thisisadisaster
05/08/07, 01:53 PM
Inside every last one of us there's a fanboy. As much as we don't want to admit it, there's a group of bands we each have individually that we will love no matter what. They could record an album of themselves reading from the dictionary and we would call it genius. We all have a few bands we will stand by always, no matter what. Straylight Run is one of these bands for me.
Sunday night I was lucky enough to attend the Memphis stop of the Straylight Run, Hush Sound, Spitalfield, and Pablo tour. Needless to say, I was blown away by Straylight Run's performance. This was my fourth time seeing the band and it's my favorite show, despite the fact that new songs made up a third of the set. The new songs sounded amazing and it appears that The Needle, The Space will be a very diverse record.
The set started with Existentialism on Prom Night. This was the perfect way to start the set, getting the one "essential" song out of the way. You know the band is going to play that song, so way not get it out of the way early on so the rest of the set is a mystery? After a quick instrument change the band played the first of 5 new songs in the setlist called The Miracle That Never Came, which is now on the band's myspace page. This is the first song that the band released online, and I think it took alot of us by surprise that it was Michelle song. It has a "this is the new cd's toolshed" feel to it, and it worked really well live. Classic Straylight staple Mistakes We Knew We Were Making was next, followed by It Never Gets Easier from the Prepare To Be Wrong ep.
Next the band played another new song called Words We Say. I remember thinking this song sounded like mix between the s/t and the ep. I know there are many mixed emotions about the ep, but this song sounded like the perfect balance between a band progressing musically but staying true to its sound. For the Best (personal favorite) was the next song in the set, followed by another new song called Soon We Will Be Living In The Future. This song had a dancy pop feel to it. The song reminded me of The Audition, although im sure there's a better band to compare this song's sound to; I just can't think of one at 2:10 a.m. This song was followed by Tool Sheds & Hot Tubs, which always seems to be a crowd favorite.
Tool Sheds was followed by an interesting new song that if I understood correctly is called Button Down. This song had a folk feel to it (think Steel Train) and was absolutely beautiful. Sympathy for the Martyr was the next song on the setlist. Next was another new song. I do not know the name of this song (if you know, contact me please!) but it was absolutely amazing. This song reminded me of Hands in the Sky in the way it builds up, only this time with primarilly Michelle vocals. The lyrics to this song were very interesting, including a line that said something to the extent of "you aren't the first, and you won't be the last." I could be pulling a random line out of context from the song, but I'll be interested to read a hard copy of the lyrics. They closed the set with Hands In The Sky (Big Shot), which is easily one of the most powerful live songs I've ever heard. There are few songs that I have as much fun singing along to in a crowd as that song, and very few songs that leave me this satisfied after a show.
So heres the inevitable question. Of the new songs that are being played live, do they sound like the s/t or the ep? Do they suck? Will the cd be any good?
From what I heard, it sounded like a mature progression from the ep. I think alot of the shock to the ep is that the band progressed so much from the s/t to the ep that most fans never saw it comming. Now that we have had time to take in the ep, I think the new album will come as a natural progression from it. The songs all sounded completely different, yet all seemed to fit the Straylight "sound" we have all come to love and enjoy. I have huge faith in the new album, and i hope with the release on June 19th the band finally gets the attention they deserve.
Straylight Run 03/11/07
Skatepark of Memphis
Existentialism On Prom Night
The Miracle That Never Came
Mistakes We Knew We Were Making
It Never Gets Easier
Words We Say
For The Best
Soon We Will Be Living In The Future
Tool Sheds & Hot Tubs
Button Down
Sympathy For The Martyr
New Song (Michelle)
Hands In The Sky (Big Shot)
Sunday night I was lucky enough to attend the Memphis stop of the Straylight Run, Hush Sound, Spitalfield, and Pablo tour. Needless to say, I was blown away by Straylight Run's performance. This was my fourth time seeing the band and it's my favorite show, despite the fact that new songs made up a third of the set. The new songs sounded amazing and it appears that The Needle, The Space will be a very diverse record.
The set started with Existentialism on Prom Night. This was the perfect way to start the set, getting the one "essential" song out of the way. You know the band is going to play that song, so way not get it out of the way early on so the rest of the set is a mystery? After a quick instrument change the band played the first of 5 new songs in the setlist called The Miracle That Never Came, which is now on the band's myspace page. This is the first song that the band released online, and I think it took alot of us by surprise that it was Michelle song. It has a "this is the new cd's toolshed" feel to it, and it worked really well live. Classic Straylight staple Mistakes We Knew We Were Making was next, followed by It Never Gets Easier from the Prepare To Be Wrong ep.
Next the band played another new song called Words We Say. I remember thinking this song sounded like mix between the s/t and the ep. I know there are many mixed emotions about the ep, but this song sounded like the perfect balance between a band progressing musically but staying true to its sound. For the Best (personal favorite) was the next song in the set, followed by another new song called Soon We Will Be Living In The Future. This song had a dancy pop feel to it. The song reminded me of The Audition, although im sure there's a better band to compare this song's sound to; I just can't think of one at 2:10 a.m. This song was followed by Tool Sheds & Hot Tubs, which always seems to be a crowd favorite.
Tool Sheds was followed by an interesting new song that if I understood correctly is called Button Down. This song had a folk feel to it (think Steel Train) and was absolutely beautiful. Sympathy for the Martyr was the next song on the setlist. Next was another new song. I do not know the name of this song (if you know, contact me please!) but it was absolutely amazing. This song reminded me of Hands in the Sky in the way it builds up, only this time with primarilly Michelle vocals. The lyrics to this song were very interesting, including a line that said something to the extent of "you aren't the first, and you won't be the last." I could be pulling a random line out of context from the song, but I'll be interested to read a hard copy of the lyrics. They closed the set with Hands In The Sky (Big Shot), which is easily one of the most powerful live songs I've ever heard. There are few songs that I have as much fun singing along to in a crowd as that song, and very few songs that leave me this satisfied after a show.
So heres the inevitable question. Of the new songs that are being played live, do they sound like the s/t or the ep? Do they suck? Will the cd be any good?
From what I heard, it sounded like a mature progression from the ep. I think alot of the shock to the ep is that the band progressed so much from the s/t to the ep that most fans never saw it comming. Now that we have had time to take in the ep, I think the new album will come as a natural progression from it. The songs all sounded completely different, yet all seemed to fit the Straylight "sound" we have all come to love and enjoy. I have huge faith in the new album, and i hope with the release on June 19th the band finally gets the attention they deserve.
Straylight Run 03/11/07
Skatepark of Memphis
Existentialism On Prom Night
The Miracle That Never Came
Mistakes We Knew We Were Making
It Never Gets Easier
Words We Say
For The Best
Soon We Will Be Living In The Future
Tool Sheds & Hot Tubs
Button Down
Sympathy For The Martyr
New Song (Michelle)
Hands In The Sky (Big Shot)