111 Records has launched and new website and a sampler on PureVolume in honor of 111 Day.
Foreverinmotion – The Beautiful Unknown
Artist: Foreverinmotion
Album: The Beautiful Unknown
Label: One Eleven Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: May 8, 2007
Overall: 9.0
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 9.0
Production: 8.0
Behind the graceful Foreverinmotion tunes streaming out of my speakers is just one man, Brendon Thomas. Somewhere in the vicinity of three years ago, I was captivated by Foreverinmotion’s self-titled full-length; I wrote of it, “The music is slow yet powerful, ordered yet emotional, peaceful yet full of energy. Lyrically, each song brings more amazement. This is the kind of stuff that you sit down and wish you could write. Chock full of beautiful metaphors, Brendon uses the English language in a way that brings words to life.â€
Three-some years later, I’ve experienced a great deal in life and my music tastes have changed substantially. Brendon’s music, however, still strikes a chord with me. Why? The songs on The Beautiful Unknown somehow capture this beauty of the unknown through masterfully pieced together guitar (acoustic and to a lesser extent electric), vocals, piano, and various other recordings. The quoted materials from Hurricane Katrina at the start of “Avalanche,†for instance, set me up perfectly to shiver every time I listen to the song. After set-up is of course the action: Brendon’s music and voice suddenly and powerfully take control of the song and also of my mind and body. Stylistically, Brendon’s varied rock, folk, and of course, singer-songwriter influences are noticeable in the refreshing mixture of songs on the album.
The album displays its lyrical greatness on so many levels: significance, proximity, intelligence, playfulness. When I heard “Flight 268†I was moved to a state of teary-eyedness because I felt like the song was written specifically for and directly to me as I’ve been struggling with the issue in question for some time now, namely opening up to people despite living such a transient life. “And the King Would Say,†on the other hand, is clearly speaking of a much more prominent figure, delivering a political statement. Foreverinmotion exemplifies the possibilities of what is categorized as “emo(tional) music†— that is to say, the album is a musical delight, plain and simple.
Tracklisting:
1. Magic
2. Hot Air Balloon
3. Goodnight
4. The Clothes We Walk In
5. Flight 268
6. The Rain
7. Open Eyes and the Boundless Sky
8. And The King Would Say
9. Avalanche
10. Turn and Chase the Wind
11. Talu
12. Lonely
P.S. I took a listen to the 2004 album, and while good, I must say firstly that I can really tell my musical taste has changed and secondly that The Beautiful Unknown is leaps and bounds better.
Rory Get New Website
Rory has unleashed a new website to compliment their new full-length album, Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re Up To No Good, Weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re Up To No Good, out today. The band will also soon be embarking on the â┚¬Ã…”I Am 111 Tourâ┚¬? with labelmates This Day & Age, Rookie Of The Year, and Inkwell.
I Am 111 Tour
This Day & Age will be hitting the road in support of their new record The Bell & The Hammer, out October 10th on One Eleven/East West. Theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll be on the road for the rest of September with Amber Pacific followed by a headlining stint on the â┚¬Ã…”I Am 111â┚¬? tour which will feature four One Eleven/East West bands! TD&A, Rookie Of The Year, Inkwell and Rory.
Confirmed Dates w/Amber Pacific:
9/6/06 Norfolk, VA The Norva
9/7/06 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall
9/8/06 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
9/9/06 Orlando, FL Backbooth
9/10/06 St. Petersburg, FL State Theatre
9/12/06 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
9/13/06 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Culture Room
9/15/06 Memphis, TN The Complex
9/16/06 Dallas, TX The Door
9/17/06 Pharr, TX Pharr Int. Convention Ctr.
9/18/06 Houston, TX Meridian
9/19/06 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit
9/21/06 Little Rock, AR Vino’s
9/23/06 Akron, OH The Orange Street
9/27/06 York, PA Spart’s Den – York College
Confirmed Headlining Dates on the â┚¬Ã‹Å“I Am 111â┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ Tour w/Rookie of the Year, Inkwell & Rory:
OCT 5 Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 6 Detroit, MI @ The Shelter 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 7 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen 5:00PM All Ages
OCT 9 Madison, WI @ The Journey Music 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 10 Minneapolis, MN @ Ascott Room 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 12 Kansas City, MO @ The Journey Music 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 13 St Louis, MO @ Creepy Crawl 7:30PM All Ages
OCT 14 Little Rock, AR @ Juanita’s Cantina Ballroom 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 15 Joplin, MO @ The Foundry 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 17 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 19 Gainesville, FL @ 1982 Bar 7:45PM All Ages
OCT 20 West Palm Beach, FL @ Ray’s Downtown Blues All Ages
OCT 21 Orlando, FL @ The Backbooth 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 22 Tallahassee, FL @ The Beta Bar 7:30PM All Ages
OCT 24 Augusta, GA @ Sector 7G 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 25 Fayettville, NC @ Dakota’s 7:00PM All Ages
OCT 26 Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar 6:30PM All Ages
OCT 27 Stroudsburg, PA @ Sherman Theatre 6:00PM All Ages
OCT 28 South Hackensack, NJ @ School of Rock 6:30PM All Ages
OCT 29 Philadelphia, PA @ North Star 7:00PM All Ages
NOV 01 Hartford, CT @ Webster Underground 6:00PM All Ages
NOV 02 Amityville, NY @ Village Pub South 5:30PM All Ages
NOV 03 Albany, NY @ Valentine’s 7:00PM All Ages
NOV 04 Buffalo, NY @ Club Infinity 7:00PM All Ages
Rookie Of The Year – The Goodnight Moon
Artist: Rookie Of The Year
Album: The Goodnight Moon
Label: One Eleven Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: April 11, 2006
Overall: 8.3
Music: 8.2
Lyrics: 8.0
Production: 8.4
Rookie of the Year; it would be easy to write them off as just another acoustic band, put their cd at the bottom of the pile and forget about them…that is, if you don’t listen to it first. The band, originally started as a solo project, has now released its full band debut, ‘The Goodnight Moon.’ Currently touring with acts like Hit The Lights, Dave Melillo and many other notables, they are steadily building a substantial fanbase and it’s easy to figure out why.
Releasing single tracks up until the release date as well as a full preview of the album built my excitement for this record from the first time I heard the demos. After an intro track, ROTY chose the perfect lead off song in ‘Poison Like Your Own.’ Brightly toned electric guitars hover above a slightly produced acoustic, Ryan and Mike’s vocals complement each other with impeccable precision.
‘Silhouettes’ follows with a slower but balancing pace, but If I had one complaint about this record it is evident in this track. I am a big fan of drums, I feel like the drums fade into the background of this record and never effectively push the music. Putting that aside, let’s fast forward to track six, ‘Pop Destroyed The Scene.’
I told the band this myself, this track sounds exactly like it belongs on the Backstreet Boys most recent album. Response? ‘Great! I love the Backstreet Boys.’ Well, I won’t lie, I do too just as I do this song! It is perfectly produced as a straightforward soundtrack to summer pop song. The chorus sticks in my head, the bridge borders LFO-style rap, and the melodies you’ll sing out loud for days. This song epitomizes my opinion of this record.
While there is always room for improvement, Rookie Of The Year has constructed a CD that will stay in my car all summer long. They have all the assets to be one of the next big bands in the pop-rock scene. The wait for this record was well worth it, pick it up as soon as you can.
Track Listing
1. The Goodnight Moon
2. Poison Like Your Own
3. Silhouettes (All Eyes Above)
4. Sign of Her Glory
5. Liars and Battlelines
6. Pop Destroyed the Scene
7. The Blue Roses
8. Life, Fall Fast Now
9. Set The Sails, Red Beret
10. The Weekend
11. Enjoy This Drive
12. Having To Let Go