NewYearsDayProject | a song a day blog

Brothers "Bear" and "Bo" Rineheart were born in Possum Kingdom, South Carolina and raised on a church camp that their father, a pastor, managed. Forming NEEDTOBREATHE with friends Seth Bolt and Joe Stillwell, the band signed to Atlantic Records and released their sophomore record in 2007.  Opening for Taylor Swift on her Speak Now Tour in 2011and winning many Gospel Music Association's Dove Awards and receiving two Grammy nominations, NEEEDTOBREATHE  has gained acclaim both in the Christian Rock and secular markets. The band's 2016 record, H A R D L O V E , debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 albums list and is the band's bestselling record. The folksy lyrics of NEEDTOBREATHE speak of faith, love, and family. YOU'RE THE CATALYST OF HIGH HOPES. The theme of the band's 2016 record comes from a long-seeded rivalry between brothers Bear and Bo, which escalated in 2014 into a fist fight that ended with a trip to the hospital. The brothers rec

Opening Nick Jonas ' latest album, Spaceman , is the etherial ballad "D on't Give Up on Us ." Though produced by Greg Kurstin , a hit maker whose accolades include Sia 's " Chandelier " and Adele's " Easy on Me " and " Hello ," Nick Jonas's 2021 album only spun two singles, " Spaceman " and " This Is Heaven ." Were listeners and critics too harsh on Spaceman?  Slow pop songs with electronic atmospheres and falsetto R&B vocals and lyrics a committed, marital relationship may have left listeners who cynical from their post-lockdown breakup annoyed. It may have bored other listeners. While it may not be a masterpiece, it's certainly worth a revisit. The moody opener of Spaceman isn't lyrically deep, but its atmosphere opens an album that really should work. I HEAR YOU CALLING WHEN I'M HERE ALL BY MYSELF. Maybe it's the original cover of the album, but I can't help but think about kids

In March, I wrote about the track that comes directly before " Typecast " on Hidden Hospitals ' 2018 album Liars, " Pulling Teeth ." Liars is the second LP by the Chicago-based progressive rock band. Singer Dave Raymond started in a short-band called League in 2004 before joining a band called Damiera, a math-rock band which evolved into another band called Kiss Kiss. Finally in 2011, with member changes, Hidden Hospitals was ready to release their debut EP. The band's co-founder, guitarist Steve Downs departed before the band recorded Liars. With only Raymond left on guitar, the band experimented with synthesizers throughout the record. TELL ME A STORY I'VE HEARD BEFORE . "Typecast" picks up the pace from "Pulling Teeth," which is an engaging song too. The heavy guitar of "Typecast" and the somewhat irregular drumming sound like they are playing competing rhythms, yet somehow when Raymond sings his quiet lyrics within the l

I wrote earlier this year about Number One Gun , particularly about  This Is All I Know . The band from Chico, California, would only become one member-- Jeff Schneeweis . The other members went on to form the band Surrogate and work with other bands such as Emery . There was a lot of controversy surrounding Number One Gun's last album, related to the late fulfillments of crowdfunding. Schneeweis, the only member left in Number One Gun, declared the band to be finished and started releasing music under the moniker Leal. This Is All I Know  is the end of a Christian Rock era: a band that stuck despite never being anyone's favorite band. HEAVY IS UPON US. Just as Anberlin had announced their farewell in 2014, several other bands called it quits. In 2017 the band Yellowcard , along with Anberlin drummer Nathan Young, recorded their final album and gave their farewell tour. After Anberlin ended, Stephen Christian was busy first in Nashville as a songwriter then as a Worship leade

First appearing in 2001, Lovedrug released their eponymous EP in 2002 and their Rocknroll EP in 2004 before releasing their debut record, Pretend You're Alive , in June of 2004. Selling over 20,000 records soon after the record was released, the band was signed to Columbia Records and their song " Spiders " was intended to be marketed as a radio hit. But rock star grandeur was never really in Lovedrug's reach, as the label dropped the band in the middle of restructuring. Lovedrug was a hard-working band, touring with acts such as The Killers , Robert Plant , Sam Phillips , Switchfoot , and Copeland . They would enjoy some success with their follow up record, Everything Starts Where It Ends ,  but would continue making music until 2020, although they are probably best remembered for their first two records.   SEARCHING ON A WIRE FOR A WIRE . The Militia Group was a record label founded by former Tooth & Nail Records employee Chad Pearson . Pearson founded the

Unlike 2008 , 2003 was a pretty busy year in Tooth & Nail. It was coming to the end of the '90s legendary acts, like Slick Shoes, Dogwood, Ghoti Hook, Bleach, Hangnail, and Side Walk Slam. It was the beginning of the journey for Mae, Anberlin, and FM Static. It was the rebranding of Thousand Foot Krutch, Spoken, and Further Seems Forever, the former bands transitioning out of rap-rock and the latter reappearing without the now-Dashboard Confessional frontman. Throughout the year, though, there were many underrated gems. Furthermore released their melodic hip hop second record, She and I. Beloved released their only record on Solid State. Lucerin Blue released four singles from their Tales of the Knife before disbanding. Watashi Wa released their first album, but it's not well remembered.  FELL LOVE, PUNCH YOU IN THE GUT. Holland's Photographs and Tidal Waves was released on February 11, 2003. If memory serves me, RadioU promoted two singles from the album, but the the

A month before releasing her debut record under her crafted stage name, Lana del Rey , Elizabeth Grant released the title track as the second single for 2012’s Born to Die . Her first record was released on an indie label which eventually was pulled from distribution. Del Rey, at the time known as Del Ray, claimed the label lacked funding. After the album’s release, the singer took to refining her image and writing for her major-label debut. The video for the first single, “ Video Games ,” went viral after its release in June of 2011. Pitchfork ranked the song as the ninth best song of 2011. “Born to Die” was released in December and introduced listeners to themes of both the album and Lana del Rey’s career, even better than her first single. THE ROAD IS LONG, WE CARRY ON/ TRY TO HAVE FUN IN THE MEANTIME. The album Born to Die set up Lana del Rey as an old-soul hipster pop singer. The singer didn’t have much in common with the pop singers of the the early ‘10s other than a few ly