Check out SafetySuit’s new single, “Stay,” from their debut album Life Left to Go in stores now. The track was written by lead singer Doug Brown and produced by Greg Archilla (Matchbox 20, Collective Soul). The melodic rockers from Nashville are currently on the road with 3 Doors Down.
Windows: Safetysuit - “Stay”
Quicktime: Safetysuit - “Stay”
Myspace: www.myspace.com/safetysuit
Not easily deterred by Mother Nature, the band and Henderson reconvened in the same studio (completely rehabbed from the hurricane damage) in 2006. Again, they laid down the tracks, completing the majority of the recording in three weeks’ time, only to find a computer glitch had rendered a large portion of the recordings unusable. Because they had meshed so well with Henderson (who said he really wanted to be involved in the rest of the recording), the band was willing to wait to work around his 3 Doors Down schedule in order to re-record the tracks that needed to be redone in Henderson’s new Rivergate Studios (http://www.RivergateStudios.net) in Nashville in 2007.
HalfDown Thomas - “Guiltless (Mend Your Broken Heart)”
“This band is so easy to work with,” says Henderson. “From a production standpoint, they provided me with a wide open palette, bringing some amazing riffs into the studio, then taking my suggestions to the next level in their continuing songwriting endeavors. And they’ve been so amazing about recording the album three times. It was not anyone’s fault; it’s just the way that things went down. But they took it all in stride and they made it fun.”
“Chris is the hardest-working guy I know,” says guitarist Wesley Smith. “When we were in the studio with him, he’d only get four to five hours of sleep before he was back to work. It was fantastic being in the studio with him. He’s very down-to-earth, and he gets what we are doing.”
The result is HalfDown Thomas’ third-full length album, “Beautifully Strange,” which will be released via Rock Ridge Music on February 17, 2009.
HalfDown Thomas (or HDT) was begun on the verge of the new millennium by a group of friends with one simple goal: to start a band and see how far it could really go. Eight years later, singer Randy Ayers, guitarist Wesley Smith, bassist George White, and drummer Mark Underwood are finding out. Starting as everyone does in sweaty little clubs, opening shows for renowned local acts, HDT spent their time developing a high-intensity stage show to compliment their hard-driving modern rock sound. The band came to the attention of their label after they won a Birmingham, AL, Battle of the Bands and went on to compete in the finals in Biloxi, MS. Henderson’s 3 Doors Down band-mate Todd Harrell was the creative force behind the contest. Rock Ridge Music CEO Tom Derr, who was a judge at the Biloxi contest, was so impressed by HDT that the efforts to sign them began immediately.
The band has continued to plug away live, sharing the stage with acts as diverse and influential as Kings of Leon, OutKast, Evanescence and Fuel, just to name a few. At the same time, HDT has also worked hard to hone their personal sound. With two full-length releases, three EP’s, and numerous compilation spots under their belts, writing and recording have been a large piece of the equation. Somewhere between Pearl Jam and Nickelback, between Stone Temple Pilots and Breaking Benjamin, is where you’ll find HalfDown Thomas’ sound. Throw in individual influences as varied as Southern rock and 80’s hair metal and what shakes out is modern rock alternative with scorching guitar solos, bombastic rhythm work and attention-to lyrical hooks that create an interesting and listener-friendly mix. Just how far can four guys take a dream? The answer seems to be a lot farther than anyone expected. And they won’t let a little something like Mother Nature get in the way.
TRACK LISTING / RUN TIME - “Beautifully Strange”
1. Come Inside / 2:52
2. Guiltless (Mend Your Broken Heart) / 3:19
3. Self Centered / 2:34
4. Way Down / 3:26
5. Trigger Finger / 3:26
6. Beautifully Strange / 3:37
7. Save The Day / 3:39
8. Burn / 3:16
9. Overreaction / 2:50
10. Weight / 3:44
11. Lost Change / 3:18
12. She Falls A Liar / 3:12
13. Yet To Say / 3:15
Go behind the scenes with Nashville rockers SafetySuit on the set of their video for “Someone Like You.” Watch the band start shooting at Venice Beach at the crack of dawn and take direction from Zach Merck (Hinder, Blue October) at various locations. SafetySuit is currently on tour with Puddle of Mudd, and their video was just added in rotation on VH1.
The Gabe Dixon Band has just released the music video for their piano-rock single “Till You’re Gone.” Director Paul Cummings used stop-motion animation to help bring a human piano to life and showcase Dixon’s talent on the keys.
Today marks the Nashville-based trio’s release of their self-titled album. Their Fantasy Records’ debut was already deemed one of Paste Magazine’s favorite records of the year, and Dixon’s vocal talent and piano chops have been praised by fellow musicians across the board including Sara Bareilles and Jamie Cullum. Dan Wilson (Semisonic, Dixie Chicks) co-wrote three songs on the album that features a variety of tracks from heartfelt ballads to pop piano jams in the spirit of Elton John and Ben Folds 5. Check it out on iTunes here.
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