A-Social Networking

I've spent the last week and some change setting up our Church's social networking site pages. It's been a challenge keeping everything straight, to say the least, but it has been fun for the most part.

However, I can't help but wonder if the unintended consequence of our increased use of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are worth the potential "virtual" touches. I can't help but feel that the proliferation of all things virtual will have a direct affect on our ability to connect with all things substantial.

Many times lately my wife and I have found ourselves staring at our own computers, connected to the same (facebook) network, with little to no interaction with each other. We pick up our blackberries and start typing away, connected, in a way, to other spheres of influence, while completely missing the one that we are existing in at that moment. My personality type makes me prone to such diversions.

My question restated then is: "Are the "virtual touches" that we have with one another worth the cost of actual encounters?" So much time and effort is spent on one, it seems impossible that something else won't suffer.

Who should win The Next Great American Band

anti-Spoiler Alert: There are no spoilers. Why would I do that when you can go elsewhere to get them. This is going to be an honest look, from my perspective, as to why each of the remaining three bands should win, and why they shouldn't. I'm taking the approach of the unique features that put them where they are. They are all able to play well, all great musicians. But what strengths does one band have that no other band has.

Let me preface this by saying that I do know who won. While I wasn't at the show, I found out by other means. I'm doing this in reverse alphabetical order. So try not to read anything into my placement.

One more thing. If you like any of the remaining bands, and are easily offended, or would rather not disagree, than don't read the "Why they should not win" section. I'm doing my best to be fair and honest.

Sixwire

From www.sixwire.com : Six-string guitars gave Sixwire the inspiration for their name, and with three guitarists at the helm of this Nashville five-piece band, it's more than fitting. Andy Childs, Steve Mandile, and Robb Houston along with bassist John Howard and drummer Chuck Tilley all did their fair share of touring and session work before coming together as Sixwire. But they're more than just a session band. Sixwire writes and produces all of their own material, and on occasion even directs and edits their own videos. Rather than try to pattern themselves after the many bands who influenced them, they prefer to follow a musical path that they themselves have created. Strong vocals, big guitars, memorable songs and tight musicianship have become a trademark of the group.

Why they should win

Of all the bands, Sixwire conveys the most musical maturity. On the show they have been the most consistent musically, stylistically, and technically. Without arrogance, they have been an example to the other bands what it means to be the best at your craft.

What's more, they are instantly marketable, and capable of putting out a recording with minimal amount of work. Track, overdub, mix, master and go. On the show we didn't hear much original music, but even if, contrary to their web site introduction, they don't have a lot of original material, there are so many great songs being written in Nashville every day, that it would take a producer just a few hours to pick the songs for the rest of the album.

I believe that Sixwire has the most potential to be a quick cash turn-around for 19 entertainment.

Why they should not win

Of all the bands in the competition, Sixwire has the most market competition. There is a reason why they are ready to go to market right away. It's because there is already a market in place for them. The problem is that market is already saturated with other bands just as good as them. It will be tough to find a distinct voice in the pop country market. Sixwire does have some unique features, but they simply aren't unique enough. This is probably the biggest issue they have to deal with.

As far as the show goes, they have also shown the least amount of diversity. It can be argued that Sixwire was smart to stick to what they do really well, and that's a good case to make. However, I believe that being a great band takes more than simply doing one thing well. I understand that the show is not all that conducive to showing depth due to the time constraints, but the chances that Sixwire had were not taken. They sounded the same each week. Sometimes they executed perfectly. Other times there were problems, primarily with the vocals.

Finally, there was nothing from the judges to push Sixwire beyond their comfort zone. There were never challenged to do something different. Never pushed to grow. They were static, some would say consistent, but can you say that they played better the last day of the competition than the first? I can't. They were great both times, but never did anything beyond their scope. Again, this touches on their depth. It's not a bad thing, but it's a reason to not win.

Denver & the Mile High Orchestra

From www.denvermho.com:

Formed by a group of friends at Nashville’s Belmont University in 1999, this exceptional group of musicians is comprised of three trumpet players, three saxophone players, two trombone players and a rhythm section. In the five years since their inception, the group has traveled around the globe, performing at churches, conferences, festivals—even at the Olympics—taking their electrifying horn-driven sound to the masses. The big band sound of the 30’s and 40’s had long intrigued Denver, who had played the trumpet for 16 years , so he assembled a group of musicians—friends to reinvent the style for the modern age. “I grew up listening to hip-hop, rock and pop, to all those genres,” says Denver, who is also the group’s lead vocalist and music arranger. “So I wanted to take the best of today and the best of yesterday and mix ‘em up.”

“In an age when new bands come and go with the wind,” bandleader Denver Bierman says, “the only way you can explain that a Christian ‘big band’ is still going strong after [nine] years is that God must be up to something. So our job is just to keep moving forward and make sure He gets all the glory.”

Why they should win

There is no band in the competition with the depth of musicianship of Denver & the Mile High Orchestra. All three remaining bands feature very good musicians, but DMHO's musical depth makes them unique. They were able to do more styles than any other band in the competition, and what's more, do them well. Obviously they had more players on stage, and that helps, but it would have been horrendous if a single one had a bad performance. There aren't enough players to cover up bad ones.

They were also playing styles of music that were much further out of their typical range than that of the other bands. A guitar based rock band is easier to cover by a guitar based country band, than a horn based swing band. How do you address instrumentation? How do you address vocal style? These were all handled deftly by DMHO. They were also taking unique approaches to the music that no other band was willing to take. While staying true to originals when they could, they arranged parts for each band member, and showed the audience that a "horn-based" band can perform rock and roll. What we never saw was a guitar based country band perform a big band chart. Let me pose this question, "What style is truly more American, Rock and Roll, or Jazz?"

Because of this depth, they have the most potential with a publishing company. It will be much easier to sell their recordings to movies, TV and the like because the style lends itself to classic and timeless longevity.

And yet, they suffered the most criticism from the judges, and viewers, but stayed in the show. If I remember correctly, there was not a single week when at least SOMETHING negative was said about the band by the judges. From "Your funk Skills are really limited" to "Denver reminds me of Ned Flanders". There were weeks that they were the only band criticized, even with Light of Doom still on the show. And through all of the negativity, the band listened, waded through the sometimes hurtful or simply wrong statements and attempted to improve and show the judges (and the audience) that they were listening and responding.

Why they should not win

Of the three bands, Denver & the Mile High Orchestra have the most amount of work to do from a production and marketing standpoint. The impression that people get when they are first introduced to DMHO is that they are a Big Band, which translates to swing music. The stuff my grandmother listens to. Or, perhaps something better suited for Vegas, or an extravagant Christmas party. So, what does a record label do?

First, they have to address the marketability. I believe they ARE marketable beyond the perceptions mentioned above, but the mass market needs to know that. This will require a record label and PR firm to invest time and money shaping the opinions of not only who Denver & the Mile High Orchestra is, but what the listener actually wants to here. This can be done. Just create demand. But how? A fad has to be created, which means a machine has to be built that will position a specific style, which cannot be a traditional swing/jazz style, in the minds of potential buyers. It's cool to listen to X, everyone is listening to X, and you must rush out and by DMHO's latest CD because they are the only band playing X, which is, of course, the style of music that everyone is listening to. That's a lot of energy to spend with quite a bit of risk if the general market doesn't accept it.

Finally, they do not have sex appeal. This is not a bad thing from an ethical standpoint, and it's the primary reason why I really don't like American Idol. But it's also not honest to say that they are the best looking band. What's more, while Denver is technically a great singer, his voice isn't going to make many ladies swoon or guys jealous. Stylistically, his voice doesn't reach out and demand your attention. My discussion of Clarke Brothers really addresses the reasons behind this.

The Clarke Brothers

While the Clarke Brothers do have a myspace page, they don't have a web site. Here is the bio of the Clarke Family Experience:

The brotherhood behind the Clark Family Experience shook up country music during 2001 with the hot single "Meanwhile Back at the Ranch." The six brothers, who were between the ages of 18 and 28, made history with the song -- it became the 13th best selling single in country music and pushed the Clark Family Experience into the spotlight.

The Clark Family Experience is comprised of the six eldest children of traveling ministers Freddy and Sylvia Clark. Alan (guitar/vocals), Aaron (electric bass/vocals), Adam (mandolin/vocals), Ashley (fiddle), Andrew (drums), and Austin (lap slide guitar/keyboards) were born and raised in Virginia. The Clark's 11 children were surrounded by music from an early age, but the boys started performing professionally in 1993.

Nearly a decade later, Curb Records inked the Clark Family Experience a deal. They went on to perform on TNN's weekly special The Oak Ridge Boys: Live from Las Vegas and appeared on Prime Time Country on several occasions. Opening slots for Faith Hill, Martina McBride, AC/DC, Charlie Daniels, the Dixie Chicks, and Tim McGraw allowed them to grow in a live setting; two summers with the George Strait festival tour also proved golden.

The Clark Family Experience gained momentum in the new millennium, and Tim McGraw joined them in the production of their first studio album. The Clark Family Experience was released in August 2002. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide

Why they should win

In trying to determine what makes them unique from the other bands, they are the hardest to technically pin down. It's obvious what they have, but let me start by start by saying what they don't. This isn't meant to be disparaging, it's meant to frame what makes them unique to this competition. They have three players. Technically so does Sixwire (3 + 2) and DMHO (3 + 9). They are playing an Americana style of Country Music. Sixwire is playing Pop Country - technically both of these styles fall under "Country". They are talented musicians. So are the other two bands. They aren't necessarily better musicians. To say so is asinine. Perhaps it's fair to say they are just as good. So, then what makes them unique?

Each week we heard something from them that almost no other band brought to the table. Connection with the listener. That connection was made through passion. They showed the viewers that they were passionate about what they were doing. This passion is something that can be related to. It's something that most people want. When you are passionate about something, and you are good at it, it resembles what is possible to the recipient of the art form. It's possible to find your place. It's possible to find your purpose.

The other bands didn't necessarily convey this. I really liked Denver's response during the finals to Dicko's question about what they are trying to convey to the audience. "Joy" was the response. That's great. More people need Joy. It would solve a lot of the world's issues. But there is a problem. Many people haven't found joy. I've written about this before. People typically gravitate towards what they can related to, and Joy is a big leap for many people. When someone is singing about what I'm struggling with, or conveying a message of pain, with an underlying sense of hope or purpose, I can relate to it, and am drawn to it. We  respond. A great, and current example of this, is Rockstar by Nickelback. While it appeals to the baser self, it showcases a desire for something better, grander, and the hope of a happier life (albeit resulting from "sex, drugs and rock n' roll"). There's an underlying sense of hope in that song that says "I'm just like you. We are all dreaming the same dream. Let's do this together." You're hooked. It's you. It's me.

Also, they are young and good looking. Another vicarious, relatable feature. It's the "I could be like" or "I want to be like" or "I want that" type of mentality that their presentation connects with.

Why they should not win

Stylistically, they will have a similar, although not to the same degree as DMHO, problem with defining and creating a market. Bluegrass is not as popular as those in that industry would have you believe, and neither is Americana Country. The Clarke Brothers, while capable (as is Sixwire) did not show much depth during the show. They stuck to what they did, and they did it well... for the most part.

Of the three bands, The Clarke Brothers had the most problems with their performances. The last three weeks they had more pitch problems with their vocals than any of the other bands. Ashley's vocals were much of the driving focus of the band's energy, but when he really wanted to convey passion, he would start to do a sort of sing/scream. Consistently, that's how he built the intensity. (Think "shine, shine, Shine SHINE! SHINE!!!) Also, at times the frantic playing, under the guise of passion, was at times too much and not detailed enough. The detail was lost in the energy.

Finally, and this is where my opinion will raise it's biased head, I felt it unfair to the other bands to allow them to add or remove band members. The week they added them, the difference between The Clarkes and Sixwire diminished, and hurt them. The next week the bass player and drummer were gone, and the judges said nothing about it. I thought this was strange since their biggest "problem" according to the judges was their lack of rhythm section. "Why do you hate drummers?" was how Rzeznik put it. So, when they fire their hired drummer, why weren't they called out about it?

Finally, they were most affected by nerves. While the other bands were most likely nervous, it didn't show nearly as much. My theory is that this was a result of nerves. But if they are going to be the Next Great American Band, they have to control their nerves.

Conclusion

I've enjoyed writing about the show. I have greatly appreciated your comments and responses. I do know that a few of the band members (and not just from DMHO) have read my blog, and to them, I'm even more grateful. I hope that, even when I've come across a bit harsh, that they know how much admiration I have for everyone that was on the show. It took courage, strength, and self confidence that, quite frankly, I don't posses to compete at this level. It's been easy for me to sit back and critique, but I don't have anything to loose.

Congratulations goes out to everyone, especially those who are able to move forward, integrate this incredible experience, and draw upon the lessons learned to hone their craft further, and use it to their success.

chs

Next Great American Band Taping #8 (ep9)

The best music so far...

I felt that, to date, this week featured the best music on the show thus far. Having eliminated Light of Doom certainly raised the musicality of the show by near infinite levels, but it was also nice to not have a fixed "theme" or artist being covered.

This was also my last time traveling from Nashville to LA for the taping. I'm disappointed that I will be unable to attend the final show this coming Sunday, but I have other commitments that I have to prioritize above the travel.

Like last week, they filmed the show out of order. They actually started with filming some footage for next week's show - so I guess I will be able to comment a little bit on my thoughts about the taping without officially being there. However, it made the taping about an hour longer than it should have been. Then they called each band and filmed all three songs back to back with the intention of spreading each band throughout the show when aired. While it's obviously the most efficient way to film, it's a little awkward viewing the show this way because you tend to forget what was previously filmed and how it's all going to come together. It's also strange when the judges say the same, or similar things they just said the song before. Once the show airs, it makes more sense.

The Bands

Denver & the Mile High Orchestra

It's no secret that this is the band I want to win the competition. I was beyond excited when they were called up first. That takes a lot of stress off. Keep in mind that the friends and family in attendance for Sixwire and Light of Doom had to wait until DMHO and The Clarke Brothers had performed their entire sets before they found out who made the cut.

September - Earth Wind & Fire

• Vocals: 4 - Some initial pitch problems, but once Denver settled into the style (this vocal style being very difficult for him) it I felt it was just fine. The BGV's were just a little weak, but it was great to see other band members singing. The reality is that a few of the guys can actually sing, and it's great to see this level of depth.
• Tempo: 5. I'm not going to comment on tempo unless there's a problem. Let's face it, the bands that really struggled with this are gone.
• Sync: 5. I felt that the pocket was great, and on par with the original. It's tough to compare the two bands, because EW&F have such a huge "presence", that it's impossible to believe a band could nail it as well as they did. But this was as close as it possibly could be.
• Arrangement: 5. I have it on good authority that this was the exact same arrangement as the original. So, if you want to knock the original, go ahead, but I thought it was very, very well executed.
• Presentation: 4.5. I thought everything was great, even the bit of dancing by Denver - he was getting into it. However, I could have done without the "kick". It felt forced and looked unnatural - especially in a suite. My best guess is that he did something similar during a rehearsal, and it looked good then, but didn't quite translate during the actual show.
• Overall Impression: 4.5. I personally thought this was a great attempt at an extremely challenging song. Very, very well done. And it was probably their weakest performance of the night.

Vehicle - Ides of March

I can barely rate this... it was unbelievably good.

• Vocals: 5 - Perfect and intense. Great style - not at all static or boring like others have accused Denver of being.
• Tempo: 5
• Sync: 5 - perhaps the best groove of the night. Fantastic.
• Arrangement: 5. Again - I'd rather listen to this than the original or Bo Byce's cover.
• Presentation: 5. Huge! High Energy! I loved every second.
• Overall Impression: 5 See above. It was little awkward giving all 5's, but it deserved it, so I that's what I gave it.

The Way You Move Me - Original

• Vocals: 5. Well rehearsed, well executed, and much improved upon over the first time we heard the song back during the auditions.
• Tempo: 5.
• Sync: 5. Great feel
• Arrangement: 5. Well done, well written, well executed. Great parts. And this time, the horns were up front, but Denver still sat on top.
• Presentation: 4.5. Very good, but just missing a little something, I can't quite put my finger on it.
• Overall Impression: 5. Another great performance. Although not their best of the night.

I spoke with Jared (the drummer) after the show and he said that he was so moved by the video package (showing the family and kids) that he almost missed the count-off. He said it wasn't so much what he saw, but what it all represented. Fortunately everything came together. It's been a long two months.

After this performance, it's very possible that Denver & the Mile High Orchestra could win this competition. I personally voted about 3,500 times.

Clarke Brothers

Change the World - Eric Clapton

• Vocals 3.5 This is the third week in a row that there have been pitch problems with the vocals. I'm chalking it up to nerves. At the show it's very obvious they are beside themselves about being where they are in the competition, and more so extremely nervous about it as well. But like Rzeznik said, "You're stars now, you need to get over it." (not an exact quote, but it's close to what he meant.)
• Tempo 4.5. Pretty good, but they need something to hold them a little tighter.
• Sync 4. See above, just not quite as tight and pocketed as it should have been. In spite of not having a rhythm section this week, they still need to groove together.
• Arrangement 4. I felt it was only ok. Part of the problem is that they come off of a huge arrangement by DMHO, and it felt really small. I liked the two acoustics, but it didn't feel like the parts were distinct enough.
• Presentation: 4. Ok, but fairly static.
• Overall Impression 4. Not their best of the night. In fact, it was probably the weakest.

In spite of my ratings, I think Eric Clapton is a good artist for these guys to cover. It's not so heritage/country sounding. I actually could listen to more, if it were slightly better executed.

Amazed - Lonestar

• Vocals: 4.75 - There were slight pitch problems at the beginning of the song, but they were quickly corrected, and easy to forget. He brought passion without screaming, so I went from 4.5 to 4.75.
• Tempo: 5. They held this ballad well together. Tempo drift is more acceptable in a ballad because it's less perceptible and can add to the emotion when done well. If there was any drift, I didn't notice it - which is exactly the idea.
• Sync: 5. Everything felt nice and tight. This slower tempo ballad songs really work to the Clarke's advantage. Well executed.
• Arrangement: 5. Soft, not overplayed, perfect for the song.
• Presentation: 4.5 - maybe we could do something other than stools. The show's not conducive to creative staging, however.
• Overall Impression 4.75. I loved it, in spite of the touch of "country cheese". (which is just one of the reasons why I don't like country.)

This Little Light of Mine - Public Domain/Spiritual

The only "Band Choice" song that's technically not an original. However, the arrangement is unique, so it's easy to forget about that.

• Vocals: 5. He's comfortable here. And, while I hope that when they get a deal, he doesn't yell on every song, when it's good, it's really good.
• Tempo: 5. Well rehearsed. No problems.
• Sync: 4.5. They're pretty tight, but it does get frantic, and some of the detail in what they are doing is lost. There must be a way to convey what they are doing while holding things a little tighter. It's not bad, just not perfect.
• Arrangement: 5. I like this arrangement. It's fresh, yet a great through back to a song I learned in Sunday School, but most likely originated as a Negro spiritual.
• Presentation: 5. I love the energy they bring, with so little, and it worked well here.
• Overall Impression: 5.

This is the Clarke Brothers that we first met. It's fast, aggressive, and passionate. It's what their fans are going to want. It's what I want out of them.

Sixwire

Reelin' in the Years - Steely Dan

• Vocals: 3.5 - lead straining too much, BGV's (a key feature of the band) not tight enough with some pitch problems. While the other bands have a touch more leeway about this, we wouldn't cut Denver any slack if the horns were off, it's their main feature.
• Tempo: 5.
• Sync: 5. No one is more consistent.
• Arrangement: 5. Well put together. The band played great.
• Presentation: 4 - they actually looked a little board during much of the song. It could have been how their nerves hit them, but it shouldn't. These guys are pros, and need to look like they are giving it every time (Even though their playing sounds like it).
• Overall Impression: 4.5 - awesome live, not quite awesome on TV.

I'd Really Love to See You Tonight - England Dan & John Ford Coley

• Vocals: 5. Well executed. Great pitch, and good emotional timing.
• Tempo: 5
• Sync: 5
• Arrangement: 4. I felt it boring, and too vanilla. However, the acoustic solo beneath the lead vox was very well executed, and a good touch. Another issue I had was live. The kick drum was just a thud, no attack. On TV, it worked ok for me, but live it was too boomy and distracting.
• Presentation: 3.5. Another stool song. Just not a lot of interesting stuff happening here. I understand it's a ballad, but it may as well have been a recording, because there was nothing else happening. At least I can listen to the song whenever I want, and not have to fit one of their concerts in my schedule.
• Overall Impression: 4.5 - a good, soft ballad. I'm trying to keep my style preference out of it - because I don't really care for this style.

It's Good to Be Back - Original

• Vocals: 5. Perfect. Great BGV's, it's what we come to hear (or at least some of what we come to hear.)
• Tempo: 5
• Sync: 5. This song has a particularly great groove.
• Arrangement: 5. Well thought out, and high energy that's well conveyed and showcases the band well.
• Presentation: 5. Excellent.
• Overall Impression: 4. WHAT? Why did I give them a 4 when everything else was a 5? Here's why. This was the third time we've heard this song. Once in the audition, then again when the bands did a cover and original, and again now. The other original we heard was Go On last week. This was a disappointment to me, so my overall impression of the song was lessened. While the performance was great, you'd expect it to be, but do they have anything else?

The truth of the matter is that all three bands performed the song they auditioned with, probably because all three felt it was one of their strongest. Ok, that's fine. But I think Sixwire then made a mistake when they performed it again. Franklin Bridge did the same thing. We heard their audition song twice. If they had been standing in the last three, would we have heard it again?

Closing Thoughts

I've had a blast. Thanks for following along and humoring me each week. I hope these reviews have been helpful. I'll do a review of next week's show as well. The show is going to be much broader stylistically than any previous show (believe it or not).

All three bands deserve to win this. All three bands deserve a deal. No matter the outcome, I'm proud of how well each of these bands have done. They are all from Nashville. And more than that, they (all three) have sacrificed, beyond comprehension in some cases, to compete and hopefully succeed. I have heard complaints numerous times that this show isn't about finding the best band. There are better bands playing in bars all over the country (especially when compared to the earlier bands in the competition). Yes, that's true. There are. But there are three primary kinds of bands that we didn't see in this competition:

1. A band that wasn't aware of the show
2. A band that wasn't good enough, or entertaining enough for the show. (This is where we have to accept the producer's prerogative. It's their show.)
3. A band wasn't able or willing to give up a life they already have established in order to compete.

Most of the guys in the three bands left have immediate family, jobs, friends and lives that they had to set aside for two months to do the show. And I can't imagine the weighing and balancing that each member had to go through to make their decisions. I know, if it were me, I would think about a record deal, a dream fulfilled, potential financial gain and stability, then I would be looking at my two incredible little boys, my gorgeous wife, and say...

chs