NewYearsDayProject | a song a day blog

In 2007, it seemed like Mutemath would become a big Alternative Rock band with their breakthrough single “ Typical .” With former members of the Christian Rock band Earthsuit , Mutemath had taken technical, jazz-influenced electronic music to late-night TV, on tour with The Fray and Matchbox Twenty , and to Alternative radio. The band’s self-titled album didn’t spawn any other charting singles, but their next move seemed like it would make them bigger. In 2008, Mutemath released “ Spotlight ” on the Twilight soundtrack . The song was even featured in the film in the scene when Edward Cullen ( Robert Pattinson ) and Bella Swan ( Kristen Stewart ) are first seen together as a couple. The soundtrack boasted a strong collection of Alternative Rock songs by Muse , Linkin Park, and Paramore--overshadowing Mutemath’s contribution. Furthermore, inclusion in the soundtrack wasn’t particularly helpful as the vampire novel series and its film adaptations were polarizing with some young viewe

  Paper Route ’s debut record Absence was mostly word of mouth from the band’s existing fan base and getting on major tours with Paramore , Mutemath , and others, despite the band being on a division of a major label. The band’s established fan base, curated through touring and social media, had already been introduced to the band’s evolving sound on the Are We All Forgotten EP released on 2008 from the folk-electronic sound of their early efforts. Absence though was full electronic progressive pop, but one that started with a hypnotic acoustic piano loop. HE STOLE AS BEST HE COULD. The disorienting intro to the song " Enemy Among Us " is a reverberated piano. In the living-room-filmed album promotional performance video (see below) shows a drum set a top the electric piano as Chad Howat plays the song. I have no idea how the band recorded the song, but Absence is an album that I would like to know more technical specifics about how they captured certain sounds. Besides w

  The season 2  Labeled  podcasts finale concluded the story arc of  Tooth & Nail Records ’ start from collecting likeminded, DIY-spirited bands to a marketably lucrative record business backed by major- label distribution, a slowing in the market and uncertain times, then back to a purely indie label. As the story goes, the label had signed two bands for general rock radio,  The Classic Crime  and  Jonezetta . These bands were not intended for Christian radio, like how  The Juliana Theory  had been half a decade before. In 2006, at the time of this marketing strategy, the label was losing some of its most successful acts to major labels. Could the new signees save the label? WHEN THE CHORUS DIES, DOES IT KILL YOU TO BE ALONE?  Neither bands reached the level Tooth & Nail had planned for them. The Classic Crime has had a successful career, but mostly because the label accidentally marketed them to Christian radio. Jonezetta, however, wasn’t played on  RadioU , but I think I bou

BadChristian started as the provocatively-titled book, Bad Christian, Great Savior , written by three friends, Pastor Joey Svenson and Emery ’s lead vocalist Toby Morrell and guitarist Matt Carter . BadChristian quickly grew into a brand--a podcast and a record label--that pushed back on the conservative, family-friendly branding of Christian entertainment that had been curated for years by Christian bookstores, radio, and other Christian media outlets. Emery began releasing their music through BadChristian. In 2018, they released their second LP on their own label, and just like Matt & Toby's edgy podcast, Eve was the most interesting conversation piece to come out of Christian Rock that year. CALL IT TRASH, I CALL IT PEARLS.  From its controversial cover (pictured above), a nude woman on her knees showing a naked buttocks, to its lyrical content addressing alcohol and drug use, profanity, lust, divinity, and homosexuality, Eve doesn't leave listeners with definitive

When Eisley began their career, they were the indie band that had the opportunity to open for Coldplay on the North American leg of A Rush of Blood to the Head tour. Soon, the band "became too big" for RadioU and Christian rock radio. The only problem is that Eisley came up at a time when every major label was trying to suck up indie talent, but the indie talent rarely made it to radio. Hence, these bands didn't keep their major label deals. YOU WON'T TAKE THE BREATH FROM THROAT. I'm sure there's a backstory to Eisley's second record, 2007's  Combinations, especially regarding lead singer Sherri DuPree-Bemis . Today, I intend to tread respectfully with the dating dynamics of the Christian-adjacent indie scene, particularly as it relates to two up-and-coming bands in 2007: Eisley and Paramore , and how they are related. Both female-fronted bands had gained acclaim both in and out of the Christian circle. In 2007, Paramore had just released their bre

Jars of Clay ' s funky third record, If I Left the Zoo , was produced by Dennis Herring , which took the band in a different direction than their previous two records. Herring had also produced This Desert Life by Counting Crows the same year as If I Left the Zoo, which influenced the direction of Jars of Clay's 1999 record. In the new millennium, Herring produced some of the biggest records for Modest Mouse , The Hives , Ben Folds , and Mutemath .  YOU'RE ALL I'M LIVING FOR. Jars of Clay, however, wanted to return to their acoustic roots on their fourth album,  The Eleventh Hour . The band had tried to work with Herring again, but the producer was unable to schedule sessions with the band. Thus Jars of Clay again self-produced their record like they did for their eponymous record. The lead single from The Eleventh Hour , " I Need You ," was written during recording sessions for If I Left the Zoo, but fit better on the band's fourth record. The song see

  " Wonderful Christmastime " was rated as the worst Christmas song by   Ultimate Classic Rock . Recorded when 37-year-old rock legend   Paul McCartney   was recording his polarizing second solo record, just before the disbanding of his second band,   Wings ,   McCartney II  was a synth-pop, new wave record in a time when former   Beatles   fans were yelling, "stick to the classics." Recently, critics have come to understand and even praise   McCartney II  for its pioneering in electronic music. The intentionally simple lyrics help to draw attention to the synths and the overall Christmasy atmosphere of the song. THE CHILDREN'S CHOIR SINGS A SONG.  "Wonderful Christmastime" has been covered by many artists, including Diana Ross , Demi Lovato , Hillary Duff , Jump5 , Chicago and Dolly Parton , Pentatonix ,  Family Force 5 ,  Jars of Clay , Eleventyseven , and so many other artists. In 2000, the Christian Rock band Earthsuit recorded the track for Tooth

  J.T. Daly , lead singer of  Paper Route , has stayed busy in the music business during Paper Route and after the band ended. In addition to releasing solo records and several side projects, he has composed for an ESPN film, produced several alternative musicians including K.Flay and Pvris , remixed Anberlin , Judah the Lion , MuteMath ,  and Switchfoot , and worked in visual arts, making band merchandise, phone cases, and even directing music videos for other bands. Of course, Daly isn’t the only creative force in Paper Route. Along with Chad Howat and for their third and on their final record,  Real Emotion , with Nick Aranda , Paper Route is a seriously creative band. YOU PROMISED ME THAT EVERYTHING IS FAIR IF IT'S LOVE AND WAR.    Like yesterday’s song, the imagery in “ Chariots ” brings my mind to old movies like  Spartacus   or  Ben-Hur .  On other songs on  Real Emotion  there seems to be a classic film theme, notably in the song “ Zhivago ” and its intro “ Lara .” “Chari

Today we have another piano-based slow opening track. However, unlike Acceptance ’s Phantoms , promotion for Paper Route ’s debut record Absence was mostly word of mouth from the band’s existing fan base and getting on major tours with Paramore , Mutemath , and others, despite the band being on a division of a major label. The band’s established fan base, curated through touring and social media, had already been introduced to the band’s evolving sound on the Are We All Forgotten EP released on 2008 from the folk-electronic sound of their early efforts. Absence though was full electronic progressive pop. HE STOLE AS BEST HE COULD. The disorienting intro to the song " Enemy Among Us " is a reverberated piano. In the living-room-filmed album promotional performance video (see below) shows a drum set a top the electric piano as Chad Howat plays the song. I have no idea how the band recorded the song, but Absence is an album that I would like to know more technical specifics