We Interviewed Mike from Sever Your Ties!

Today, James talked to Mike of Sever Your Ties! The contents of said conversation can be found below! Be sure to check out their album Safety In  The Sea as soon as you possibly can.   

J: Hey Mike, how's life on the West Coast today?  

M: Nice, Beautiful, and sunny.

J: Being a new band on the national scale, most people know very little about you. Could you give us a quick history lesson on Sever Your Ties?

M: We basically started in 2005. We solidified the band later that year. From there, we released The First Sign of Light EP ourselves in 2006. That got us to generate label interest. Finally in 2007 we started to recorded our debut for Solid State which is out now.

J: So, fall is finally upon us and your album came out not too long ago. I'm guessing your heading out on the road in the near future?  

M: We had a cd release tour booked that fell through. So right now we are looking for something that makes sense and works out for us. Touring is so difficult these days and everything is getting booked up and we thinking we'll be going out later this fall/winter to really support the record.

J: Now, even though you guys are signed, many bands at your level have to keep second jobs to stay on the road. Is Sever your Ties a full time touring band, or do you have something on the side to keep you going?

M: Yes we are a full time band, but we have full time jobs when we're home. Some of the band lives at home, but the rest of us are on our own and we live in an expensive part of America. It's not easy, but we make it work.

J: Safety in The Sea is an interesting title for an album. Is there a story behind it?

M: I'll probably botch this because it was Shaun's idea. It's his vision. I believe that it's about how under the water everything seems so perfect, but above the water everything is going wrong. Don't hold it against me if it's wrong.

J: For our readers who know nothing about you. How would you sum up the record?  

M: I'll sum us up as a mix between Thrice and..I don't know. We do our own thing and people we can categorize us as they want. It's in the opinion of the listener. We sound like Sever your ties. Listen to it and shape your own opinion.

J: It's no secret that your label has a religious history. Does your band witness and speak about your beliefs while on the road? ?  

M: Our purpose with the band has been to do this band for ministry only. So many bands are out there that aren't doing much for ministry. That's awesome that they're living a Christian lifestyle on the road, but our purpose is to share the reasons why Jesus changed our lives. I'm not call out anybody, but we're def. not kids who grew up Christians and think there is a perfect lifestyle or anything. I have my reason for my beliefs and I think others deserve the opportunity to hear why. We don't force it down anyone's throats, but we like to give the opportunity.

J: It seems with the ever growing flood of bands seeking attention online that it's becoming more and more necessary for bands to really put themselves out there and interact with their fans. How do you guys keep in touch with those who follow you?  

M: All of us are super hands on with Myspace and our email. We talk to everyone and we run it. On tour we have business cards with our direct emails on it so they can talk to us all they want. We try to simplify getting ahold of us and making it accessible for everyone. we also have rock doctors video series we started.

J: To be random: What band do you wish you could embody on stage? What band's live show do you wish you could bring to the Sever Your Ties experience?

M: Andrew WK, but we've already ripped off that a bit I think. Some kind of big extravagant show with pyro and lights. Michael Jackson would be a good one.

J: We don't believe in final questions at UTG. We simply ask that you make a closing statement of your own to go out on. Talk about anything/anyone/or anyplace. It's all up to you:

M: My final statement is a thank you to your for working with us. Don't support us, buy our record, see us on tour or talk to us. Actually, do the opposite of that. Finally, Subway:: Eat Fresh.

*Written By: James Shotwell*

Underoath - Lost In The Sound of Separation

Band: Underoath

Album: Lost In The Sound of Separation

Genre: Metal

Label: Solid State

Tracks:

1. Breathing In a New Mentality
2. Anyone Can Dig A Hole, But It Take A Real Man To Call It Home
3. A Fault Line, A Fault of Mine
4. Emergency Broadcast :: The End is Near
5. The Only Survivor Was Miraculously Unharmed
6. We Are The Involuntary
7. The Created Void
8. Coming Down is Calming Down
9. Desperate Times / Desperate Measures
10. Too Bright To See, Too Loud To Hear
11. Desolate Earth :: The End is Here

Anyone in the scene knows that when Underoath drops a new record, hordes of people will flock to the record store and a near equal amount will begin to complain about how the band is overhyped. Over the course of now 4 full length album, Underoath has set themselves arguably on top of the Christian Metal market and won over countless non believers as fans on their music. Their last release, Define The Great Line, was hailed by many as a perfect album and such words set the bar quite high for any follow up that could come out. Well, two years, 4 dvds, and a live album later, Lost In The Sound of Separation has been released. This disc, which plays like a tighter more thought out DTGL is an album of massive sound. From the intense production, to the great drum work, this album is certainly a stunner at first spin, but I'm not sold on it's lasting ability versus its initial strike..

UO did a lot of experimenting with mic placement, tuning, and vocal techniques on this disc and it's instantly noticeable upon first hearing, "Breathing In A New Mentality." The two and a half minute track beings with speaker directed drums that sound as if they were recorded through a wall and then greeted by a distant sounding Spencer before it all kick in with top notch rock. Much like the first track on DTGL, this one is an addictive explosion of noise that just pulls you in and beats you into submission. There's a point where Spencer screams, "Oh God I feel it racing through my veins, I fear there must be some kind of mistake, I fear I'm in over my head again," and it's so perfect that it automatically leaps from the album and sets the bar for metal to come. the second track, "Anyone Can Dig..." starts off right as the first song ends with a single snare hit to fill the void before pummeling out with no refrain at all. This is the first time, in my mind, we see how hard aaron Gillespie has pushed himself on the disc. If you recall, when we spoke with Aaron last month, he told us he really tried to really develop the drum parts on this disc and I'll be shot down if he didn't. everything has the intensity and technicality of a band with multiple percussionists, but this is just one man who also manages to sing while doing all this on his own. The new vocal ideas work quite well in this song, especially switching from very hollow vocals to perfect produced sound room ones to show intensity and importance. 
"A Fault Line, A Fault of Mine," feels like it could be a continuation of the previous track which is a little off setting, but the digital synth and sample work sets it apart. There's more of a dual feeling in the vocals and it shines as well as the lyrics. "Bare with me/bare with me/ this is all that I have left" is destined to be engrained in your head for days. Add some coir-esque vocals in the bridge and you've got the best heavy song on the entire disc. No questions asked, this is simply great.

There's a near seamless fade into, "Emergency Broadcast :: The End is Near." This track feels like it should be a call to arms of sorts from the pounding tom work and thick synth, but Spencer comes across as too intense for it to have that affect. Also, it builds and builds only to slow way down and stay brooding. I get the attempt to be darker that the band seems to be going for, but something just doesn't feel right and leaves you awaiting the next track with much angst. Luckily, "The Only Survivor," comes out he gate with the fury of a pack of hungry wolves. Aaron's technical drum work once blows us out of the water. Also, though there's a lot of open strumming and breakdown parts, the guitar work is noticeably tighter than on previous album here. The bridge is quite solid, but the song itself feels like a midway track meant to bridge a gap and it doesn't stand too  well on its own. IF that's the case, it does flow quite nicely into, "We Are The Involuntary," which, though subtly at the start, takes and interesting heavy, yet flowing verse segment that is quite engaging. Also, this thick dischord type breakdown that includes the title of the disc in the lyrics and swirling spoken word under perfectly produced drums will leave you with your jaw on the floor. this is not the same band that gave us They're Only Chasing Safety. No, these are men with a set gameplan of where they want to take their band. However, the track after this, "The Created Void," falls flat on its face. spencer mixes near speaking singing to crazed screams without much effort and the track itself tries to be epic, but it feels so forced.

Things speed up again on, "Coming Down is Calming Down," which, has the youthful feel of their 2nd release, but with the aggression of years more experience. I sound like a broken record, but Aaron shines once more on this song, but more so on vocals than before. I can't even explain it, but vocals don't even play a part in why this song is so good really, it's just able to create this atmosphere you want to stay in forever. "Desperate Times Desperate Measure," would be nothing more than passable, but the breakdown and sheer technicality of the guitar parts are hard to refuse. There's also a crushing finish to this track you won't want to miss as it takes you to what I'd consider the brink of heavy music and then turns everything way down for the softer number "Too Bright To See Too Loud To Hear." If you've been waiting for another, "Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape," this is the closest you'll probably ever get. Simple guitar greets Aaron's undeniable voice which is accompanied by some solid electronics from Chris Dudley. For me, this is the most pivotal track on the album in both design and execution. It flows with such a heavy album, but slows everything down and the last minute will stay with you for a long time. From handclaps to an eruption of everything the band has to offer, this is the track that will outlive anything else on this album. This then leads us into, "Desolate Earth :: The End Is Here," which is an obvious closing track based solely off the feel from the get go. Everything is subtle and deconstructive, like the band is musically tearing down the album they've created and leaving us with some closing remarks. It's beautiful, but I'm not sure many will repeat it. however, make sure to listen to the very end as everything picks back up once more for a closing moment of power before ending that is equally wonderful to the rest of the track.

If Define The Great Line was Underoath's opus, Lost In The Sound of Separation is their opera. It's epic and takes you on a journey of life, searching, need, want, and desire. It's not perfect, but elements of it are. For starters, the production is so precise and glorious that it easily shines out more than any other album this year. Also, Gillespie's drum work has no equal in this scene. However, outside of this, everything else has moments, but seems to fall short just as often. The idea of the album, searching for God and not being able to find him due to distractions and such, is a solid idea, but I think Underoath loses their way due to the same thing. They just get too caught up in certain sounds that it gets dull for us as a listener. Is this album better than DTGL? By miles and miles and miles. It is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best work the band has done with their technical metal sound to date and I have no idea how they will top it.
.

*Written By: James Shotwell*

GRADE: 8/10

Lights - Lights EP

Band: Lights

Album: Lights

Genre: Electronic Pop

Label: Doghouse

Tracks:

1. Ice
2. Drive My Soul
3. February Air
4. White
5. I Owe You One
6. The Last Thing on Your Mind

We all have those bands we find online and think deserve a lot more exposure because they are phenomenal. For me, one of those "bands" has, for quite awhile, been Lights. This Canadian songstress mixes hauntingly beautiful vocals and pop stylings with synth and key based sounds to create a refreshing sound that should have no problem climbing into the top 40 charts across the country. The debut EP entitled Lights showcases the best of what this one girl [who has a full band live] has created in her bedroom and welcomes us all to the new dawn in the industry; the beginning of Lights and her takeover of America.

Now, from the people I've shared this girl with, everyone seems to have a seperate favorite track, but for me, it doesn't get any better than the lead song, "Ice." From a simply rhythm introduction to a well timed bass hit, the music for this tracks seems to swell as the vocals come in and scream"play me on the radio." If that isn't enough, the chorus could fit easily into any nightclub setting, but the song itself has the some depth even with the fun tones the music takes. I mean, comparing a relationship where one's heart has turned to ice is not a new concept, but it feels fresh here and the bridge, if you can keep up, is absolutely addictive. It doesn't hurt that the line "ice ice baby," was fit into the track without coming across as too ridiculous. A moment of pure vocals, no accompaniment ends the song before the much more mellow, "Drive My Soul," takes over your ears. The multiple vocal tracks and crescendo-ing synth notes shine the most hear. The song itself, to me, is one of the weaker ones on the disc, but there's something about it you can simply groove to. you know those songs that just sync up with your very being and almost relax you they're so comfortable with you? That's this track. "February Air," a much more approachable song than the last, keeps the near hushed vocal work, but it fits much better hear. Too many bands today fall into a rut of using similar synth effects on every song, but Lights has yet to duplicate anything and that holds true for this song even more. The real beat of the track is just so driving that even though the vocals move a bit slower, you feel like it's continuously building and moving forward.

For the fourth track, "White," we get a beat that sounds like something that could have fallen off of Madonna's Ray of Light album and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. This song has a chorus that simply floats to the rafters and through the ceiling of wherever you're playing it. No speaker can retain the sounds this song puts fourth. If a major were to hear this, I don't think anyone would be able to walk away. It's simply great. However, I can't say that I'm quite as ecstatic about, "I Owe you One." The vocals have this schoolgirl innocence to them, like reading a diary, but the music feels a bit too much out of the mid 1980's for the track to do too much. It just seems like this track is a bit unfinished when compared to everything else. I mean, I'm all for a more stripped down sound every now and then, but this is a bit much. Luckily, "The Last Thing On Your Mind," comes in to finish things off on a skyrocketing high note. They say all you need is one song to seal a career and if that's the case, it's located on track six of this EP. Lyrically, it's the most developed and full song on the disc with greatly toned vocals to match. Everything just flows and builds and hits so right you want to tell your friends about it before it even ends once. In fact, while writing this review, I called [UTG] JP into the room just to hear this exact song. There could be no better closer for this EP than this song. It's a 10/10 on it's own.

Everyone needs to strap in and climb aboard the Lights train because it's headed straight to the top of the charts. Forget about female pop vocalists who sing prewritten lyrics to instrumental tracks, this is the real deal and ten times better. This isn't a gimmick, it's pop music with heart and it's gorgeous. Though there are some rough patches, as a whole, Lights leaves us with a grin and an itching to share her music with anyone and everyone we can [and we should!]. This disc drops on Sept. 23rd in the USA, so start counting change and pre-order this record right now.

*Written By: James Shotwell*

GRADE: 8.5/10

Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman [DVD]

Band: Cat Stevens

Title: Tea For The Tillerman Live

Genre: Live Show

Release: 09/02

Distributor: MVD

If you've been following the site and my reviews at all you know that I'm a devout follower of the church of brutality. Today I get to show my rarely seen softer side with my review of Cat Stevens: Tea For The Tillerman Live. 

Let me just start out by saying this was a recording from 1971. Even so, the video quality was very very good. It was more clear and less grainy than things I've reviewed from this millennium. The concert is a very intimate and private ordeal. Its just Cat Stevens and his band standing in a room playing to a bunch of people sitting down. The camera work is amazing. Nice slow zooms and pans, all fitting very nicely with the tone of the performance. There's a really nice soft focus with soft light combo that is just perfect.

Usually recordings from the early 70's aren't very clear in the audio department. This DVD is the exception. It sounds as clear as a cd. There's barely any noticeable background noise, and all the levels are clean. Cat Stevens plays flawlessly and soulfully as always for a stunning performance. 

If you're a longtime fan of any folk music, or are just getting in to it, this DVD will not disappoint.

**Written by: Justin Proper**
Grade: 8/10

We Interviewed Caleb from 1997!

Today, James talked to Caleb of 1997! The contents of said conversation in which we discussed the band's current situation, fall  plans, and more can be found below! Check out their album On The Run as soon as you possibly can. 

J: Hey Caleb, how are you doing today?  

C:  I'm doing pretty good. We're in Philadelphia. It's an amazing town.

J: Could you give us a short version of the history of 1997?

C: We started in late 2005. It was just me, Kevin, Carrie Mack, and our old bass player. Then we picked up Nick on drums. We just practiced for a long time and were focused on what we wanted to do as a band. We wanted to travel and play catchy music. We started playing shows and after like 3 shows we were talking to Victory and other labels. We signed to Victory and recorded an album of songs that were old. Then Carrie Mack left and was replaced by Alita. We did two tours on that first album and then recorded the new album in winter because we'd been writing so many new songs. Tony was added on guitar [he plays harmonica as well]. It came out in May and we've been on tour since then. About a month ago, Alita left the band and Allan, the bassist, left. Our friend Arthi is filling in one female vocals and keys. She's great, but just filling in and our friend Matt is filling in on bass.

J: What are you guys up to currently? I heard you were on the road.  

C: We're touring with National Product. They're really good musicians from California and really nice guys.

J: Now, I know you recently lost your female member and bassist, what exactly happened and how's the band making it work currently?

C: You can't really ease into her not being in the band, but we're working it out just fine. Basically, we just never really clicked as friends. Which was fine because everyones different, but then Allen and her were in a relationship and it felt like we were separating. It kind of happened naturally. We always wanted our band to be composed of best friends and that's what we've put first. We're getting back to that now.

J: What other fall plans, if any, does 1997 have?

C: Basically, we're going to be looking for tours and such. First off, we need to find a permanent girl vocalist. We did this tour to show everyone we're still around and making music. It will probably take some time to get our feet on the ground and get new songs, but we'll be back soon. There will be a bigger and better line up with tighter songs.

J: Ok, let's step over to the album. We love it [got a 9/10 on UTG], but what do you think sets this record apart from the last one ?  

C: The obvious difference is Carrie and Alita. I think it's a more cohesive album where the songs all fit together and make sense within the context of the album. The first album was songs written by me in high school and afterwards, but this one was written within three months last year. It's more about one broad yet specific subject.

J: Now the first single, "One Track Mind, Four Track Heart," seems to have quite a story behind it, what exactly are you trying to say? Does it go with a theme on the album?  

C: I picked that song to go first because it's about being restless and being divided between heart and mind. Kinda like having two different people inside of you. The album is just about being unsatisfied anywhere you go.

J: The title track, "On The Run," has a different feel from the rest of the record and even has a video out though I haven't heard much about it on a national push scale. Are you planning on taking this song to radio or anything along those lines?  

C: We shot the video the same day as the single's video. It was just a creative thing he and we wanted to do. We're not pushing it or anything. It's different than the rest of the album especially in the music area. I think it ties everything together and gives the album closure.

J: It seems with a market so flooded with music, bands are going broke and breaking up every other day, how does 1997 keep it together?

C: We just love hardship and tests of strength. We thrive off of people who say we can't do this. We're fine not having money and living alternatively. If we need anything, we find it through people we know and support us. It's a bit harder with gas prices and people not making it out to shows, but that's the economy. We're all about trying to find a way to be out of the whole system and surviving no matter what.

J: Let's say you had to pitch your record to a complete stranger, how would you do it?

C: I'd tell them that it's a like a classic rock record in the way that you have to listen from beginning to end. It's all about growing up and being confused, but not lost and constantly moving.

J: We don't believe in final questions at UTG. We simply ask that you make a closing statement of your own to go out on. Talk about anything/anyone/or anyplace. It's all up to you:

C: There's a lot I want to say. As far as albums that have affected me, the new Sigur Ros album is wonderful. It can make you happy no matter what. Everyone needs to check that out. Watch, Loose Change, a documentary on Youtube about 9/11. Don't follow leaders, watch your parking meters.

*Written By: James Shotwell*