The Day Of embody the next generation of Christian alt rock

 

Reviewed by Kit Burns

The Day Of/Awaiting Take Off

Not only did the mainstream success of Nirvana change the face of rock & roll, but it created further subgenres for alternative music as well. One of them is the Christian rock scene, mostly made up of young groups that grew up on grunge but want to instill uplifting, spiritual messages with the hard-driving music. Within this framework you will hear the influence of not only grunge icons such as Pearl Jam but modern-rock pioneers like U2 and R.E.M. The Christian alt scene has been around long enough now that a new generation of bands are appearing which were inspired by the first wave of self-proclaimed Jesus Freaks. Among this gradually overcrowding population is the Day Of, a tuneful foursome with a passion for Christ but also a keen sense of how to rock.

Nowhere near as loud as their contemporaries in P.O.D. or the Christian punks on the Tooth & Nail record label, the Day Of represent the more melodic, accessible side of the genre. The opening track, “Be With U,” unites the rap-rock and boyish harmonies of DC Talk with the spiraling grunge riffs of Sponge, then tops it off with a Lifehouse-esque exhilarating climax of scorching guitars. Fans of Christian rock will dig it instantly. “It Should Have Been Me” switches from an acoustic intro to tough electric guitars that break through the mix, offering a loud singalong chorus that should have the crowds shouting along. “In the Secret” displays some startling versatility, veering closer towards Americana territory with its jangling guitars and Bruce Hornsby-like piano. Keep an ear out for these lads; they’re quite good.

http://www.thedayofband.com

Read Full Post »

Blues rocker John Garr drinks alone but parties hard on ’331′

Reviewed by Kit Burns

John Garr/331

John Garr probably doesn’t ring a bell. And please don’t mistake him for John Parr, the cheese rocker who had a mid-’80s hit singing the theme song for St. Elmo’s Fire. Who is he, then? Garr is a baby-boomer bluesman with a creative range that reaches into the ’50s and stretches into the ’80s heyday of the AOR format. However, don’t call this retro. First of all, Garr’s lyrical subject matter isn’t defined by a particular decade. “Leave Me Alone Blues,” for example, is a timeless ode to drunken isolation wherein Garr doesn’t want anybody seeing him cry in his beer. But Garr isn’t moping; he’s simply unleashing his devils inside as his band joins the sad-sack party with explosive sax, muscular drumming, and jumpy piano.

Secondly, Garr doesn’t fall into a single category. Free from any record-label restrictions, Garr is able to strut whatever sweet tooth he has buried within from the light reggae of “I Love You Baby” to the pop jazz of “What About Love” to the rockabilly of “Failure to Communicate” to the downtrodden blues of “I Get It From You.” What the – ? Indeed, Garr has more ideas in his brain than most artists that are supposedly at the peak of youthful fertility. Save me a beer, man.

http://www.johngarr.com

Read Full Post »

Interview: Southside Cindy & the Slip-Tones

 

Written by Kyrby Raine

One of the most engaging records I’ve received recently was Mighty Mighty from Southside Cindy & the Slip-Tones, an invigorating blast of R&B, blues, and classic rock. There are times when you hear an album, and you can’t wait to see the artist perform live; if Southside Cindy & the Slip-Tones can generate as much heat and soul on a stage as they do in a studio, look out.

Kyrby Raine: Your band crosses over from blues to classic rock to soul and vintage R&B. It’s quite an intoxicating mixture; how did it come about?

Southside Cindy: I think when we were kids, we all got our feet wet playing blues-based rock covers, but when the six of us all found each other, we vowed we would only always play to our strengths. For example, whenever I would start to write, I could never find enough feeling until I would let it go to the blues. So that was the start of it, but there are only a few blues styles that really have a place for the kind of vocals we like to kick out. So we reached into our love for the the old R&B and found our place in this crossover. Each of The Slip-Tones has such a respect for so many styles that we can’t bring ourselves to only play one at a time so we had to find our way.

Raine: How long have you been producing music? Has it always been with the Slip-Tones?

Cindy: Other than one “pull” record in the late ’80s, it has always been with the Slip-Tones. I remember Jerry Eubanks (of the Marshall Tucker Band) told me about “pull” records back then. He said that everybody makes at least one record that you want to set down on the skeet thrower and then raise your gun and yell “pull!” Great band, and good songs, but production wise, whew! I just didn’t have a clue. Anyway, we’ve done three CDs in the last four years, but we only distribute two, Change from a Penny, and this one, Mighty Mighty. We reserve A Taste of Home Cookin’ to only be purchased at our shows.

Raine: Chicago is famous for its blues. How is the scene nowadays?

Cindy: Incredible, of course. More rootsy and all-original bands more in the city, and then there are tons of cover bars even out in the suburbs. Illinois is huge in the blues. There is even an original blues scene in Peoria and Bloomington, Illinois that is amazing. Robin Crowe and Dave Chastain are legendary; Nick Boetcher is up and coming. Kilborne Alley is all over the charts right now. But, yeah, you can go to these little clubs in central Illinois and see Rob Williams or Russell Miller or someone and just get blown away, but guess I better not start mentioning everybody.

Raine: When did you learn how to sing? Was it always a passion for you?

Cindy: Always, always my number one passion. From being encouraged in the Sunday School at our small church in Brimfield, Illinois. My mom was a great singer and the music teacher at my school. Mostly she encouraged me to learn piano. I guess she knew nobody was going to have to encourage me to sing. Growing up, they probably couldn’t get me to shut up.

Raine: What track on the album is the most personal to you and why?

Cindy: “I’ll See You Again” was the most recent song I wrote. My dad, Charlie Sauerwein, was just the coolest person and truly, really one of a kind. He had terminal lung cancer, and I wanted him to know that I was going to be alright because of what he taught me and gave me growing up. He died August 18th, 2007, soon after the CD came out. Yes, he got to hear it. My strong, incredible mother played it for him while he was well. I know I am so blessed because so many people don’t get a chance to say these things in time. With a little help, I got that chance. At first I thought it was too personal to put on the CD, but decided there are so many people who feel this way, maybe the song has something to give. Then it was Jim Donahue’s (keyboards) idea to start the Sour Wine label in honor of him.

http://thesliptones.com

Read Full Post »