05.27.08
CHASEN
Chasen is a band I was turned onto in February after their first single cracked the charts and their debut album was set to be released. I immediately gravitated to their fresh sound and found half a dozen tracks that I thought were stellar. They are a recently successful Contemporary Christian act, but they could easily be heard over multiple formats because of the quality of their work. In much of the same way that Switchfoot made the impacting move across genres, so could this band eventually if they wanted to.
Lead singer/songwriter Chasen Callahan, guitarist Evan Silver and drummer Aaron Lord recorded their own independent project and it eventually found its way into the hands of OMG, a new indie label in Greenville, South Carolina.
Their debut album, Shine Through the Stars, was released in April and was produced by Noel Golden, whose credits include Matchbox Twenty, Edwin McCain, and Lee Ann Womack.
Where so many bands fall short because they are banal and one dimensional, Chasen successfully finds relevance and distinctiveness. The Music Advisory highly recommends.
05.10.08
The Music Advisory: MUTEMATH
Many musical acts come and go as my favorites. I add their music to iTunes and then I burn it out. I see them once live and am not motivated to lay down money to see them again. There are but few who’s music I do not get burnt out on and who I will see every time they come to town if I am able.
One of those artists is MuteMath.
I first saw their intense show at the Exit Inn in Nashville several years ago and was blown away. Witnessed the four piece band several more times in Nashville and Austin. From the initial EP to their first official full length release, they have never failed to impress me with their music and talent.
Check them out for yourself with the creative “backward” video of their single “Typical” below and their Mute Math Myspace and Wikipedia sites. You may find they have a sound reminiscent of The Police and U2. Definitely has an 80’s tint to it.
Here’s a video from the second Exit Inn show I saw them at in 2006. It is the uniquely instrumental song “Reset”.
*The Music Advisory will be a regular element on this blog and will spotlight new or established artists I think stand out from the rest.
