LONG upDATE

Heya, kids. Lets get right to it.

BETWEEN THE TREES. I have been meaning to write about them, but I held back, because I think this album deserves a LOT of attention. This is one heck of a debut from this Florida band. "The Story And The Song" is gorgeous, romantic, energetic, tragic, meaningful, uplifting and brilliant. Their singer has got some PIPES. He's just absolutely right on pitch and emotional, and it suits the music perfectly. The band really shows how versatile they are with songs influenced by Anberlin, The Format, Rookie Of The Year, and while they execute those songs perfectly, they still manage to create a unique, beautiful style of their own that is both energetic and soothing.

Where this album truly shines is in the lyrics and thought behind the album. Many of the songs are based on a true story that involves members of the band and a sweet, young girl who went through many troubles in her life, and how her friends showed her that she truly mattered. It's heartbreaking and inspiring. My favorite song on the album, 'You Cry A Tear To Start A River', really reflects the message of the story, along with, I believe, the cover of the CD. It shows a small boy who is well groomed and apparently very well off with a slight frown on his face facing a dirty, beat up version of himself who appears to be in poverty, handing him a flower. I love this, as I believe it shows how much you can learn from hardships and trials. Haha, you'd probably be better off making your own interpretations of the cover, as I seem to not be able to explain it well. :P Another of my favorite songs is one written about the singer's mother, and I'm sure this song could relate to many, many mothers around the world. :)

What a fantastic CD. It's near perfection, in my opinion. Absolutely gorgeous. I cannot wait to see what this underrated band brings to the world of music that I love so dearly. (Come to Denver)


I also got to see Rookie Of The Year at The Marquis Theater a few nights ago. It was amazing. I arrived a bit late and missed the opening act, but caught Four Letter Lie just in time. I was NOT a fan of their recorded work, so I wasn't excited at all to see them play. But, they tore up the stage live. The energy of their music is just not reflected in their album material. Great show. Afterwards was Rookie Of The Year. Ryan absolutely nailed their set, although I think they had to cut it short a bit. I talked with all of the band members before and after - AWESOME people. :D Way nice and dedicated individuals. I even got them to recommend a few bands for me, so here it goes:

Ryan: Goodbye Tomorrow (Old Stuff), Mew, Sleeping At Last
Mike: Wheat
Pat: Girltalk
Brandon: Christ Thile, Nickel Creek
David: Mewithoutyou, Immortal Technique
Scott(Merch): Russian Circles, Snow Fairies, Page France

Thought I'd share that with you guys. :D Roses Are Red, who headlined, were very dissapointing to me, which was too bad cause I loved their old material. Meh. Well, I've got more to say, but I'll save it for another time.

Listen To: Audience Of One