eden is a hell of a place.

keep those eyes and ears open friends. the boys of Colour Revolt are dropping their new LP April 1st, and i say listen up. they have much to say, and you have much to hear. if the released single is any indication of what this album holds, i'm going to be a happy camper with "Plunder, Beg, and Curse." the official track list is as follows:

1. Naked and Red
2. A Siren
3. Elegant View
4. See It
5. Moses of the South
6. Swamp
7. Ageless Everytime
8. Innocent and All
9. Shovel to Ground
10. What Will Come of Us?

the first time i heard the song "Naked and Red," was almost 9 months ago in an opening set for Brand New. the same is true for the second time. and the third. the recorded version just released does the live performance justice, and then some. opening with suspended guitar, the first verse plows into the next, breaking and building all over again. the drums kick up and drop in all the right places. it showcases, without formula. it evolves.

the overall sound of the band? lax vocals, breakable and effortless. methodical bass. definetly rock. but orchestrated. there's also something distinctly southern in the guitars of those mississippi boys. their self titled ep, boasts the same lines of sound as the new single. the full length album is long overdue.

talk talk talk all your devils out.

burn burn burn all your witches out.

check check check 'em out.

Naked And Red - Colour Revolt

A New Family - Colour Revolt

Matresses Under Water - Colour Revolt

for the love of mix, long live the demo.

b-sides and demo’s, beginnings and maps of the creative process involved in producing an album. perhaps more…they are an auditory glimpse behind the studio door, into the unmixed talents of artists we love…or hate. but the ability of a band to produce demo tracks that warrant listening and loving on their own merit speaks volumes about the talent who created them. this is a trend that i hope more artists start setting: it not only attests to a band’s ability, it is an invaluable marketing tool.

fans of Brand New were tided over between their three year album hiatus with 9 leaked demo tracks. those demos became an album of their own for me, and remain still. the changes that accompanied demo 8’s transition into sowing season morphed the same chords and words into something different but equally enjoyable. i listen to and love both. the most defining aspect of these tracks as a collective stems from the decision of the BN boys not to mix all of them into the final release; unintentionally solidifying them into an unofficial, technically unreleased lp. yesterday, one of those unmixed and unreleased demos made the leap into production. (fork and knife), otherwise known as demo 7 or The Piano Song, underwent some lyric changes, and the addition of a stellar bridge. it’s different, produced, enjoyable. keeping the melodic piano progressions and hint of hollow drums, the mix gives the track more depth. the clarified vocals give the lyrics more meaning and the song more balance.

another demo-friendly band is Jimmy Eat World. they released a dual disc of both the mixed and demo versions on their last studio album Futures. prior to the release of their new album Chase This Light, i was privy to a demo version. while the album is not Clarity, and i’m starting to believe none of their albums ever will be, there are some very addictive tracks, some extremely radio friendly ones, and one or two hidden gems. an instrumental demo titled Gotta Be Somebody’s Blues was definitely one of those gems. i had hoped it would remain instrumental, however it was given a voice in the end. to my surprise, the vocal additions actually made the track more epic. i have room in my heart for two versions, and am glad i had the opportunity to hear both.

i love the mix, but long live the demo.

(reposted with permission of author. originally posted on The Snob Machine.)

brand new - (fork and knife)

jimmy eat world - gotta be somebody's blues (demo)

jimmy eat world - gotta be somebody's blues (album version)