (power), they end up being controlled by it, to where it is their sole obsession. The question that Project explores in this album is "Who do I belong to?"

Front-man Andrew Shwab's oftentimes genius lyrics help us discover the answer to this topic. Songs like "The Butcher" use powerful lyrics, declaring that "There is no weapon, there is no blade, you'll never kill Him that lives inside of me." The track obviously points out that if we belong to God, "Who can be against us?"

Picket Fence Cartel has some of the most spiritual lyrics to date. Project 86 is, of course, a Christian band, but sometimes oblique lyricism takes away from any meaning to the listener. Most, if not all of the songs on this album can be easily interpreted to have some sort of spiritual meaning. The opener, "Destroyer," tells of the end times, and the demise of Satan--"The lives that you thought that were your to devour, Destroyer, the tables have turned in this hour." "Cement Shoes" is a song that comes across as downright worshipful, screaming "And so we bow it to, bow it to, kneel before You, just like a child here, I'm not ashamed." "Two Glass Eyes" cries out to God to "Rescue me!" "Cyclonus," the following track, opens with a Bible verse, and afterwards commands that "Devastator, Complicator, Bringer of Pain, why won't you fly away." The track following that, "The Black Brigade," reinforces its predecessor, asking God for deliverance from the evil that chases us. But the finale is the strongest, lyrically, and the most worshipful track on the album--maybe even the most worshipful ever to come from Project 86. The track says that "We've lost all our control, our faces fall to the ground, we're powerless to Your voice, surrender to the sound," and after answers the question we've been pondering the entire album. "Who do I belong to? Not earth, not world, not evil, not mortals, not wretches, not horrors. Who do I belong to? Unchanging, Unbreaking, Unfailing, Creator, Immortal, Eternal." It's an extremely powerful song, and even if you're not a fan of Project, it's worth giving a listen to.

I'm vaguely familiar with Project's older work--mainly their singles such as "Spy Hunter" or "Evil (A Chorus of Resistance)." But I have heard the majority of 2007's Rival Factions, and I must say this album is much heavier than the synth-laced style of their last album. While the synths are present in a few songs, such as a little in the background of the chorus of "Dark Angel Dragnet," and predominantly in "A John Hancock With The Safety Off," most of the songs are more metal than their last attempt. With only three members, I'm not sure who they have on the drums, but some of those beats are pretty amazing. The start of "Dark Angel Dragnet" has a very interesting drum piece, and songs like "Cold and Calculated" and "Two Glass Eyes" have intense rhythm that almost come across as catchy. The most interesting part of the album, musically, is halfway though "To Sand We Return," where there is a short acoustic break, accompanied by vocals that will give you goosebumps at one point or another.

So overall, Picket Fence Cartel is a great improvement--musically, lyrically, and spiritually. The theme is fantastic, and the songs help to very well portray it. And it can only be uphill from here, as we watch and see where this band will take us next.

Fireflight- Unbreakable (Classic Review)

"It almost felt like things were out of control. We'd gone through a difficult year as a band with a lot of emotional ups and downs. We basically lived together in a van while writing the new album, and that put us in a pressure cooker. All the stresses were magnified because you're completely out of your comfort zone, and it really does crank up the intensity of the writing. We poured all of our hope, sorrow, anger, dreams, and fears into the music." These words, said by Dawn Richardson, lead singer of the Christian rock act, Fireflight, seem entirely out of place in relation to this album. Sure, there are struggles mentioned, but there's something different about hearing these compared to those of secular acts.

Through all of their hardships, Fireflight has managed to put out one of the most encouraging and inspirational albums in the hard rock industry than I have heard in a very long time. Two years after the release of their debut album, The Healing of Harms--an extremely successful debut, featuring two #1 singles "Waiting" and "You Decide"--2008's Unbreakable is quickly becoming more and more successful. Recently featured during Taco Bell's "Feed the Beat" contest, they've gained a few promotions and a chance to perform at this past Winter X-Games. And while they may not be as popular as Flyleaf or Paramore--two more female-fronted artists--with a new album in the works, Fireflight is about to gain more success than previously thought possible from this small, Orlando based rock band.

The title track, "Unbreakable,"--featured on promos for NBC's late "Bionic Woman," adding even more to their success--is a solid rock track with lyrics inspired from the story in John 8 about the woman accused of adultery. Jesus forgave her, and, like he's forgiven us, "Now I am unbreakable."

Almost every song on this album has a highlight of its own--without them all being too much alike. Each song has very encouraging lyrics, which is why they're popular among some contemporary markets as well. Songs like "You Gave Me a Promise," "Brand New Day," "Forever," and "Stand Up" are among the most encouraging on the album. Other songs aren't so much encouraging as they have a good message for the listener. "The Hunger" talks about someone who needs God but refuses to accept him. "Go Ahead" is about asking God to work in our lives to make us more like Him. "So Help Me God" is about a relationship that pulls us away from God. And for the ultra-powerful finale, "Wrapped In Your Arms," Fireflight gives us a beautiful worship song. It ends the album perfectly, and all hopes of this sophomore album are very well satisfied.

A lot of the album is appreciated by contemporary listeners and hard rock listeners alike. Fireflight balances the hard and contemporary styles perfectly. One minute they're rocking out with "The Hunger" and two songs later worshipping with another powerful track, "Forever." Dawn Richardson's amazing voice matches the intensity of the music as she belts out the chorus: "Oh, tell me You're here, that You will watch over me, oh, take hold of my heart, show me You love me, forever." Guitarist Justin Cox shortly takes over vocals in parts of "The Love We Had Before," adding a little bit of diversity to a very catchy song.

All in all, Fireflight has created an excellent second album. Their popularity is sure to increase with their next album, and who knows where they'll go next? But judging by where Fireflight went this time... it's got to be all uphill from here.

August Burns Red- Constellations

Known for their aggressive style, honest lyrics, and highly energetic live show, August Burns Red has made a name for themselves in the Christian metal genre. This being their third album on Solid State Records, ABR's highly anticipated Constellations is sure to be another favorite among fans of this genre.

The album's first single and first track, "Thirty and Seven," is your typical ABR song. Lots of double bass and guitar riffs with nothing but screaming thrown in between. Due to lead vocalist Jake Luhrs's screaming style of half-screaming/part-yelling, a lot of the words are a little easier to discern than those of other metal bands. One line that is easily recognizable in this song is "Your mind is the mountain before you," telling of a person who is holding on to their guilt and shame and not realizing that they've been forgiven by God. "Existence" and "Ocean of Apathy," the next two songs, have great guitar parts, the first containing a mind-bending guitar solo, ABR style. They're a little more melodic in places, making them some of the more memorable songs on this album. They both also have excellent lyrics, which is a big highlight in this album.

Lyrically, this album is very sound. All of the songs have deep and thoughtful lyrics. That is one of the things that separates ABR from the normal--they are entirely open about their faith, and are not afraid to let it show in their music. That is a huge part of why they are so successful in the Christian metal market. The song, "Paradox," is a perfect example, telling of a foolish person who can't control their words. And "Meridian" is one of the simplest, yet most meaningful tracks on the album--"I will build you up again, you will be rebuilt. I am the painter making this mess a masterpiece. I will rebuild you up again."

Songs like "White Washed" and "Marianas Trench" have long intros without vocals until about a minute into the song, giving a temporary break from the brutal screaming. The song, "Meridian" holds the record on this album for the longest time without any screaming. Putting the vocals to rest is a great way to make the album more diverse. While Luhrs is belting out screams, some things tend to sound the same after a while and get boring. The solos and instrumental bridges really help to change things up a little. Of course, if you're looking for a song that's brutal all the way through till the end, "The Escape Artist" will be to your liking, although there is a very nice sounding piano piece for a few seconds at the end.

This being my first August Burns Red album, I am very impressed. Their lyrics are fantastic, and while things do become slightly redundant after a bit, their talent is well worth it. Melodic in places and brutal throughout, this album is a must-buy for fans of Christian metal (other bands like Demon Hunter, Underoath, The Devil Wears Prada) and August Burns Red. I will definitely be checking out their older work, based on this.