The Bigger Lights
Fiction Fever EP
Doghouse Records [2008]
Rating: 6.5

While pop-punk may be a term too frequently flung around these days and too little resembling anything near punk, it’s a genre that is flooded with bands ready to market themselves to the next group of someteens. Frequently these bands seem to resemble one another so closely that if a few were to trade names it would likely go unnoticed. However that said, what does set a few of these bands apart from the crowd is there natural ability to create a full and polished sound that not only lends it self to sing-alongs but has an edge to it that begs to be cut loose from it’s pop-punk moniker.

This is the sound that has launched the careers of acts like Fall Out Boy and Hit The Lights. This is the sound that has found it’s way to The Bigger Lights’, Fiction Fever EP. The six song EP is one that finds it’s strength early on and doesn’t let up. Once cozied up to the idea of such an album a listener is only let down by the mere fact that this is an EP which then leads to the ongoing hope that The Bigger Lights will be able to recreate such a sound across an entire LP.

Sing It Loud
Come Around
Epitaph Records [2008]
Rating: 6.0

Perhaps now more than ever it seems impossible for artists to stand out, to set themselves apart from the crowd. Some struggle to find a sound they can define as their own, while others simply get lost in the mix. Less rarely do you come across a band that is comfortable enough, in a sound most would write off as conventional, to piece together an entire album that comes off as nothing shy of genuine. Sing It Loud is just that band and their debut full length, Come Around, proves it.

The album will likely find it’s way into the stereo’s of the fans of producer Josh Cain’s band, Motion City Soundtrack, as well as similar artists. While it can be written off as juvenile, Sing It Loud display a knack for writing infectious hooks and melodies that lends itself to the notion that there is more potential beneath the surface given time for growth.

While the band’s lyrical prowess might only be comparable to that of the likes of Katy Perry, their ability to break listeners’ smiles is enough to keep this reviewer’s foot taping and should satisfy fans both old and new.

How do you feel the reception has been from fans after moving to a bigger label and re-releasing your album?

I actually think it’s been very well received, because you know, up until now we’ve done everything very DIY. You know how a lot of times a band will move to a major label and everyone’s just, “ugh they went to a major label?” It hasn’t been like that, everyone’s just been really receptive and supportive of it because they know that we’ve been doing it on our own for a while, so they’re just actually happy that we’re getting some help from the industry now.

There was a big gap between the first release of the album and the second, were you at all eager to maybe put out some new material instead of just pushing the same album out there?

We were definitely trying to put out new material, it was just a matter of… I don’t know we kind of have this writing process that takes a little longer than most. A lot of bands can just pump out a cd every year, but for some reason it just takes a us a little longer. I personally like to take my time while writing, so it wasn’t that I didn’t want to put new music out, it was just that I wanted to take my time.

Do you spend any time on the road writing or is it something that you have to set time aside for while you’re home or at the studio?

I think it’s probably like eighty percent at home twenty percent on the road. Every once in a while I’ll just jam outside of a venue on the acoustic and come up with a song, but most of the songs that Steve and I write are at home.

I know you recently got into an accident where you hit a deer with the fan, has that hurt the band financially?

You could say that, for a while it was one thing after the next. The deer totaled the van, then our trailer broke right after that, then I got my laptop and phone stolen and Steve’s amp head broke and then we got into a big fight with our manager. It was just one thing after the next, but I guess it was pretty fun just kind strapping.

A lot of fans don’t realize how hard it is to be on the road, touring constantly. What is it that keeps you going?

The light at the end of the tunnel is coming back to a city, like tonight in San Antonio and seeing twice the size of a crowd. Because otherwise you’re just doing the same thing over and over. We’ve been touring three and a half years now I believe and I’m just now starting to see the progression. Advice to bands out there, it’s tough, but if you get past those first two years you’ll actually start seeing some progression, so just keep with it.

What experiences do you think you’ll take away from being in Lydia, even after it’s all said and done?

Well it pretty much is my life right now, I can’t really see myself doing anything else, especially at this point. I think when it’s all said and done, whenever it is that’ll be, I’d just like to travel. I’m happy now that I get to see all these places, friends of mine say, “really you’ve been to every major city in the US that’s crazy.” I’m just really happy, especially being 22, so that’s probably what I’d take away from it. Hopefully it’ll get even better and we’ll get to see the UK, Japan and Australia.

Are there any plans to head overseas at this point?

There are plans to go over to the UK, it’s all just kind of tentative right now. It’s going to happen but they’re just trying to work out the details.

When are the plans to try to do that?

Well, we’ll be home for the holidays, just because we’ve been touring our asses off this whole year. We have two members from Nebraska, two from Nashville and all the rest are from Arizona, so everyone’s flying home and staying there for the holidays. But then after that, in mid February to the middle of March, we’re going to be doing a headlining tour. We’ll be able to play longer sets and bring out bands that we want to bring out.

If you had your choice who is it that you would try to bring out with you?

I don’t know, that’s tough. It’s hard to say because this is going to be our first headlining tour and I don’t know what kind of bands are going to want to come out. We were talking a lot about The Snake the Cross the Crown, which is one of my favorite bands, if they could come out that’d be amazing.

Any one else on the list?

Manchester Orchestra would be cool. I would also love to go out with Deer in the Headlights.

What albums are you listening to as of late?

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s are really good, I think their record just came out in the last couple of months. So if anyone hasn’t heard of them you should definitely check them out, they’re a really good band.

How difficult is it to find time for yourselves when you’re together on the road constantly?

On tour you get zero privacy, you’re around at least one other person 90 percent of the time and it’s really hard to find time to do what you have to do. I personally like to be alone a lot, I don’t know if that’s weird or not but I try to get away from the van and venue every once in a while and go off and walk somewhere just to keep my head straight, because if you don’t you can go crazy.

How do you think having a female in the band effects what you’re trying to do as a band? Obviously it adds a lot musically but do you think there are any downsides to it?

I think there are definitely some downsides, but you know there’s always going to be that asshole on the message boards that’s like, “I love Mindy, she’s so unbelievable, blah blah blah.” But I think most of our fans take the music for what it’s worth and don’t try to read into the whole, this girls very attractive, that guys very attractive thing. I just try to ignore it basically, because that’s not why I play music at all and that’s not why anyone should be listening to it.

It seems like a lot of your fan base is younger, do you think that effects fans that might otherwise be into your band?

Usually at shows I try to meet people afterwards at the merch table, but I run into a pretty ridiculous variety of people. I wouldn’t want to say it’s just a young crowd. In the public eye I’m not really sure, because we haven’t really been there. We just started, we put out the album on the big label so I guess we’ll see how people take us.

Have you decided on the first music video?

I’m pretty sure it just got decided today. It’s going to be, “I woke up near the sea.” We’re going to be filming in mid December and hopefully releasing it soon after, before our headline tour in mid February. I’m pretty excited. I’ve never done a video before, especially with a budget and directors and extras and makeup people, the whole thing, so it should be pretty cool.

Do you think signing to the major label has taken any weight off your shoulders as a band?

Yea I definitely think it has. we used to have a management group that tried to do everything from publicity to marketing to radio, so I think it takes the stress off of them. But that definitely reflects onto us as well because we don’t have to worry about two guys handling everything, now we have a team of people. I’m excited, so far they’ve been really cool, so I’m just excited to see where they can take us.

Bobby: Personally I’m happy with it, I know we did what we wanted to do, so I think that was actually the most important thing. It seems like kids have been into it.

Harrison: I’m pretty pleased but there are definitely some things I’d like to change about it. But there’s nothing you can do about it at this point

Well having put the EP and LP both out in the same year, do you feel like you were a little rushed, or that maybe you could spend a little more time on something in particular?

H: I’d spend more time on just getting the order of the songs down and the number of songs on the album. It’s just when it came down to track listing we wanted was a little different.

B: As far as musical freedom we did pretty much what we wanted.

With fearless putting a lot of “pop-punk” out recently, do you think it’s helped you stand out a little more or hurt you at all?

B: I don’t know if it’s helped us, I think maybe if anything it might give people a negative connotation towards us just because they might think…

H: People assume that we’re fans of that kind of music which is not really true at all. In one sense it may be kind of cool because there aren’t a lot of bands on Fearless trying to do what we want to do. So I guess from that perspective it’s better to be on that kind of label rather than one that’s full of bands that are trying to do what you want to do, because then it’s almost, as much as you can say there isn’t, there is a small element of competition if you’re on a label with bands that are like you. Competition for affection from the label, so it’s cool not to have that.

B: I’m sure it has it’s pros and cons.

How often do you sort of see the side effects of that situation on the road or in reviews?

B: We try to not really look at reviews because personally…

H: I haven’t read one review for the album yet. Because i just don’t want to, I feel like it’ll fill my head with all sorts of doubts and things. That or even something that’s good, I don’t want to get that in my head

B: We’re having fun doing what we’re doing and I don’t care, well I care, but at the same time if people aren’t into it then fine, we just want to make music. I’d rather just stay positive.

What are your plans after this tour?

H: We’ll probably put out some more music right after Christmas, like another EP. I would love for it to be a full length, but it’s just time doesn’t allow for that.

With all the economic issues flying around do you think it’s affected you directly at all?

B: It probably started like two years ago with the gas.

H: Yea just getting people out to shows, already it’s hard to get people to go out and buy albums.
B: I think people are just being really careful with their money. But, we’ve definitely felt the affects.

You’ve been a band for under two years and seen a mild amount of success, do you feel lucky at all the be in the situation you’re in, touring and putting out records?

H: I’d like to think that we do what we want

B: I think some bands maybe do it just to write songs that will stick in people’s heads, and that’s fine, it’s just not what we’re about. Not to say we’re not about making songs that people are going to enjoy, it’s just that we make songs that we enjoy first and foremost, because you’ll go crazy playing songs that you don’t fully enjoy with all your heart.