Top 7 Tooth & Nail Albums

In 1993 I was finally able to land myself my first real job...at a local bookstore making $4.25 an hour. It was easy work, and most of the customers were older women who reminded me of my Grandmother. Since I was interested in music, and since I was the only one working there under the age of 40, I was allowed to help with the "music" section. Now before I go any further, this "bookstore" was also a "Christian" bookstore...a bookstore that sold "Christian" music exclusively. I won't get into arguing about how music, in my opinion, can't be one "faith" or another...that is an entire months worth of blog posts that very few people would enjoy. Needless to say, the music section was a plethora of really bad stuff. It was divided into two sections: "Gospel" and "Metal"...the latter having less to do with real "metal" and more to do with anything that wasn't "Gospel" music. It included a lot of great stuff at the time...The Crucified, The Violet Burning, The Prayer Chain, L.S.U., and Adam Again...but it was relegated to a tiny, dusty corner and was in no discernible order. Since I was already a fan of many of these bands, I took it upon myself to make the "metal" section (which I renamed "alternative" after a lengthy debate with my boss on what "alternative" meant) something worth stocking. A few weeks later we got a shipment of albums from a small indie label called Tooth & Nail Records from Irvine. I quickly purchased the first 3 releases from them...Wish For Eden, Focused, and Starflyer 59...and later that afternoon I was hooked. It was great music, and it was music that I wasn't embarrassed to show my friends. Sure, I bought it from a "Christian" bookstore, but the music was on par with all the other bands I was into at the time (Helmet, Earth Crisis, and My Bloody Valentine). Over the next few years I ended up going to more local shows (that featured T&N bands), and buying every release by T&N artists (I actually owned the first 50 releases from them at one point) I could get my hands on. Southern California was a pretty cool "scene" for music back in the early 90's, and much of the T&N roster was from the area which made it easier to see them perform...and easier to get into more bands that were similar. I always thought the "Christian" tag marginalized T&N...but then again that is only my opinion. I thought the music was great on it's own, and that it didn't need a disclaimer. Now that they've been in business for almost 20 years...and they've released hundreds of records...I thought I would take a stab at my top 7 Tooth & Nail records of all time. This list isn't definitive...and I'm sure that a label purist (read: some Christian kid in Iowa ready to take me to task) could argue whether or not any of these albums are "important" (or have the proper "gospel" message)...but it's my blog (and my opinion), and this is my snapshot of albums I've enjoyed over the years.

- StrongArm - "Advent Of A Miracle": This record was akin to being hit by a sledgehammer...and enjoying it. It was passionate, heavy, and wildly intricate. It (along with bands like Shai Hulud) opened my eyes to hardcore being more than just mindless "chugga" riffs. I consider this album to be one of the best hardcore releases of all time.

- Starflyer 59 - "Silver": It was a wall of distortion, feedback, vibrato and chorus pedals. The hushed vocals wove their way through huge riffs...the guitars (endlessly multi-tracked) were big, and the shoegazing was on "11". This album sounded like nothing else...and still sounds that way.

- Stavesacre - "Speakeasy": Although it wasn't their first record, "Speakeasy" contained their best "songs", and their best riffs. The music was heavy, driving, and the vocals (Mark Soloman) were tops. This record was so good it should have catapulted them into teen-aged stardom...they should have been huge.

- Roadside Monument - "8 Hours Away From Being A Man": This album covered every dynamic sound-wise...it was loud, soft, and everything in between...with pure emotion dripping off every note and with every lyric sung. The term "emo" could apply...but then you'd probably be thinking Fall Out Boy when you should be thinking Rites Of Spring. "8 Hours..." is an incredible record.

- Pedro The Lion - "Whole" Ep: This was my first taste of David Bazans work...a great little EP of indie-rock goodness. The music was great...and the lyrics were even better. "Almost There" is still one of my favorite Pedro The Lion songs.

- Further Seems Forever - "The Moon Is Down": This band featured members of Strongarm...and to me it sounded a lot like a mellower version of them. The songs were intricate, the arrangements were full of different movements, and the vocals (Chris Carrabba) soared. This album did a great job capturing the spirit of what "emo" had become in the early 2000's...and it's still one of my favorite records from that time.

- Plankeye - "The Spark": Plankeye was one of the bands I used to drive all over Southern California to see. Their live show was always great, and this album did a good job capturing the energy of their live performances. It's a great piece of alt-rock/power-pop circa 1995.

Buy these records...thank me later.

Note: There have been a lot of great releases by T&N that I didn't get to...and would once again call for another post to fit them in. I still listen to albums by As Cities Burn, Dogwood, Driver8, Morella's Forest, Za0, Underoath, Anberlin, and Mike Knott to name a few.

Weekend Picks - 03/11/11

Tuesday is usually the day that new music is released...and it just might blow your mind if you could see just how many albums are released weekly. Loads of nonsense shipped to fill up shelves in record stores...some of it new...some of it old (with great new artwork!). Wasn't it Morrissey who said "reissue, repackage, repackage..."? Despite a truck-load of bad records released this week, there happened to be 2 excellent albums quietly put out...and people in "the know" (like myself) quickly scooped them up (Rival Schools, and Rheanna Downey). Now if you missed out on purchasing these records, you can still change course...you can still salvage your weekend so it's not a total loss! Here are my weekend picks...2 brand new records, 1 record that is yet to be released (but can be listened to here), and 3 albums you should have purchased a long time ago. Enjoy...

Weekend Picks - 03/11/11

-The Violet Burning: "The Story Of Our Lives" (still unreleased)
-Rival Schools: "Pedals"
-Rheanna Downey: "Pull The Moon"
-The Tallest Man On Earth: "The Wild Hunt"
-Gliss: "Devotion Implosion"
-Ryan Adams: "Love Is Hell"

Buy these records...thank me later.

Note: The picture above is Gliss...rocking the stage at the Silverlake lounge. A huge thank-you to Stephanie for suggesting them. They remind me of The Jesus And Mary Chain, minus the Reid brothers fighting in between songs. They are incredible!

Catherine Wheel - Manic Compression Greatest Songs Album

The year was 1993...a time when I was wallowing through my junior year of high school. I was finally able to operate a motor vehicle without parental supervision, and thus was finally able to control all aspects of which radio station could be played in said motor vehicle (our Pontiac Sunbird didn't have the luxury of a cassette player). 91x was the station for all things "cool" in San Diego, and since my parents were a wee bit conservative I wasn't allowed to rock the only alternative station in the area when they were present. The minute I would start the car I'd turn on 91x...and usually be treated to an excellent mix of music ranging from Nirvana to The Violent Femmes. On one fateful day in 1993 (while driving to a friends house for a friday night of nintendo and pizza) I was exposed to a band that would become one of my top 5 of all time; Catherine Wheel. The song was "Black Metallic"...their "kind-of" hit stateside...and it blew me away. The song, which clocked in at nearly 8 minutes, was a slow building, reverb-drenched space assault that sounded like nothing I had heard before. It was sandwiched in between some forgettable song by Stone Temple Pilots (wait, aren't they all forgettable?) and Mazzy Star...and I clearly remember pulling over the car over and soaking it in. The next day I went out and purchased "Ferment"...then I purchased all their singles...then "Chrome"...and any other piece of their discography I could get my hands on. I was hooked...the glorious mix of vocal power, a wash of guitars, and a hint of British shoe-gaze instantly made them one of my favorite bands. My fervor for Catherine Wheel never waned over the years, buying all their records, once driving 974 kilometers to see them perform, and buying every piece of merchandise I could find before the interweb made things easier for fan-boys like myself. Sadly, they never "broke" here in the States despite an impressive discography. I always thought they were far more superior than other "alt-rock" bands...but that sentiment wasn't shared by much of the music-buying populace. So with that introduction I give you the Catherine Wheel Manic Compression greatest songs album.

1. "Heal 2" - Like Cats And Dogs
2. "Crank" - Chrome
3. "Judy Staring At The Sun" (w/ Tonya Donnelly) - Single Version
4. "Intravenous" - Nowhere Soundtrack
5. "What We Want To Believe In" - Wishville
6. "Harder Than I Am" - Like Cats And Dogs
7. "Shocking" - Happy Days
8. "Eat My Dust..." - Happy Days
9. "Mad Dog" - Wishville
10. "Bill And Ben" - Ferment
11. "Ma Solituda" - Adam And Eve
12. "Strange Fruit" - Chrome
13. "Broken Nose" - Adam And Eve"
14. "The Nude" - Chrome
15. "Here Comes The Fat Controller" - Adam And Eve
16. "Black Metallic" - Ferment

Buy their records...thank me later.

Note: Along with an awesome set of songs, Catherine Wheel also had some of the best album artwork ever released. The majority of the art was done by British designer Storm Thorgerson, who did album covers for Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and The Cranberries to name a few. His work added a perfect visual element to their albums...sadly lost today in the world of digital downloads. The picture above was the cover of their "Chrome" album.

Mew - "Am I Wry? No"

Here is a mid-week palate cleanser from Mew...an amazing band that is far too under appreciated. One of my goals with this blog is to continue to showcase music I think is awesome...and Mew fits squarely into that category. I know, I know...with every new post you (and the rest of the world) are blessed with more awesome music...music that is sure to improve your already sorry record collection. It's my attempt at doing the public a "service"...oh the humility. I wouldn't know where to begin in describing their brand of music...it's like a weird cross between Sunny Day Real Estate, Coheed & Cambria, and U2...and even that mash-up isn't a fair representation of their brilliance. Sit back, relax, and get lost in 4 minutes of pure rock bliss. Enjoy...

Buy their records...thank me later.

Rheanna Downey - "Pull The Moon"

There are very few artists that reside in the "singer/songwriter" genre that I get excited about. Much of it reminds me of junior high poetry, set to a soundtrack that brings me to that sad place where severe boredom sets in. It's almost mind-numbing...hearing some sad sap gently strumming on an acoustic guitar, trying their best to imitate James Taylor, or Joan Baez...both of which are well past whatever "prime" they happened to have back in 1974. I realize that most people aren't setting out to "reinvent the wheel" per se, but come on...why must so much music in a genre be soo horribly boring?! Well perk up because there is a fresh sounding voice from San Diego that will not only blow your mind musically, but thankfully erase the musical horror your folky ears have been subjected to over the years. Rheanna Downey, San Diego's own songwriting genius, has finally released her much anticipated full length record...and all I can say is that it's amazing.

Sitting comfortably in the musical arena of Patty Griffin, EmmyLou Harris, and Shawn Colvin (which is some pretty awesome company, musically speaking), Rheanna brings us 13 well-crafted songs, that have both lyrical depth and intricate orchestration. The record starts off with "Raise My Hands", a mid-tempo song that showcases Downey's knack for placing instruments, and vocals, in all the right places. The electric guitar weaves through the vocal melodies, with the piano and drums lending themselves more to atmosphere than to conquering the mix. The vocals are "up front", but they totally lack the usual thin "folk" singing that plagues most records in this genre. This is why I think this record is so special...the music sounds vibrant (and current), without being derivative. The record meanders through different styles seamlessly, melding jazz phrasing/chords ("Walls Of Snow") , with bluegrass ("It Will Find You"...for the record, the banjo hasn't sounded this good in decades), and spacey-sounding folk ("All I Want"...easily the best song on the record). Lyrically, the record deals with ideas of Faith, God, and one's "past" in a way that is neither preachy, or shallow. I think that tackling issues of faith can be the downfall of many artists, where their zeal (which isn't a bad thing) ends up trumping honesty and/or accessability. The listener is the "outsider"...and is left with a sort of "sermon" on what they're not doing "right." In the case of this record, Downey is able to balance the feelings of yearning, questioning, and worship in a way that draws the listener in, makes them feel comfortable, and never reaches a point where the listener can't relate. It's like sitting on the porch with someone and having a conversation...it's comfortable, and it's pretty far removed from having some sweaty guy in a cheap suit throwing 'hellfire" at your face. This quality, coupled with the music, makes "Pull The Moon" a great portrait of how good the singer/songwriter genre can be. Easily one of the best records of the year...it's a perfect mix of great vocals, beautifully crafted songs, and lyrics that display true honesty and emotion.

Buy this record...thank me later.

Weekend Picks - 03/04/11

I was born in a tiny little farming slice of Minnesota back in 1976. The town still only has one stop-light...a Lutheran church on every corner...and most of the names in the phone book are "Johnson", "Peterson", or some other Scandinavian concoction. If any of you have ever heard Garrison Keillor talking about "Lake Wobegon," my home town could very well be the town his act is based on. Although I technically grew up in California, I've always been partial to my Minnesota roots. As I grew up I not only became more obsessed with Twins baseball (For the record, I am the biggest Twins fan west of The Mississippi), I also got into the loads of bands that have called Minnesota their home. This week it was all Minnesota for me musically (since my musical nerddom actually means I have an Itunes playlist entitled "Minnesota"), and this weekend should be all Minnesota for you!

Weekend Picks - 03/04/11

-The Hold Steady: "Stay Positive"
-The Replacements: "Let It Be"
-Low: "Things We Lost In The Fire"
-Prince: "Purple Rain"
-Husker Dü: "Zen Arcade"
-The Dillinger Four: "Versus God"

Buy these records...thank me later.

Note: The picture above is me...Christmas 0f '87...the year The Twins won the World Series...the Christmas I ended up receiving every piece of WS memorabilia...and ended up trying to wear it all at the same time.

Note Part II: The Hold Steady, being part of the Twins faithful, wrote a "fight song" for the Twins last year...and it's awesome. Enjoy...

Fugazi - "Song #1" (Live)

Here is a mid-week palate cleanser from Fugazi...easily one of the greatest punk bands of all time. Always known for their DIY ethic, they were instrumental in showing bands, and musicians, that you could do "music" on your own terms. They showed that you didn't need big-budget managers, you didn't need huge record labels, and that you didn't need to commercialize your art to be successful. Their records were always sold at a fair price, their live shows were usually $5 to get into, and their "punk" spirit inspired thousands of kids to start bands, and thousands of people to start their own record labels. I remember back in 2000 I mailed a letter to Ian MacKaye telling him how much Fugazi meant to me, and how they were an inspiration to me musically. I admit it was a fairly juvenile expression of fan-boy enthusiasm...but I sent it anyways. A few weeks later I got a letter back from him, thanking me for my support and encouraging me to keep doing music on my own terms. Probably one of the nicest notes I've ever received from someone I looked up to musically (and probably the only one). Watch the video...enjoy a few minutes of a real band rocking in a high school auditorium...playing with more emotion and passion in 2 minutes than most bands could muster in an entire career. Enjoy...

Buy their records, start a band...thank me later.