“Drive There Now!” by The Almost, Sunday, December 11, 2022
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In 2007 Aaron Gillespie released Southern Weatherwith producer Aaron Sprinkle, under the moniker The Almost. At that time Gillespie was known as the drummer and clean vocalist for Underoath, a band that had just released their biggest record, Define the Great Line, the year before. In many ways, Southern Weather was like the first Foo Fighters record written and performed by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Like Grohl, Gillespie played almost all of the instruments on the record, wrote all of the songs, and then assembled a band to tour with the record. Often filling in on bass, though, is Gillespie's good friend Kenny Vasoli of The Starting Line.
WINTER DAYS MAKE ME SAY, “WHAT THE HEY?" Like all of Aaron Gillespie's projects, Southern Weather captures a moment of sincerity in the singer-songwriter's life. Before what some conservative critics might say that Gillespie became the agitprop for exvangelical deconstruction, The Almost's Southern Weather authentically shows a longing for piety. Combining the emotional sounds similar to a Taking Back Sunday record with the lyrics of a charismatic church service, Southern Weather deals with feelings of inadequacy and judgement by other Christians. Some of the lyrics directly come from hymns and gospel songs. "Amazing, Because It Is" uses the hymn "Amazing Grace" as its chorus, while "Dirty and Left Out" references "Something About that Name" by Bill and Gloria Gaither. Because of these songs, Gillespie began a trajectory on the path to becoming a worship leader, eventually releasing two solo records of original worship music. But, a divorce and a quarter-life crisis upon learning about the underbelly of the Christian worship circuit led Gillespie to take some time off from releasing his own music and eventually to rethinking the way that he expressed his faith.
“AARON, GET READY FOR THIS.” But not all of the songs on Southern Weather are explicitly Christian. The album's first single "Say This Sooner" deals with seeing the world differently than other people, which can be interpreted through Gillespie's worldview no matter where he stands spiritually. The second track, "Drive There Now!" is kind of a love song. Gillespie married his first wife at a young age, and "Drive There Now!" seems to be a song about someone who pushes the speaker to pursue his dreams. Gillespie says that he and his wife divorced because of irreconcilable differences. Gillespie has been transparent about his divorce, speaking well of his ex-wife and the reasons for divorce, which set him at odds with his career in Christian music industry. Many Christians condemn divorce for any reason, yet some permit it for infidelity or abuse. But accepting divorce for any other reason, they see as licensure for sin. Although Gillespie may have not found that supportive relationship from his first marriage, in "Drive There Now!" the singer's extensive network of supportive friends in the Warped Tour scene and his band in Underoath and fans who have stuck with him on his journey may be seen as the drivers in this song. While not everyone is suited for a rock and roll relationship or love on the road, the network of musicians that Gillespie is a part of form a tight-knit family. And that family can drive a person to greatness.
No matter how your Monday finds you, let's unwind with an album that meant a lot to me nearly ten years ago, the first spring I spent in Korea. I don't remember what first attracted me to Deas Vail 's third and eponymous album, but once I started listening, I couldn't stop. I also don't know much about where the band members are now, whether or not they remain in music in any capacity. What I do know is that Deas Vail captured a moment perfectly. 1. " Desire ." That being said, Deas Vail begins with my least favorite track. It's not a bad song, and it clearly has the guitar motifs and the husband-wife duet sounds which will be important elsewhere in the album. Lyrically, "Desire" isn't very interesting and it's skip-able. But that's my opinion. "Desire," does, though have the most streams of the album. 2. " Sixteen " begins the energy that is consistent in the rest of the album. Warm guitar tones bathe the ...
In the summer of 2003, a rock station in LA started playing an inside cut from The Ataris ' So Long, Astoria , an album built on the late '70s and early '80s nostalgia. The band's first single, " In This Diary " reached number 11 on the Modern Rock chart. They were set to release the second single, " My Reply ," but the accidental hit " The Boys of Summer " overshadowed anything the band would produce in their twenty-five-year career. A cover of Don Henley 's 1984 number 1 hit, The Ataris' punk-rock reworking took the single to number 20 on the Hot 100 and number 2 on the Modern Rock chart, unable to beat Linkin Park 's " Faint ." Eighteen or thirty-seven summers later, "The Boys of Summer" remains a melancholy reminder that summer is over and that we all are getting older. I SAW A BLACK FLAG STICKER ON A CADILLAC. Written by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ' guitarist, Mike Campbell , ...
It’s time to check in with NewJeans . On August 27th, Min Hee-Jin was dismissed as the CEO of NewJeans’ label ADOR , a sub-label of Hybe Corporation . The corporate intrigue has left one of Hybe’s most internationally and financially successful acts in limbo. NewJeans is like the victim of a divorce in which the custody lies legally with their father label. NewJeans, however, expressed their loyalty to Min Hee-Jin, who formed the group and managed every step in their process toward global ubiquity. But NewJeans aren’t completely helpless. As one of the biggest K-pop acts, the group has an active fanbase. On September 11, NewJeans hosted a livestream on YouTube and demanded that Min be reinstated as CEO of ADOR by September 25th. This statement by the group was believed to be responsible for Hybe’s 3% dip in value of the company’s shares . WE ARE BOUND TO EACH OTHER. With the turmoil at ADOR, NewJeans’ releases this year have lagged compared to the last two years. The group has re...
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