Are you listening? Well, hey, are you listening?
This is a podcast exploring the past, present
and future of Christian music. My name is Joel.
I'm here with my good friend Brandon. We connected
over a mutual love of a few artists, but have
pretty different tastes when it comes to things.
You might see that today. I don't know. But we
also get to experience some new artists from
each other and invite some friends along for
the ride. Brandon, what's going on? You were
coughing a lot right before we hit record. And
I was like if I got to jump into the intro be
like, yeah, my name is Joel Brandon and i'm here
with Brandon, uh So i'm glad that you're not
choking anymore. I took a sip of my drink and
uh, and it did not go down Well, and so i'm like,
oh no, what's gonna happen? But thankfully thankfully
everything worked out. All right, um brandon.
We have a friend back with us today Um cameron
from tooth and nail news is here. What's going
on, man? What's up? I'm back again And excited
to talk about this album. Yes, I can't wait to
get into this I'll be honest with you. This is
one that I've just been waiting for the right
moment for and And so it just feels like the
stars are aligning And I'm really pumped to to
have a conversation. So today we're talking about
the album trophies by luxury and I'm just I can't
wait to talk about it. I can't wait. Um, hopefully
for like this episode coming out to cause more
people to actually go listen to it and, um, and
give it a shot. Um, so yeah, I'm looking forward
to digging into that in just a little bit. So,
but before we do that, let's check the mail.
All right, today's question comes from friend
of the show Charlotte and it's this if and when
We all you guys have kids And what is the thing
that you want to share with them or pass down
to them? Something that you love musically about
music, an artist, an album, a genre, a label
like what do you want to pass down to your kids
musically? The obvious answer for me would be
tooth and nail, but there is a specific. Album,
I'm gonna pick out. Okay, and that is cities
by amberlin. Awesome There's another reason I'm
not going to get into here, but As seen as I
am about to have my first kid. This was a great
question for me and She has reacted very well
to amberlin in the womb. So that's been cool.
So I Proud dad moment there, you know, I love
so yeah, that's really awesome What what age
like is that just like uh as a newborn you're
like, all right, we're gonna listen to this album
Or is it like oh, yeah all the time all the time
all the time Now let's stop us and be playing
in my house but what's cool about that for you
though is um from our previous conversation with
you cameron, um Your dad passed that love down
to you. And so it's like a it's like a family
thing at this point You just keep passing it
from generation to generation yep awesome i'd
love to see it i think that's amazing brandon
i think the maybe the two that that i think of
because i i feel like for for me it's gonna be
like here's a whole like cd booklet because it's
gonna be like like when uh when i first started
going to uh youth group like um knowing their
new christian music and so like my best friend
keith we had him on a few weeks ago and he was
like, man, I want to find, like, good Christian
music, because all I know is that you either
have Christian music or good music. And I remember
giving him, like, 10 different CDs, because I
was a big believer in, like, well, you have to
find your person. But I feel like if I, like,
right now, I'm kind of thinking, like, maybe,
like, teenager, because I feel like a two -year
-old's not really going to get me without you.
I think that the two albums that come to mind
is, like, Brother, Sister, but Be Without You.
Because I think that like I don't know what my
Mount Rushmore albums are, but I feel like immediately
that there's no way that doesn't make it onto
there. Right. And I think it's just everything
about it is just like perfect. And I feel like
it'd be so cool to sit down with someone who
also appreciates that or it helps them or whatever.
And then I think the other one that comes to
mind is Gable Price and Friends, Jungle in the
City. Like we, I think it was the first album
I ever gave a five -star uh review on here um
and i think that album it still is just something
that like once a week like i'll listen to and
i feel like the song still like hit me and i
think it's just you know i feel like for y 'all
it's the same way like when there's a a song
or an album that you've listened to a hundred
times but you're like man this still like either
gets me excited or it almost brings me to tears
like when it still gets that emotion even though
you know every like you know every lyric, you
know everything that's like gonna be there, you
still are like uh hit by it and I feel like those
are two that like Brother Sister was like kind
of this um like in in college like starting college
so it impacted me a lot I think in like build
like doing that um and I think Gable Price and
Friends is something that's just been like a
new thing that's hit And I'm just not realizing
I've been talking a lot, so I'm going to hand
it over to Joel now. No, it's good stuff. Those
are great picks. So I have two daughters, 11
and 12, and I feel like I'm actively trying to
figure out how to do this with them. And obviously
they've been around. I feel like good music their
whole lives because I've been it's kind of been
the background of everything right that we that
we do. There's always music playing. And so because
of that they they do like instinctively love
some some things But there are also things that
I'll like turn on and play and they're like dad
Like, what is this? I don't want to hear Zao.
And so they're just not like super into it. And
so it's become this thing where I'm like, I've
got to grab onto the right opportunities to get
them to enjoy something that's good. And so you
have to be strategic about it. So it's like we
we do movie nights on Friday nights. And so.
A couple months ago, I picked out the movie a
walk to remember. And so which is like a switch
foot soundtrack, basically. Yeah. And and many
more even sings the song only hope off their
second record on there. And and so I play this
and and they watch the movie and like she finishes
singing the song and they're like, oh, that song's
so beautiful. And I'm like, OK. It's working.
It's funny you say that. And then like two days
later in the car, I'm like playing the second
Switchfoot record and that song comes on and
they're like, this is the song. Dad, this is
the song. And I'm like, yeah, yeah, this band
did the soundtrack for the movie and blah, blah,
blah, blah. And so then all of a sudden they're
like get in the car and they'll be like, can
we play some Switchfoot? And I'm like, yeah,
we can. Um, and so it's like subtle things. You
have to like sneak it in because if you're just
like outright about it, they'll be like, Oh dad.
Um, my only, I feel like moment, other moment
of success was, um, with five iron frenzy with
my oldest. Um, and I took the time we were listening
to the quantity is job one EP. And I took the
time to explain to her what the song dandelions
meant before I played it for. and then I played
it and it was on a like a ride home from youth
group one night and she was like this song I
feel like it was like the first time where she
like got like the depth of something that can
like be in a song and So yeah, so that's where
I am just because those are the two successes
that I've had so far But there hopefully are
many more of those moments in the future. So
we'll see how maybe maybe I should have brought
this up on the last episode, but I don't really
remember the moment that it happened, but you
know, I said I had a DC talk phase and stuff
and then I remember going to my dad and being
like, you know, I like a thousand foot crushing
POD. And he was like, it's over. The DC talk
phase is over. We're going to listen to good
music now. That's great. I love it. I love it.
All right. Well, don't forget, guys, you can
reach out to us with your questions or thoughts
for the podcast at heyareuelisteningpodatgmail
.com. And we'd love to hear them and love to
talk about them. um on the air so with that we
are going to play a game all right well we are
playing a game of 20 questions um Christian Music
20 questions with you guys. I'm pretty excited
about this. I'm digging into it with you. I finally
get to pick something that maybe is a little
more obscure than some of the other things because
because we've got a curator on the podcast. Um,
so I'm pretty pumped to dig into this today.
But, um, basically how this works is I give you
guys 20 questions and you get to ask me any yes
or no questions and work your way down, um, to
see if you can figure out what album is in my
head. And so I am, um, I'm just pulling up some
info here to make sure I don't mess anything
up and I've got it right. And, uh, yeah, let's
take it away. Ask away. Um, was it released?
before 2000. Brandon, it's the first time you
haven't asked a different question as your first
question. Yes, this album was released before
2000. Okay. I gotta think of a good question,
man. I'd say if you don't step in, I'm gonna
start asking really nonsensical ones. Is this
rock or rock adjacent? Yes, yes Was it released
through tooth and now yes Not only nails it down
to a couple thousand Actually Cameron may know
how many teeth the nail releases there Ben I
don't know You can keep going with questions.
I don't have a good one Is it Is is it is it
a solo artist No I was gonna like Yeah, the answer
is no. Is this band still actively making music?
Good question. Yes. Okay. Are they still a part
of Tooth & No? Or maybe? Technically, the answer
I think is no. okay i have a hunch but i don't
want to i don't know how many questions are at
it uh i think you guys have asked like six questions
okay is there a number in the band yes oh okay
that's seven okay Like how I immediately think
oh, there's only one band whereas Cameron's probably
like, oh, no, there's Is this podcast named after
the band Yes Okay, let's say you know, what's
really sad Joel is that I'm Don't know if I know
any of the names of that Is the album cover gold
no If you were said yes, I was gonna have a second
That doesn't totally narrow it down is is the
You could tell me if this is a fair question
or not. Is the album named after a color? No
Okay, okay, I think it puts us down to like two
or three Maybe now there's more releases and
I remember that dude was just pumping out music
in the 90s. Yeah Although I don't think I think
you're right there weren't that many pre -2000
is is the album Primarily red on the cover. No.
Oh I Feel like right now I'm like playing like
putt -putt and I'm like Right there by the hole
and I keep trying to circling Does the cover
feature like the front of the cover feature the
tooth and nail logo? Yes, okay safely put my
guess and then I think I'm gonna hand this over
Alright, just go ahead for it for this the fashion
focus by star flyer. Yes, it is. Good job That's
13. I had to double check because there's like
an EP I think that had the thing on it, but it
does not gotcha Yeah, okay cool album cover.
Yeah but also This is this one's up there for
me in the star flyer catalog. It's one of my
favorites. So Yeah, good job guys. You got there.
I am impressed only 13 questions. So That's the
most stressed i've been all day Good to know
i'm thankful that we can uh, we can cause that
to happen here on. Hey, are you listening? All
right real quick fast is there Is it an ep they
released wasn't there one with like a truck on
it? Or am I imagining that there is one with
a truck on it. That is uh Can't stop eating is
that what it's called? Can't stop eating ep.
Yep That was in the early 2000s, I think. Fashion
Focus is a full length, although before they
released it, they did put out a Fell in Love
at 22 EP. Yep. That's the EP I was thinking of.
Yeah. And that song went on to be on Fashion
Focus, but it was kind of like a teaser, I think,
for the record to put out an EP first. So great
EP, great song, great record. All right. Let's
talk about what we've been listening to lately.
What's what's something you guys have been spending
time with? I can go first. For me, there's two
that stand out. It's two that you've mentioned.
First is Idle Threat. So I've been like diving
in them a little bit and then Strings and Heart.
And it was funny because you mentioned them.
Then like it didn't click like till afterwards
it like oh, that's who I was listening to yeah,
and um, I think they just showed up on my kind
of like algorithm popped up and I I just love
whenever you find someone who's like though.
This is this is different and so I Really enjoyed
getting to dive into um to them and uh, jordan's
even enjoyed like getting to listen to them So
I don't think I realized that it was three brothers,
but it is yeah, which is pretty cool I saw them
live this past summer at a festival here in ohio
and Killer show like this stage. It was one of
the side ones There had been just like a moderate
amount of people there and then they came on
the stage was crowded while My wife and I were
sitting there watching like they should be on
the main stage Well sure enough they got announced
for the festival this year and they're playing
the main stage. I'm like good for them. That's
awesome That's really cool. That's really cool.
It's just great to see like new Christian indie
bands Because there's not much of that out there.
So I love that I have been listening to the album
how to start a fire the first seems forever.
Come on It's been on my rotation recently and
then Singularity by May Mm -hmm. I love those
albums a lot two great records Follow -up question.
What's your favorite for the record? And what's
your favorite May record? It both of those. Okay,
awesome. Yeah, how to certify I love the Jason
Gleason for this stuff and then I love singularity.
I think it's a cool album. I am My so my band
We played We were at I think it was purple door
fest I'm trying to remember where um I think
it was Jason Gleason's first show with Further
um and I got to see that and then um and then
they they came through our hometown and we got
to play with them not too long after he joined
the band I don't I don't think that how to start
a fire was out yet at that point but um but um
they were playing some of the songs and doing
a lot of the moon is down too so that's cool
yeah Love he got to perform with him again at
furnace fest didn't he? Oh, yeah. Yeah back.
Yeah, it's really cool. I saw him both times
So I'm twice like at a pre -show a year and a
half ago and then at a regular show That's cool
back from there. So yeah. Yeah, that's really
awesome For me guys, I'm I'm struggling to like
find new stuff this year so far And so there's
not much that I can consider new, um, I'll, I'll
give, I'll give a throw out to, um, kind of what
would be like a classic answer for a lot of people.
There's a new U2 EP and, and so it didn't automatically
appear in my iTunes, like some of their previous
stuff, but, um, days of ash EP, it seems like
pretty quickly put together little EP, um, because
it's very of the times and speaking to what's
kind of going on in our country, but, um, But
it's pretty good. And so I've enjoyed the little
bit that I get to listen to. And I'm always going
to count you two as Christian music. So yeah,
yeah, we'll see. All right. Well, we're going
to get into what we're here to talk about today.
And that is the album Trophies by the band Luxury.
Alright, so just a little bit of information
About this record and then we can kind of talk
about maybe some things in the background to
you But the album trophies by the band luxury
was officially released on June 14th 2019 I think
several years after it was recorded Following
a limited initial release and crowdfunding campaign
in 2014. It was recorded at glow -in -the -dark
studios in Atlanta, Georgia Produced and engineered
by Matt Goldman We've got ten tracks This album
is characterized by angular guitar work reminiscent
of early post -punk balanced by lush melodic
arrangements featuring piano and strings Yes,
so let's let's talk a little bit about our history
with luxury or maybe this this record Cameron,
how did this come across your ears? I honestly
hadn't Done much with luxury. I like obviously
I was not alive when they were in their prime.
I think they quit the year I was born so But
as I was getting into doing tooth and nail stuff
even before I started the page I was started
listening to their stuff. I was like, yeah, this
is good. It was just something I love the energy
of it all that yeah Yeah, I just think they're
really cool band They do really unique stuff
and I'm all about finding super unique artists,
especially being kind of a super underrated band,
too Yeah. Yeah, that's cool. Um, yeah, I, I,
um, I think the first record that I ever listened
to by luxury, I probably heard some of the early
stuff on like samplers and stuff from teeth and
L. Um, but I don't think it grabbed my attention
until somehow I picked up their, um, their third
record, their self titled record luxury on, um,
that was on bulletproof records and immediately.
Just like this is one of the best albums that
I've ever heard got super drawn into it and Really
enjoyed it and that drove me like back to their
category Back to their catalog. Sorry and getting
to know all of their stuff and it's fun too because
that I might have heard that record for the first
time because my band Bellador that I was in.
We recorded with Goldman at glow in the dark
in Atlanta. Goldman is awesome. Yeah. And so
I think that he probably played it for us. And
that's maybe what what like really drew me into
it. And then I went and picked it up. But man,
yeah, I just I fell in love with that album.
And then it's kind of like interesting because
they kind of disappeared a little bit after that.
I somehow missed their next record, Health and
Sport, because I think it was just self -released
and it never came across my radar. And the next
thing that I saw from them was, I think in 2014,
they had this crowdfunding campaign for the Parallel
Love documentary and trophies, this album. And
I'm like, oh, luxury, yes. And so I kickstarted
or whatever back then. um crowdfunded it um and
uh and so I was able to like get the album like
downloadable with like way before it it was actually
finally released in 2019 but um but immediately
just like fell in love with this record so Brandon
you what's your history uh none um no whenever
um whenever you'd reach out about like um Cameron
um wanting to come on uh you'd given me a list
of kind of like oh yeah here's what he's like
interested in and um this was one of the ones
that i had never heard of and um and honestly
i was telling someone earlier i feel like sometimes
it's more exciting to dive into something you've
never heard versus talking about something that
you love like i feel like almost like sometimes
for me it's a challenge to sit down like if you
if we were to sit down and talk about like a
Toby Mack album from like my childhood that impacted
me. I feel like it's almost more of a struggle,
but at the same time, and I think like this it's
kind of gonna show like in the review, I think
that what I learned was this is a band that the
more you listen to, the more you're going to
enjoy it, and so I think that's pretty cool.
it's good and bad is that i feel like it's cool
when you have like you know like for y 'all let's
man this album that we love let's dive into it
and then for me it's like here's someone who's
never listened to this um but i think also it
doesn't do it justice because i feel like you
know like before recording i was saying that
if you talk to me five months from now there's
a good chance i would be on the like oh man like
i understand what he's saying with this and that
and um so yeah so i think it's it's pretty interesting
to kind of see how it matches up with y 'all's
reviews off of someone who like knows the band
and knows like hey here's what he believes versus
me being like i don't know what he's trying to
say or whatever well if it makes you feel better
i don't always know what he's trying to say either
i think that he's cryptic on purpose in a lot
of ways it's funny i was watching i just re -watched
This week in preparation for this the documentary
parallel of just to be ready to talk through
it and What I think's hilarious about it is is
like people have all these cryptic questions
about it and at some points He's like, I mean,
that's not what I was trying to say. I don't
know. It's just this like this is really plain
thing but then sometimes it's like super complex
and the lyrics are gorgeous and beautiful but
sometimes it is hard to kind of get to the meaning
get to the meaning behind them but i think that
that's like that's what good writing does yeah
is it creates creates a puzzle that you kind
of have to put together um to get there and so
i it's one of the things that i that i love about
this band yeah He's got a document going through
like his thoughts behind each of the lyrics for
the album And I was like, you know, it's been
a while, but I remember going through i'm like
i'm gonna read this i'm gonna understand these
songs more And there was a couple i'm like, okay.
Yeah, I get it. There's a few i'm still like
Yep, this explained nothing. I still do not understand
what the song is entirely about I need to find
that I'll have to see if I can find it. Yeah.
Yeah, um, it's a cool read Yeah, it's cool. Um,
I we haven't talked at all either about These
guys are involved in so many different music
projects and Lee their lead singer has done some
incredible solo work to you Yeah, I love he has
one EP that he put out called the majesty of
the flesh, which I think is like That song is
in my purview like one of the greatest songs
ever written and it's it's just beautiful and
awesome and but anyways such a good such a good
band so um all right any other opening thoughts
you guys have before we kind of get into track
by track i'm just excited cool all right well
let's dig into it and we'll start with track
one ginsberg reading howl you can tell already
that uh from just from the track title that there's
a little pretentiousness about uh about Luxury
songwriting it fits the name luxury. Yes Um,
I can go first, um, I really like the fade in
um You know, like I feel like if I was at a concert
And I heard this start like playing like I would
you know, we were talking about like being like
at a festival I feel like if I was over here
getting like a hot dog and I started hearing
this play I'd be like, oh, let me go see what's
happening over here. And um You know like I I
i feel like i say it every time but i feel like
it is worth repeating that like i think that
when you don't know a band there are albums i
picked up before where i start playing it and
it's like i'm gonna search or i was thinking
about an album last night that i was like yeah
i was like track seven ten and like eleven that
i loved and i was like man like i never i never
listened to the other ones because it was always
just i know the ones i like so i'm gonna skip
above them and i think that it's it's always
a good sign when you've never listened to something
and you're not like let me let me go to like
the popular song or you know Joel mentioned this
one's a great song so i'm gonna skip these other
ones that aren't as good um so yeah i it definitely
was I want to sit down and listen to this not
what if I got myself into yeah, I feel like that's
always a good Mark of a song We'll go with that.
That's good. That's good camera. What do you
think? Yeah, I mean like you're saying like this
is a hard album Like I can't I have a hard time
listening to just one or two songs. I gotta listen
to the whole album But to know gigs Ginsburg
reading how it's one of my favorites off the
album I think it's it's a great opening track
and I love the lyrics of the song and I just
love I don't it's It's such a cool way to open
an album because it really showcases a lot of
what the band can do. Yeah, and It's good to
have that fast -paced song because there's a
lot of moments on this album that are really
slow They're just as great, but they're really
slow and cool contrast of that. Mm -hmm Yeah,
I think I could say so many things about this,
but you get a picture of who the band is in so
many different ways on the song. I love that
you have this, like just, it's not even really
the song, like intro that's fading into it, but
the song really begins with the words. and that
opening line and then you like lock into the
song and I just felt like that's such a creative
like people don't do that really like we have
to build these musical intros and then we start
singing down the road but I love how the album
really begins with like lyrics you know it like
kicks into it with the vocals and so I think
it's cool for sure I do think that you you do
I mentioned a second ago but you get a sense
of like his lyric writing on this and anyone
who's like quoting I'm talking about Ginsburg
reading how like you can tell there's there's
like this like I said the word pretentiousness
to it but It reminds me a little bit of like
the band vampire weekend where you're just like,
okay, like the lyrics are like they're they're
up here In a lot of ways and they're complex
and they're complicated and um, and you've got
to figure out what's going on but they're so
good and they're so well written and um You get
a showcase of The drums and oh my goodness, the
drumming on this record is just crazy, especially
the song. Specifically, the drums are crazy good.
It's insane. I don't know how he does what he
does and stays in it. But he's been consistent
on each record, too, is how good he is. Yeah.
One of my favorite drummers, for sure. And, uh,
and then you also, I could say so many things.
You, you get a sense of the guitars. This is
a guitar record. Um, and the guitars on this
album are just unbelievable and so thoughtful
and the parts are so good. And, um, and all that.
And then you get to hear Lee Bozeman sing and,
and then I'm just like lost in his voice. Um,
yeah. I'm gonna repeat myself with all these
things as we get through this record because
I just love them But yeah, I agree with you guys.
This is a great a great first track. Yeah, so
next up we move into parallel love What your
thoughts on that one Cameron? You know, I'll
be honest of all the songs. It's probably my
least favorite which I know it's usually the
popular pick off the album Not that it's bad.
Like I love this song. Yeah, I just I don't know
I don't get into as much as the other ones like
But it's a very driving track. It keeps taking
you. But it does a good job of going from the
fast pace of Good Inspiration Hell. And it slows
down just enough that it doesn't feel like when
you get into the next track, you're like, whoa,
we just slowed way down. We're on a whole different
vibe. It's a really good, intermittent track.
Yeah. Yeah. I love Parallel Love. I think the
first... The first time I ever heard it probably
was watching the documentary. And I'm just like,
what in the world is that song? Like I want this
album. The guitar, like the guitars are so heavy
on this. And it's something that Luxury does,
which is crazy because they're not like a heavy
band, but yet they do this guitar work. um like
this there's just this play between these like
heavy big thick guitars and then just like lee's
voice which is such an interesting interplay
that you just don't get from a lot of bands and
that's one of the things that i love so much
about them but i love that i love the guitar
line on parallel love i love the steadiness of
the drum beat um that the drums aren't as chaotic
on this one but they're like locked into this
really cool rhythm that just kind of keep you
going Um, also, uh, there's a, it's a love song,
um, which is really fun. Um, and yeah, I think
the guitar, yeah, the guitars are majestic. They
ended up doing all this stuff that it reminds
me in some ways of like, um, a further streams
forever record where you're like, is that a guitar
or is it like a violin? Like you don't, you don't
know, um, because there's a lot of layers going
on. It's like symphonic kind of. Yeah. So for
me, um, I mentioned this to Joel that this track
it started this kind of trend where it was like
the vocals were almost like non -existent. So
you'd have like the music was like a doo doo
doo and the lyrics were kind of like this and
it seemed like he was like standing five feet
away from the microphone and um and it was weird
because like I tried it on my headphones and
it did it and then I tried it on this like bluetooth
speaker I had it did it and then I tried it on
my laptop and it finally was like um balanced
but I was telling Joel that was just really like
weird because I've never had like an album you
know like I'm used to like if I just listen on
my phone it's the it's a you know five years
old so the speakers aren't going to be as good
um but I found it just like interesting that
it was doing that yeah and so yeah I never noticed
that Brandon, what you're saying about this record.
But I will say that like I grew up in like a
musical world where like vocals are a little
more buried than mainstream. And that's just
like a norm thing for Independent music especially
like yeah post -punk and and something like this
and or emo like vocals are gonna be a lot more
buried Than they are and like more mainstream
music. Yeah, so it never felt that way to me
I did notice as I was listening to it on my In
my car actually, I'm like, I don't know if Brandon's
gonna like the production on this record Like
I think it might be like a little rough for him
But it is exactly what they wanted to make. And
it's intentional. I think that you have to understand
if you go back and listen to their earlier records,
if you don't like the production on this one,
you're going to be like, what in the world is
happening? But they're coming out of a post -punk
music scene of just chaos. And it's not supposed
to be polished. It's supposed to feel real and
raw and live almost. And they're trying to capture
a live performance in a crummy club. yeah on
a record um and so it's supposed to feel that
way and if it didn't like they would lose credibility
in their scene because um because it's not supposed
to be super polished and so a record like this
actually trophies is a super polished record
for a band like luxury and um and so it's I would
probably argue that their newer record is even
more polished. So I think they keep stepping
into more and more production. But yeah, I was
surprised, honestly, listening to this record.
I'm like, they took a big step up in production,
but I also understand how. If you don't like
have history with it that it might feel a little
a little wrong And I I think once like once I
listened to it, um like with my laptop speakers
Um, this one I wasn't I ran out of time to go
back and listen to this all the other ones I
was able to go back and um listen to it But it
was just something like interesting because like
I said when you don't know the band It's like,
you know, it's you're sitting there thinking
is it just my headphones are messed up? Or is
it that's what the band, you know is going for
yeah, and um, but it it was cool because like
you got to focus more on the music so i did feel
like that was cool and you know it made me think
that a lot of times like i'll be the first to
admit that for me if if i'm like putting the
scales of a cd i'm gonna put a lot more stock
into lyrics than the music yeah and um but i
think sometimes it's like you don't appreciate
music so like whenever my If it was my headphones
or whatever were messing up. It was cool to kind
of get to You know, I think even as the album
went on I had more of an appreciation for the
music because you know, it was like I can't hear
the lyrics but then I was like those drums are
pretty cool and that's good the guitar is cool
and so I feel like it was cool to kind of like
I guess it's like what is that like bob ross
thing about like the happy accidents or something
So it's like it was a good accident Yeah, it
kind of allowed me to to look more into the uh,
the music side of it Did you were you reading
through the lyrics as you were listening to it?
Yeah, yeah, because I had to that helps a little
bit. I it was an album that um, I think it's
like the five iron frenzy album Like I felt I
got to the point where I was like this is not
a listen to the car and pick up on it. Yeah Um,
it was a, let me sit down and read the lyrics
and see what's going on with it. Um, and so,
but yeah, that's, I mentioned that later on in
one of the, um, the little things. Yeah. Um,
I think if you go back and listen to this song
on your computer, um, I do, I would consider
this to be like the single off the record. It's
probably the most like, um, Most friendly for
like an outsider to like listen to and so I think
you probably like enjoy it for sure. Yeah Well,
you mentioned the word intentional. I think that's
just a very good way to describe that was like
everything feels very intentional Yeah, like
even the polishedness of it is very Intentional
like if you go back and listen to amazing and
thank you that sounds, you know, it's a cool
album But it sounds like a band that's trying
to find their footing and get their sound and
put their make their place in the scene they
also this that Came out a decade after they did
anything and it feels very mature and it feels
like this is ten years of a band just Relaxing
in their lives and figuring themselves out and
coming back together and this is who they are.
Yeah Yeah, I love them All right. Track three
trophies takes takes a turn, Cameron, as you
mentioned kind of earlier for the record. What
were your thoughts on this one? I love the contrast
of like there's a few songs in this album that
are generally a lot slower. Yeah. And there's
that cool contrast between these super fast paced
songs and then going into the slow ones. But
there's a way that, you know, you listen to an
album and there's a slow song on it. You're like.
Yeah, this feels out of place, but everything
feels very cohesive here and I think trophies
just is a really cool slow down before we get
into another more picked up pace song like I
Again like lyrics. I can't not bring up lyrics
on every song because I think all the lyrics
are really cool But everything just plays together
so well Yeah, I um, I think so too I think this
is just to kind of jump off your lyrics thing
like this this has some of my favorite lyrics
on the record um there's a a point in verse two
where he says there's no way to undo what you
did there's no way to unlive what you lived there's
just consequence there's always a glove that
fits um it's such good writing and um yeah that
stands out to me in a big way on this song and
I think I think this gives like um gives a place
for um Lee's vocals to shine um and i love the
atmosphere around it um as you get kind of when
you you get to this point halfway through verse
two where the music just gets a little like chaotically
lush and beautiful and um i love that section
of the song um and the bass playing is just unbelievable
too so yeah that's what i put down and there's
just like really subtle like build up and I feel
like it was cool. I wrote down that it felt like
I was listening to a jam session. It seemed like
they're just kind of like playing stuff and it's
like, hey, let me throw out the C. I really like
the simplicity of that. You know, going back
when you don't know a band, you're kind of like,
okay, is this a band that can do everything?
Because there's some heavier bands that you listen
to and you're like okay the like seven heavy
tracks on here are good but the three like slower
ones yeah it's a skip track and um i feel like
it's cool it's always like i'm curious when you
get when you hear okay this is going to be slower
it's like okay like and i think that's where
you shine is when you're a band where it's not
just how loud we can be but it's like you said
like when you're intentional and you like are
putting in effort to the lyrics and all i feel
like that helps because it doesn't feel like
a oh we have to put in something quiet right
it's okay no no we need to put something in like
quiet here um so i think it was a pretty cool
kind of like dip um but you know still having
substance there yeah so that's good um next up
is um hold on a second i made the mistake of
i didn't want to write out the whole uh name
of the song it is a long song so the next one
let me get a deep breath uh don't feel bad if
you don't feel better right away joel uh did
this song make you feel better or definitely
i wrote down the name of the song is so good
um obviously it's just the chorus basically um
i love i love the lyric and then don't feel bad
if you don't feel better right away like it's
a great line Um, and so it's cool that they pulled
it for the song title, even though it's long.
Um, there's really cool guitars that happen after,
um, the second chorus. Um, I, I wouldn't say
this is like my favorite track on the record,
but I do love, uh, I love a song that starts
out in the chorus. Um, and so it's cool that
this, that this song does that. Um, which I think
it sets a good tone for like where the song's
going. How about you, Cameron? Cool song. I love
I love long title songs something about that
I love where that's a FM static had the one I'm
really like every song Yeah, like ten words in
the title. Like I love that stuff. No, it's a
good song. I it's one of those ones that Like
I mentioned earlier, like you listen to it and
you try to read the lyrics and you try to read
what he said about it. It's like, I still don't
entirely get this song. Like it's very cryptic
and it's it's a simple just don't feel bad if
you don't feel better right away. And that is
like what drives the song. I mean, I guess that's
the meaning. Right. But like I this is one of
my favorites lyrically, that it's just very cryptic
in that sense. Yeah. Yeah. I enjoy like the.
Gosh, we call it like kind of like the lighter
vocals that like appear in it. Yeah and then
the I'm glad you guys mentioned the the song
like titles because like I I think it's just
like the little things like I I've said it before
like when I used to Back in the day when we used
to buy our physical CDs like I loved whenever
there was like those little like inserts and
all and even when I get vinyl Like to be honest
if I order a vinyl and all I have is like the
sleeve and the vinyl It's kind of a letdown because
I love whenever they include like because I think
even You'd correct me if I'm wrong on this camera,
but I think like Family Force 5 came with like
a lyric like sheet and like me without you's
usually will throw in stuff and I think just
little stuff like even just like naming a song
it's like it'd be easier just to say like feel
better or something but I think it's cool when
it's like someone is thinking how do I describe
this and it's like you almost can picture them
sitting back in the chair and thinking hmm what
what is the title of this and um I think it's
just like it's it's cool getting to notice those
things without knowing like you know because
I might say that you guys are like Oh, yeah,
Brandon, of course, you know, blah, blah, blah.
He does all that stuff. You know, for me, it's
like, you know, either you can think who's this
weirdo naming these weird songs or you can think,
oh, that's cool. And I fall in the category of
I think that's cool. I would agree with you.
I think it's cool. Yep. So all right. Track five
is the war on women. Brandon, tell us about your
thoughts on the war on women. Well. so this one
at first i thought it was just a long song and
i did because it kind of bleeds in and um and
so like i'm driving in the car listening to it
and um i'm thinking like man this is like a really
long song and then i look down and i'm like oh
no it's this is we're two minutes into like a
new song um so i thought that was interesting
kind of like the bleed in um i really like the
way that um it was tackled and I think like this
was one that I kind of started like diving into
the lyrics because it was like what like when
I first heard it it's kind of like I don't I
don't know what he's saying or whatever and once
I got home and like dove into the lyrics I was
like oh that's that's cool this isn't just like
a like what is he saying it's like oh this is
what he is saying and um think it's cool because
I think just tough topics like this it can lead
to like either being like really cheesy or just
going like too far and kind of alienating people
with like, you know, I don't know being angry
or calling people out or whatever and um, so
I always appreciate when someone can take something
that is like a tougher topic and They can present
it in a way. That's like I don't know, like clear
and kind of easy to like understand and see where
they're coming from. So I think that's cool whenever
a band isn't afraid to tackle that, but also
they take the time to like state what they're
trying to say. It's a really good point because
we've certainly in the Christian music industry
heard like cheesy examples of dealing with topics
like this. DC talk, for instance, our DC talk
phase that had a song back in the day called
I don't want your sex. Um, like that's probably
a cheesy way to handle a topic like, like this.
And, um, and this I feel like is such a thoughtful
way to kind of dig into it that, um, yeah, I
mean, it's, so it's a song about pornography.
Like there was a war on women. And I love the
line. I was too young to know I was in it. Um,
that as young men, we, we get caught up in our
feelings and our emotions and our lust, and we
don't realize like the consequence, um, that
comes from things like this and the way that
it causes us to think about women or people in
our lives. And, um, and man, I like, yeah, I
think this is such a powerful song and just lyrically.
Um, but also I love I love it. It's one of my
favorite songs on the record. Um, the guitars
are so heavy like in the beginning um, and um
Yeah, I I just think it's such a such a good
track cameron. What do you think about this one?
Uh 100 agree like I love this song. This is not
my favorite, but it used to be yeah Um, it's
it's I think this is a good song when two if
you wanted to show somebody like how lee writes
lyrics This is the song. Yeah, like it's a very
Well, meaning everything's purposeful. Everything
is cryptic, but it still makes sense Mm -hmm.
Like I think looking at their early lyrics, especially
like the stuff on amazing and thank you are very
Edgy and taboo almost yeah, it's almost like
it's edgy to be. Yeah, we're in the Christian
scene So we're gonna push it a little bit, right?
It doesn't feel as like purposeful not that they
weren't purposeful. They're great songs. I love
them Yeah, but it feels a little more like let's
push the envelope a bit, right? Whereas these
feel like this is intentional. This is for the
song I think it shows another level of that maturity.
Yeah, it's one things one of the things we talked
about before we hopped on the podcast I think
but if you go and watch the documentary parallel
love you get kind of the story of the band and
so a big part of their story is they put out
their first record and were really rising in
kind of notoriety in the scene and were pretty
popular. They had played Cornerstone the year
before, got signed by Tooth & Nail, put out their
first record and then went back to their second
year of playing Cornerstone and had a huge crowd.
There was a ton of energy. The show went great
apparently. Wish I could have seen it. Apparently
it was just like a legendary show. And but on
the way back from that, they ended up in a huge
car crash that that almost killed a couple of
them. Lee, especially, almost died. And that
kind of like reshaped who they were in a lot
of ways. And we were talking about beforehand
how they became a band that was like. let's be
cryptic and push the envelope just to kind of
do it and see if it kind of gains us something
to a band that still stayed cryptic. But it was
a lot more purposeful and intentional. And it's
neat to see. I mean, now like the story behind
the story is that, you know, three, maybe four
of these guys now are Orthodox priests. Three
of them. Yeah. And so they are deeply ingrained
in their faith in Jesus. And so it took that
car crash and going through incredible suffering
together to draw them in closer to purpose and
what God had for them. And so it's a fascinating
story. I highly encourage anybody to go and check
out the documentary so you can get kind of a
good background on who they are as an artist.
Cameron, what are your thoughts on You Must Change
Your Life? Love the just the rhythm and the drive
this song has I think it's some of Lee's best
I don't know I want to say some of his best vocal
performance and delivery because I think every
song really showcases something different for
him I really like his delivery on this song It's
just a very simple song lyrically and I don't
want to keep going back to lyrics each time But
I just I think he just kills it on this album
with the lyrics and I think it's it's a really
cool like looking to his life leading up to getting
back into doing stuff with luxury again um and
the guitars here are really cool and i know jul
mentioned earlier the bass on i think it was
trophies but the bass on this whole album is
just really really good this song specifically
too it's one thing about this band that like
um everybody that is in this band is so gifted
at their craft and somehow it all the chaos of
it all works together. And it's it's beautiful.
Yeah. Brandon, what do you think? Yeah, I really
like the the vocals on this one. I feel like
it. It's shown through pretty well. I feel like
this probably at this point, I think this is
the first track that kind of was like it. What
did like there was nothing that like stood out
as like, oh, this is like really good. So I think
it kind of like Like plateaus a little bit with
this song like for me. Um That's why I was really
excited that cameron got to go first that way
I didn't jump in with being like, oh man like
this song plateaus and it's like This is the
greatest song he ever produced and it's like,
oh Let me take that back I feel like I feel like
this song is a story a little bit of lee's life
because he talks about 1987 and then jumping
forward to 1997. And so you basically have pre
car crash Lee to post car crash Lee and obviously
kid to like adults who's walked through and been
through some tough things. And so I think that
a lot of this like has to do with the kind of
the turning point. of his life. Maybe I'm becoming
a priest. Maybe he's talking about the car crash.
But I love the lyric. It takes some time to figure
out what you think when you always believe in
everything. Again, just the lyrics on this record
are so good. And this is another great example
of the drums on the song. They're just crazy.
And I love every minute of it. And watching Glenn
play when I got to see them live, watching him
play the play live was just so entertaining.
He's such an incredible drummer. Yeah, it's a
great one. All right. Track number seven is Museums
in Decline. Cameron, what are your thoughts on
this one? Cool song. This is not I didn't have
it listed as one of my favorites, but I do really
like this one. I love the imagery with the lyrics
on this one, because like it's one of these ones
you can listen to. And you can just picture exactly
what he's saying. Like, I always love when lyricists
can just get you right into that spot where you
can imagine everything he's saying. It's very
cool. But this is one I liked reading his kind
of thoughts on the song, what got into the lyrics.
He's just got some cool thoughts on that, which
I won't dig into that because he writes a lot
about each of these songs. um but it's it's a
really cool song i i again i hate to just keep
going back to lyrics but i just i love the lyrics
on this album how he portrays everything really
well yeah i think um for me this was like one
that i i don't know i don't know if i have like
a favorite song because i feel like this stands
out i'm trying to think if if another one stands
out but I just really enjoy getting to like dive
in to like oh what does he mean by this and that
and I feel like if I made a list of like my favorite
artists I feel like eight of the top 10 would
be bands that like you have to sit down and be
like what do they mean by that and you have to
dig into where it's like oh he's referencing
this book from like 1935 or like oh he's referencing
like he released a song you know 20 years ago
that he's you know like I I love that stuff and
um so with this one I love getting to like dive
in and be like yeah like what's the I mean sometimes
you find out that he's just like he's just naming
a random street but then other times you find
out like oh this is a street that this this thing
happened you know like um so I I really love
just diving into it and um it made me think that
I, a couple weeks ago, I told my mom, she's like,
I don't know a lot of the music I'll listen to
on there. And I'm like, I'm the same way. I'm
like, but you should start listening to it. And
she was like, okay, but she is not the person.
Like back in the day, I would be like, she's
like, I don't want to have to do like research
on a song. She's like, I just want to put it
in and get like, okay, he's singing about his
kid, not like, oh, he's singing about a child
from the 1700s, you know, or whatever. so i did
start listening to this and i was like i feel
like i need to apologize and be like hey you
might i don't know if you want to skip this week
or not because there's like homework with this
album yeah i love stuff like that too i love
being able to just dig into an album it's going
back to like pull getting a physical release
and pulling it out and reading all the lyrics
and whatever like One of my favorite bands used
to be silent planet and they would always have
footnotes in the lyrics that are references to
bible verses or books He's reading or events
going and it's always cool. I love I want to
do research I want to dig into what this artist
is really passionate about Yeah, I um, I think
I love that this one starts off with an acoustic
guitar strumming because it's such a different
texture for the record um and um and then it
kind of kicks in but it's got a different sense
of rhythm than a lot of the rest of the album
and i could see where you could make an argument
that some of this feels a little samey um but
i actually think that the songs are all pretty
unique they just fall into a similar like sonic
category but um but i love how different this
one feels i love the guitar when he sings the
line there's really nothing there at all just
like the drop kind of thing that that they do
there um and the question of um it's just kind
of like is there more to life um yeah i really
like musings and decline i think it's cool that's
good that line the funk collapsed every time
but it's all right i hear there's more to life
is Reference to latest and greatest. Yeah, it's
more than being sexy That's cool Joel, what do
you think about words of mouth? Yeah words of
mouth man This song is gorgeous There's something
about this one when I turn I know it's one of
those slow songs on the record But I love the
music. I love the melody. I love the lyrics.
I love the just that I the change your life idea.
Um, because it feels when Lee sings these words,
like they feel so real and grounded. Like there,
I just felt like there's so much authenticity,
um, from him as a singer, as a songwriter. And
I feel like that shines like really strongly
on this song. Um, and so it's simultaneously
like real and grounded, but then just with his
vocals like it's like heavenly at the same time
um he i haven't said it yet but um lee's i think
one of my favorite singers um that's out there
in a band yep and um his his voice is so different
from like anything else that i hear and in all
the good ways and um i just yeah i love it and
i love this i love this song i think it's gorgeous
yeah yes Beautiful song very very beautiful.
I guess this It's just probably at least in my
top five songs on the album. Like I love this
song I couldn't imagine this album without this
song. It's a very short song. It's very kind
of outlier, especially like it doesn't Because
like trophies kind of fits in well And like if
you're listening to the songs it makes sense
that they're slowing down to slower song picking
back up Museums and decline is a very fast -paced
song and then it goes slow with this. Yeah, but
it does it still feels cohesive And like you
brought up like the change your life line It
does I think overall like that is one of the
biggest themes on the album is changing our life
And I think that continues to show like over
those ten years that they weren't making music
Yeah, that changing your life and becoming somebody
new and what made trophies trophies. Mm -hmm.
Yeah. Yeah, I enjoyed the like the slower I also
enjoyed it being like shorter because what I
noticed was like some of the songs were like
clocking in you know at like uh four minutes
or like you know near five minutes or whatever
and I feel like that's um it's it's kind of nice
it's like I've um I've mentioned recently I kind
of missed the days where there was these like
little um like interludes and all where you'd
have like a little like minute long like little
The thing like we uh on huck nelson. I think
it was recess where it was just like a minute
of like It feels like you're at recess because
it's just a guitar doing, you know, whatever
and um I feel like it's nice to kind of throw
in these like Shorter ones that way you're not
getting just constant like You know like four
minutes four minutes five minutes four minutes.
Yeah Um, I feel like it's cool. And like I said,
I enjoyed the slow down on it. That's cool All
right track nine courage courage cameron what
do you think about this one this is my favorite
song on the album oh i was waiting for it i there
is something about okay let me just preface i
am a Sucker for a good emotional song. Yeah,
and I think Lee's delivery on this song is so
emotional That set of lines in the third verse
where he says only only raise up your mind I'll
show you the meaning says I know you did and
I remember it and his delivery. There's just
so good I love the musicality of it. I love how
everything builds together Lyrics again are great.
This is just my favorite song, but it sounds
like it is not yours No, this is my favorite
song on the record. OK, I was a little worried
there. I love this song. And what's funny is
until I was intentionally listening to the album
this way, like track by track, I don't think
I ever would have said this was my favorite song
on the record. But, man, I think this is a perfect
song. Yep. I don't think. anything wrong happens
on this. The bass playing is so good. The guitar
work is so good. I love the build. I love the
like almost creepiness of it that builds to the
emotions. And I'm an emo guy from way back. And
so it just fits perfectly with my feelings about
that. I also like I again, I haven't read Lee's
thoughts on all these tracks and what's kind
of behind them. But I think I feel like this
maybe has to speak to like his ordination as
a priest or something. Um, but, uh, I wrote down
as I was listening to it, best question mark.
I think this is the best song in the album. Um,
yeah, I think it's so good. I think the, oh,
go ahead. I was going to say, I feel like with
every album, there is one rotten song that comes
along. um and it's not this one but i um i thought
it was interesting because like you have this
like slower song and then it like leads into
like a slower song and um i think a lot of times
it you almost like slow down too much if you
follow back i think it's kind of like the um
i think it was like family force five that you
were kind of like There's no break. Like why
is it just like chaos chaos chaos? There is no
kind of like break and I think that on the opposite
side it's like You can kind of make it screech
to a halt. So like at first I was kind of like,
okay, like i'll I feel like there was enough
Like like an investment built up like I had at
this point I had enough trust to be like, okay,
like i'll see where it's going And um, I think
it's cool that You do have this like build up
like y 'all were saying is that and I think that
it actually works really well to have this like
Slow, so it's like you do slow down the album,
but then it's like it It's like such a payoff
like at the end because you have like slow down
to like you're kind of like drawn into like,
okay What what's he saying? Where's it going?
And then like it lifts up and um, so I just thought
that was I thought that was really cool because
like I said I think that a lot of times that's
almost like a misstep um in doing that so yeah
i i just think it gets it right at every point
i love the moments where he holds out a word
and the music fades it's like there's a thing
that happens where they're in the same sort of
position together and the music fades away but
his voice fades into the forefront as he sings
uh a word and it's just great and then as the
song kicks in um it's perfect the way that it
builds and gets to where it's going so i love
love love love that song yeah this song like
bean sandwich between two slow songs is the perfect
spot for it because like you mentioned it it's
you know words of mouth is very slow in it This
bleeds right into courage courage And then the
song ends on this huge almost chaotic in this
repeating that I need courage and the drums are
going crazy and there's all this guitar noise
going on and it just Cuts out and you hear that
guitar kind of just fading off and it's like
this almost weird screech and then it goes back
into a slow song and it's I Wouldn't want the
song anywhere else on the album is a perfect
track down for him That's it's interesting. You
brought this up, Brandon, like songs bleeding
into songs. I love an album that feels like a
song that it doesn't feel like there's a lot
of like distinct breaks. But but I'm listening
to a whole movement of music. And it's something
that classical music used to do a lot. And I
think it's so cool to see it show up on an album
because it makes it like you know today we're
in a culture of singles and disjointed songs
and it drives me crazy honestly because i love
sitting and listening to an album and something
that feels cohesive and um this is probably getting
into like final thoughts on the record but i
feel like this record is so cohesive together
um just moving well together so um we move to
our final track uh the gates of paradise give
praise where praises do Joel, so tell us a little
bit more about the cohesiveness. Yeah, so I love
this track. I think when I first started listening
to this album, this was my favorite song on the
record. It does feel different than everything
else on the album a little bit, but I love the
drums. I love the creativity of it. It's super
simple. but everything is played really, really
well and works really well together. I love the
steadiness that are happening to the drums. It's
a great contrast to the erratic drums that show
up throughout the album and I think are proof
just of Glenn's drumming that he can do any of
it and pull it off really, really well. The lyrics
I think are great. that like the half -life is
strange, there's constant decay. It reminds me,
we mentioned this earlier, we've been at our
church going through 2nd Timothy, Paul kind of
looking back at his life and then looking forward
to eternity, and I feel like that's what this
song is, in a lot of ways that like what I've
been living is like this half -life that's strange
and there's constant decay to it, but there's
something coming and there's something ahead
the gates of paradise and there's beauty beauty
coming and so but also the idea that's there
we talks about how there are others that that
won't like won't believe at least he thinks so
i think there's a lot going on lyrically that
that i really love love about this song and i
love how it kind of ends the record ends With
the hope of that but also just kind of the song
ends a little bit like unsettled And uh, and
I think that that's such a beautiful ending to
an album like this. So Yeah, you stole like all
my thoughts Like I was really gonna say this
ends the album on a very hopeful note, but it
it does it's a very just It's cool going from
the chaos of courage courage. Yeah into this
song. That's very hopeful and major key and uplifting
and Love this is a long song. It's eight minutes
long. It is yeah, and you think like you're looking
at the track list You're like man. This is a
long song. It's the last song on the album. It's
gonna be long It's it doesn't feel like it's
eight minutes It does a really good job of even
though it's the same drumbeat almost the entire
song It's this same like piano kind of thing
going and it's it feels very it goes back to
it feels intentional. Yeah If the album needed
to end on that really long song that the same
beat going the whole time. I really love where
he does. He says the piano will play, then the
harmonium will play and you hear the piano and
the harmonium. I love that. I love little details
like that. I think that's really cool. But this
song also has. Probably my favorite line on the
album says because unbelievers are strange. I
loved a few I remember their names and you still
think if they just had a taste but they won't
I think There's just something about his delivery
and how the line comes out. It's so good. Mm
-hmm. Yeah Yeah, I I think it's it's bold to
have like an eight minute song and um, and I
think like It's I thought a lot about you know
Where would I have moved it like is it You have
this like bam bam bam at the beginning and at
the end you have this like slow slow fast and
like slow and it's like, you know what I've changed
like it like where would I moved it to and kind
of like stealing something like or building off
of what you said was like the album is so cohesive
that I'm like I wouldn't have moved this. Like
there is no, you know, and I knew like, we've
joked around the past that usually if an album
ends on like a lower note, you're like, I know
Brandon's not gonna be a fan of this. But like,
I think the album works. And I think even like
at a show, like I wouldn't find myself thinking,
I wish he would have, you know, I wonder why
he didn't end on this one. because I mean I think
too like it would have been weird to have an
eight minute song then jump into courage courage
because I feel like it doesn't you know work
as much um but yeah I I think that it was and
it was just like it felt so simple and kind of
going back to um I think it was a trophies is
that like I put down like it feels like a jam
session and it's so simple and I think that You
know when you say stuff or like, you know, I
mentioned the pest day a lot and that album I
tell people I'm like, yeah, it sounds like a
guy just one day was like hey, let's record an
album and he just went to his living room and
recorded and I think that it can come across
as Oh, so you don't think there's effort put
into this but I think like Sometimes that's the
best thing is when it's simple. It's like don't
you don't have to overdo it. You don't have to
have like a orchestra behind it you can have
a powerful song with just an acoustic guitar
or just someone singing you know and um so i
feel like it's it was a really cool way of ending
and you know it's not it goes back to i don't
find myself wanting to skip it like i don't get
to minute three and think okay i know what you're
doing here i'm you know i'm just gonna say that
this song was good and head out Cause it's like,
I want to see where it goes because I, I don't
know what's going to come at minutes seven, you
know, on this track. And, um, so I feel like
it was a, it was a really cool way to, uh, kind
of wrap up and end the album. That's cool. All
right. Well, we did it track by track. Um, we
can talk a little bit about kind of our final
thoughts and give our rating. Um, and I can,
I can lead off on that. I, I, I said this a second
ago. Um, I think this album is, um, really cohesive
as a record that I wouldn't change any track
order. Honestly, I don't think I would really
change anything about it, which is really rare
for me with an album, but I feel like it's one
that does everything right. This is like luxury.
you know I don't know 3 .0 or whatever and stylistically
like at least and they just nail it. It's wild
to me that a band can be really active and do
well and then take a break for 10 years and come
together and make their best album after that.
It's just not something that you see happening
and so I'm blown away by it. I love everything
about it. And I highly encourage people to go
listen to it if you've never listened to it before.
And so I have a hard time. I honestly, I wrote
down all my notes. Brandon, you know how I do
this. I usually rate every song. and then come
back and average out a rating. And I'm like,
I don't even know how to rate any of these songs
because I love them all so much. I'm like, are
they all five? Are they all five to me? And I
ended up giving one of them a four point five,
which averaged out to a four point nine. But
honestly, you know what? I'm just going to go
ahead and give it five stars because I love it.
And I feel like in the last 10 years. This is
the new Christian album that's come out in the
last 10 years that I've listened to more than
any other record. And every time I listen to
it, I just love it. And so this is my first five
stars on the podcast. I would have been annoyed
if you would have given a 4 .9. Just give it
a five. I love it. I think that's that's really
cool. I know that like When I you know, we mentioned
the gable price when I gave it a five I feel
like I wrestled a lot because it is like this
weird like I don't know a five is I feel like
it's this rare atmosphere of like I wouldn't
change anything or this changed my life or whatever
And so I feel like that's that's cool. Um cameron,
how about you? Uh, it's just such a good album.
Joel's told about all my thoughts on it. So um
You know, I mentioned before we started recording
was that I love a really good comeback album.
A lot of my favorite albums are comeback albums.
And to me, this is like the ideal comeback album.
Like I mentioned before, it's very mature. It
shows an artist that took some time off and came
back and they applied their life and what they've
done and how they've changed and apply it to
their music and their art. And it comes across
so well. I like to I think I mentioned before
I like to you know Listen to other podcasts and
read other reviews when going into something
like this. I like to hear what other people have
to say too and It's a guy named Alan Parrish.
He has a page called turn off the radio. It's
a really cool guy He reviewed this album when
it came out and he said Something in the sorts
of you know, you see a lot of bands that are
from the 1990s had a short -lived career They
come back and they put out a new album after
you know, 10 20 years and it's fine Yeah, but
you still want to listen to their old stuff more
This album is not like that. Like luxury is absolutely
exception. I will go to trophies before I will
any other stuff any day Not that it's bad. It's
great. But trophies does such a good job of like
capturing The maturing of a band I think all
their releases do that from their first album
to latest and greatest like There's a maturing
there lyrically, especially then from there to
self -titled. There's more maturing but trophies
really just showcases What I meant to grow up
and be more mature with your music. Yeah So,
what would you what would you give it as a rating?
I have to give it five stars. It's my second
favorite album all the time. I can't not give
it five stars I love it. This is the first ever
Two five -star ratings. It is on the podcast.
So Brandon, we're ready to be a bracket. Yeah
No, I um I I feel like whenever like i'm giving
something like lower than people I have to be
like no, it is still good and all No, I um As
I go into it, but um, I think that um this album
it definitely like I won't say like exceeded
because it's not like I question like Joel's
like music taste, but I think whenever like Joel
is telling me about like man, this is like incredible
like I think I definitely I saw where it was
coming from and I think that it's definitely
a album that the more you listen to the more
like it grows and I think that like it almost
looks like sad because I almost want to give
it a like a preemptive like, well, here's where
I am now, but here's, you know, where I'm going
to be or whatever. And I mean, I think it checks
the boxes of I'll definitely like, you know,
after after listening to this, I'll definitely
be interested in like, hey, where should I dive
in? You know, should I keep going with newer
stuff? Should I start from the beginning? And
I think that like, that's it's something to be
said that the thing that an album suffers for
is like when you're not like you don't know the
band. I think that's always like, it's almost
like a, it's a good sign of like, you know, it's
not that the lyrics were missing or whatever.
So I feel like for me, like it lands, it may
be like a 3 .5, which I mean, I know that like
compared to like two, two, five stars, it seems
like super low. But I think that like, it's definitely
a, you know, the more you dive into it and you
get to know, cause I think stuff like the the
years, like, you know, for me it was, oh, I wonder
why he's mentioning the years. And then for you,
you're like, oh no, this is what, you know, made
that jump. And, you know, I think it's a lot
like Five Iron Frenzy. Like, I'm honestly, I'm
super excited for the next Five Iron Frenzy album
we do, because now, like, I go into it with,
here's what I need to look for, not like, I'm
frustrated with this song. But yeah, I... I think
it was really cool and I loved getting to like
dive into like a band that's like Made such an
impact and I think too, you know at the beginning
like whenever Cameron was like Yeah, like, you
know, I grew up in high school with this or whatever
like I was kind of thinking about how like when
we've sat down before and I make a comment about
I was in high school and you're like, okay Brandon
like that makes me feel old that that was your
high school and um you know, I think it's so
cool that you have a band in an album that like
Can make that impact like it's not just well
once you have kids in turn, you know, whatever
you'll appreciate it or if you're younger you
appreciate it I think it's cool that you can
have like this span of like no like you can sit
down and appreciate this like no matter like
how old you are or like your life experience
or whatever and So I mean, yeah, I feel like
I'm kind of jealous that you guys I wish I would
because like Joel when he mentioned there was
a documentary about the band I had told Joel,
I was like, Joel, this might be unfair, but I
think that's automatically you get an extra point.
And so I feel like if I would have watched the
documentary, you're probably looking at like
a 4 .5 album. Oh, I agree. So even like after
this, like I'm excited to find some time, you
know, this week to sit down and get to, you know,
I joked earlier too, that like, I'll probably
end up watching the documentary, then just rerecord
all of my stuff. So if you're listening this,
like. That's awesome. Brandon, I'm just excited
to expose you to this band, because they are
just one that that I love in this album, too.
And so it's fun to get to do that. And I'm really
thankful, Cameron, for you because I was I have
this thing where I'm like, man, I don't want
to cover all of my like jump right into all my
favorite albums, you know. And so it's like finding
the right person to come on and like celebrate
it with and and give it give it its due. And
when I saw it show up on your list of like three
records that you would want to talk about, I'm
like. I love that this guy, like this is like
one of the top three records that he would want
to talk about. And so it's been so fun to talk
about it with you two and just get to celebrate
all the goodness of it. Yeah. And so and I'll
point out to go check it out, go listen to it.
You can still buy this record on vinyl and you
should buy it on vinyl. It's available from luxury.
Actually, all their albums are available on vinyl.
And and so don't miss out on that. And they've
done a really good job with. the vinyl releases
for their records yeah they like to it seems
like they like to really keep up with their old
releases they have a lot of even their demo stuff
on bandcamp and stuff which is really yeah yeah
it's really really really great so um man this
has been really cool so let's uh let's kind of
wrap up and talk about our lyric of the week
Alright, well the lyric of the week comes from
the song trophies Take your time when you're
working it out in your head on the bed where
you hardly move in the afternoon There's no way
to undo what you did. There's no way to unlive
what you lived. There's just consequence There's
always a glove that fits. I know I mentioned
that earlier, but I just love I love the writing
Please such a good writer. It's unbelievable.
And so It was fun to get to dig into all that.
All right, Cameron, anything that you would want
to say to people about Tooth and Nail News or
how they can connect with you? Yeah, check me
out on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. Cool stuff
coming, hopefully. Yeah. Just excited to keep
seeing the page grow and see where it goes. Yeah,
we are too, man It's been fun to get to watch
it and uh, i'm thankful that I have a place that
lets me know what john van deessen commented
When I missed it and so it's Thanks for catching
it for me and uh allowing me to know that he
actually is probably going to put that record
out on vinyl It's great. It's great. Yeah, he's
he's thinking about us For sure. Well, of course
guys you can find us on hey, are you listening
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the word out we're just thankful that you join
us and listen along and we look forward to having
you on again next week