Forgotten Songs of the ‘90s: Fighting Gravity
This is going to be more of a personal preference but that’s alright because I’m the one updating this blog. Fighting Gravity are probably one of the best known, least known bands to break out of Virginia in the late ‘90s. The band were one of the biggest concert attractions in the city of Richmond and grew a devoted fan base that got so big they had a seven page article in Rolling Stone before they’d even signed with a major label. Once that happened with Mercury Records in 1997, the band released You and Everybody Else in 1998 and launched the album with “Wait for You.”
The song, produced by Cracker’s David Lowery, is a great pop song that deserved to be bigger but wasn’t. Led by frontman Schiavone McGee, the band immediately launch into a perfect blend of harmony and melody that explodes into an instantly memorable chorus. This method was always one of the band’s biggest trademarks and while always capable of writing great pop songs, this one is without a doubt, their best. Although some people could just as easily add this song to the list of alterna-pop love songs, this one is special because of the harmony and the sincerity contained within.
The only negative thing about the song though is the fact that it’s a little long and the fadeout takes forever but it serves to keep the song in the listener’s head. When the album came out, a lot of people in Virginia reacted negatively towards it because the majority of tracks on the album had already been recorded by the band on previous indie records and as a result of the backlash, the album stiffed, the band got dropped and went back to playing the East Coast club scene until an acrimonious breakup in 2006. But while the band may not be on speaking terms, the songs still exist and hopefully, other people will get a chance to discover what people in Virginia have known about for quite a while.
NOTE: I have tried to upload this song but there have been many errors so enjoy this sample from ilike.com
http://ilike.myspacecdn.com/play#Fighting+Gravity:Wait+For+You:1778959:s199742.17320.39423.1.1.15%2Cstd_d3b7730a693eec0f6c3303855358718f
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Forgotten Songs of the 21st Century: Sparta
Forgotten Songs of the 21st Century: Sparta
When at-the-drive-in disbanded suddenly in 2000, people were left scratching their heads and asking questions like, “What the hell are these guys going to do now?” The first ones out of the gate with new projects were Tony Hajjar, Paul Hinojos and Jim Ward with the powerful Sparta. Just over a year later, Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez came out with the Mars Volta, which everybody who was anybody jumped on and proclaimed one of the greatest bands of the 21st century. After that happened, Sparta were left behind and had to struggle for every bit of attention they received which is more than unfair because in my opinion, The Mars Volta are one of the most overrated bands of all time. But anyways, Sparta came out first in 2002 with The Wiretap Scars and one of the greatest debut singles of all time, “Cut Your Ribbon.”
Beginning with a great drum intro courtesy of Tony Hajjar, frontman Jim Ward launches into a diatribe against a nameless person basically saying that he or she is responsible for breaking everything down around them in order to make themselves better. The line, “anything, everything, how can you sleep at night, as it falls apart” is particularly damning and could very well be pointed at Omar or Cedric. Regardless of that, the song is still amazing and the band sounded different than any post hardcore band that was out at the time. Overtime, the band have been looked at as forbearers of the future screamo sound but that is completely unnecessary because unlike screamo bands, Sparta were able to bring great melodies into the mixture that made them different.
Ultimately, it may have been some of these differences that resulted in the band’s inability to break through a la The Mars Volta. After two more records with ever diminishing returns, the band went on hiatus in 2007 from which they have yet to emerge. But as more people discover and share the band’s music, then the band’s legacy can continue to grow and prosper.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eik6dKEljtE&ob=av3e
When at-the-drive-in disbanded suddenly in 2000, people were left scratching their heads and asking questions like, “What the hell are these guys going to do now?” The first ones out of the gate with new projects were Tony Hajjar, Paul Hinojos and Jim Ward with the powerful Sparta. Just over a year later, Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez came out with the Mars Volta, which everybody who was anybody jumped on and proclaimed one of the greatest bands of the 21st century. After that happened, Sparta were left behind and had to struggle for every bit of attention they received which is more than unfair because in my opinion, The Mars Volta are one of the most overrated bands of all time. But anyways, Sparta came out first in 2002 with The Wiretap Scars and one of the greatest debut singles of all time, “Cut Your Ribbon.”
Beginning with a great drum intro courtesy of Tony Hajjar, frontman Jim Ward launches into a diatribe against a nameless person basically saying that he or she is responsible for breaking everything down around them in order to make themselves better. The line, “anything, everything, how can you sleep at night, as it falls apart” is particularly damning and could very well be pointed at Omar or Cedric. Regardless of that, the song is still amazing and the band sounded different than any post hardcore band that was out at the time. Overtime, the band have been looked at as forbearers of the future screamo sound but that is completely unnecessary because unlike screamo bands, Sparta were able to bring great melodies into the mixture that made them different.
Ultimately, it may have been some of these differences that resulted in the band’s inability to break through a la The Mars Volta. After two more records with ever diminishing returns, the band went on hiatus in 2007 from which they have yet to emerge. But as more people discover and share the band’s music, then the band’s legacy can continue to grow and prosper.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eik6dKEljtE&ob=av3e
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