SET LIGHT

Author: Eric Pettersson

Eric Pettersson is from Reading, PA and a graduate of La Salle University in Philadelphia with degrees in Communication and Religion. He wrote regularly for IVM 2005-2011. Now he has his own website, Explore Reading, "a progressive guide to the city of Reading, Pennsylvania. Follow him at www.explorereading.net

August 5, 2008

REVIEW : My Compatriots - Waiting for Monuments to Pass

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Artist: My Compatriots Album: Waiting for Monuments to Pass Label: None (released independently) Release Date: March 28, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist (based on the lyrics, I firmly believe this tracklist is out of order, but this is how it appears on the back of the CD packaging… if a band member reads this, I would appreciate the correct tracklist to be left in the comments): 1. Bending Heart 2. Summering Afternoon 3. Your Ecliptic Plane 4. Signing the Peace Accords 5. Waiting for Monuments 6.… Continued →

REVIEW : Alexander the Great - Circumnavigation EP

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Artist: Alexander the Great Album: Circumnavigation EP Label: Crossroads of America Records Release Date: March 25, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Confidence 2. When to Suspect the Worst 3. Thanksgiving 4. Down the Hatch 5. NYC *Bonus Tracks Live/Acoustic* 6. We Used to Go Out 7. Let’s Go Out into the Night (Confidence) 8. Give Thanks (Thanksgiving) 9. Silver Bullet Train (NYC) Just one look at the awesome artwork, and I’m ready for some indie rock. Not indie rock in the sense of The Fray and Coldplay and the like who are all very good bands indeed but not really deserving of the title indie.… Continued →

July 22, 2008

REVIEW : The Midnight Life - Aslan's Fury

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Artist: The Midnight Life Album: Aslan’s Fury Label: Indianola Records Release Date: March 18, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. From the Ground Up 2. Measures Can’t Help You Here 3. Off the Record 4. Fast Lanes and Barricades 5. The Anatomy of 6. Et Tu Brute 7. Wolves Don’t Dance 8. Dangerous Maneuvers 9. This Is Home Team For someone who’s been increasingly taking steps away from the metal and hardcore scene over the past few years, finding a new home in indie and even some folk, it’s a special thing when a new heavy band can get my attention.… Continued →

INTERVIEW : Project 86

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Over the weekend I was able to swing by Passion Fest in Pottstown, PA to meet up with Andrew Schwab, lead vocalist of Project 86. Despite having idolized him throughout my high school years and having been told by certain people that Andrew is intimidating in person, he was surprisingly a normal guy, just hanging out, having some fun, and playing some music. E: It’s been ten years since the release of your self-titled CD. How’s it feel to be around that long? Any celebration plans?… Continued →

July 15, 2008

REVIEW : Smoking Popes - Stay Down

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Artist: Smoking Popes Album: Stay Down Label: Appeal Records Release Date: June 17, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Welcome to Janesville 2. If You Don’t Care 3. Stefanie 4. Sweet Pea 5. Little Jane-Marie 6. The Corner 7. Stay Down 8. Grab Your Heart and Run 9. It’s Never Too Late (for Love) 10. Maybe I’ll Stay 11. Into the Summer Sky 12. First Time As someone who spent all of his free time following a certain Christmas defeating Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, I have a certain fondness for straight-up pop-punk.… Continued →

REVIEW : The Human Flight Committee - Oh, When the Animals Unionize

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Artist: The Human Flight Committee Album: Oh, When the Animals Unionize Label: Blue Duck Records Release Date: March 11, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Oh, the Beginning 2. She’s a Car Destroyer 3. You’ll Get It When You’re Older 4. Tint and Quarantine 5. Serious Emotional Problems, Beyond Pacifism 6. The Last Song Anyone Is Ever Going to Hear 7. Oh, the Middle 8. Russian? We’re Barely Moving 9. The Shortest Distance between Two Points Is a Punch in the Mouth 10. The Five Second Saga 11.… Continued →

July 7, 2008

REVIEW : And Then There Was You - And Then There Was You

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Artist: And Then There Was You Album: And Then There Was You Label: Indianola Records Release Date: January 22, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. The Beloved 2. Star Struck 3. 1983 4. As Seen in Madrid 5. Save the Last Dance 6. Sincerely Yours? 7. The Horsemen 8. Fall Fearless Empire 9. The Devil 10. Cool, Calm and Collected Man, this album makes me feel like I’m in high school again. Not in a bad way either. It just takes me back to the glory days of sitting in class talking about Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, The Early November, Brand New and the rest, the days when kids like us secretly thought we were emo but knew that to truly be emo we couldn’t admit to the name.… Continued →

July 2, 2008

REVIEW : Jon Foreman - Summer EP

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Artist: Jon Foreman Album: Summer EP Label: Credential Recordings Release Date: May 27, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. A Mirror Is Harder to Hold 2. Resurrect Me 3. Deep in Your Eyes (There Is a River) 4. Instead of a Show 5. House of God, Forever 6. Again As the four seasons come to a close, Jon Foreman delivers what I believe to be his best EP yet. Maybe it’s just because it’s summer right now so I’m more in the mood for a record of corresponding theme, but these songs have become instant sing-alongs in my car in a way that none of the previous EPs did.… Continued →

INTERVIEW : The Gallery

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First things first… who are we talking to? Name and instrument(s). Ryan Cooney (drums)- talking in these questions Brendan Cooney (guitar and vocals) Dave Mozdzanowski (Bass and BGV’s) Shea Brennan (Lead Guitar) Give us the story of The Gallery. How did you guys get together, and how did you decide on your current musical direction? The story of The Gallery…well, Brendan and I are brothers, so we’ve known each other for about 20 years now. When we moved to Wilbraham, MA when we were 8 or so, we met Shea and have been buddies for a while now.… Continued →

REVIEW : The Gallery - If You Know What I Mean

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Artist: The Gallery Album: If You Know What I Mean Label: Blue Duck Records Release Date: August 12, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Drift 2. Consider This 3. Where We Began 4. Kingdoms 5. The Introduction 6. Surroundings 7. My Rhythm 8. Circus Song 9. The Lonely Disease 10. If You Know What I Mean I’m a sucker for a pounding beat and a catchy melody. The two are not often found together, hence the wide range musical styles found within my collection. In fact, I’d say it’s pretty much impossible to find a pop band that you can headbang to.… Continued →

REVIEW : Redfoot - Winnowing Fork

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Artist: Redfoot Album: Winnowing Fork Label: Bad Apple Records Release Date: November 30, 3007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Red Horizon 2. Ballad of Thomas Lynch 3. Country Mile 4. Literally 5. From Dirt, with Praise 6. Hardin Springs 7. Digital Jesus 8. Of Icarus and Petroleum 9. Love in Kodak Quality Prints 10. The Truth 11. For John Charles Carter 12. Run, Longest Some reviews are really hard to write. This is not one of them. Brandon, I want to thank you personally for sending me this CD.… Continued →

June 30, 2008

REVIEW : Run Kid Run - Love at the Core

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Artist: Run Kid Run Album: Love at the Core Label: Tooth & Nail Records Release Date: April 29, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Rescue Me 2. Captives Come Home 3. Fall into This Light 4. One in a Million 5. Love at the Core 6. Sure Shot 7. My Sweet Escape 8. The Emergency 9. Set the Dial 10. Freedom As soon as I popped this disc into my car, I was ready to go pick up my youth group friends and make the annual trip to Purple Door.… Continued →

June 25, 2008

REVIEW : Joy Electric - My Grandfather, the Cubist

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Album: My Grandfather, the Cubist Artist: Joy Electric Label: Tooth & Nail Records Release Date: May 27, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Victorian Intuition/ Father Winter Replies 2. Rudimentary Animation 3. Draw for Me, M.C. Escher 4. Four Gone Pierre (Or What Electricity Made) 5. The First Time I Loved Her It Was Here 6. I Recall the Telephone Booth 7. On Being Principally Utopian 8. Whether by Horse, or Horseless 9. Only Copernicus 10. Prelude to Cubism 11. My Grandfather, the Cubist 12.… Continued →

June 20, 2008

REVIEW : The Myriad - With Arrows, with Poise

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Artist: The Myriad Album: With Arrows, with Poise Label: Koch Records Release Date: May 13, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. You Waste Time Like a Grandfather Clock 2. “Get on the Plane” 3. Forget What You Came For 4. A Clean Shot 5. The Accident 6. Holiest of Thieves 7. A THoseand Winters Melting 8. Polar Bears and Shark Fins 9. Throwing Punches 10. “Don’t Let Them See You!” 11. Braver than the Rest 12. Stuck in a Glass Elevator The arrows, of course, are these twelve songs.… Continued →

June 10, 2008

REVIEW : Underoath - Survive Kaleidoscope

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Artist: Underoath Album: Survive Kaleidoscope Label: Tooth & Nail/ Solid State Records Release Date: May 27, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist (for both CD and DVD, unless otherwise noted): 1. Intro (Salmarnir)/ Returning Empty Handed 2. In Regards to Myself 3. It’s Dangerous Business Walking out Your Front Door 4. You’re Ever So Inviting 5. To Whom It May Concern 6. A Moment Suspended in Time 7. Young and Aspiring There Could Be Nothing after This [ONLY ON DVD] 8. Writing on the Walls 9.… Continued →

June 5, 2008

REVIEW : The Hotshot Freight Train - The Devil Pays in Counterfeit

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Artist: The Hotshot Freight Train Album: The Devil Pays in Counterfeit Label: Future Destination Records Release Date: October 23, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Love like Heroin 2. Zoltar 3. Liars Like Us 4. My Dear, Sweet Little Faith 5. Appalachia 6. Had I Known 7. Too Close to Let Go 8. My Holy Spirit 9. Don’t Fight It 10. This Train 11. On and On Combining punk with good old rock and roll, along with a swig of indie, The Hotshot Freight Train continue to perfect their sound and strive for originality with their latest release, The Devil Pays in Counterfeit.… Continued →

May 29, 2008

REVIEW : Ever Stays Red - On the Brink of It All

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Artist: Ever Stays Red Album: On the Brink of It All Label: VSR Music Group (EMI) Release Date: April 29, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Rocks & Reeds 2. On the Brink of It All 3. To Shine for You 4. Can’t Explain 5. Run 6. Love So Loud 7. Bright Eyes 8. Life in the Fire 9. Glorious 10. Say What You Will 11. Look to the Hills 12. Letters Despite a lead guitar riff during the intro track that is way too reminiscent of a certain sweet child of mine, On the Brink of It All actually shows to be one enjoyable record.… Continued →

May 21, 2008

INTERVIEW : The Myriad

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When I gave a list of questions to The Myriad’s management to email to them, I wasn’t expecting four out of the five band members to answer them for me. What a great surprise! So here is my interview with The Myriad, split up according to who is answering each question. JONATHAN YOUNG (GUITAR) How long have you guys been around? Can you give us the history or your band? The Myriad began with two very bored college students passing notes to each other in philosophy class trying to figure out a band name that would encompass what they most loved most about music.  … Continued →

REVIEW : Timbre - Winter Comes to Wake You

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Artist: Timbre Album: Winter Comes to Wake You Label: None (released independently) Release Date: April 27, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Autumn People 2. Veni, Sancte Spiritus 3. Fragile Forest 4. White on Red 5. Fjäril 6. Tes Yeux 7. Kyrie Eleison 8. Bringing Meaning to Winter 9. Chorea Amori 10. We with Unveiled Faces Chances are, you’ve heard the work of this harpist before, maybe without even realizing. She is the one that plays at the end of mewithoutYou’s latest album, Brother, Sister.… Continued →

May 19, 2008

REVIEW : Writer - Don't Wake the Sun 7"

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Artist: Writer Album: Don’t Wake the Sun 7” Label: None (released independently) Release Date: February 27, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: Side A: Don’t Wake the Sun Side B: I Think She Died My attention was caught immediately. “Mixed and mastered by Jason Martin.” Hey, that’s the dude from Starflyer 59! Awesome. And the release itself is actually worthy of bearing such a name on its packaging. This well-polished indie band released a full length last year, and this 7” is the follow-up of sorts.… Continued →

May 16, 2008

REVIEW : Y/Our Sparkle Heart - You, Me, and God

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Artist: Y/Our Sparkle Heart Album: You, Me, and God Label: Future Destination Records Release Date: February 26, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Messengers 2. Appointment with the Optimist 3. Return Home 4. Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is a Season) 5. City Folk 6. You Say I Say 7. A Song about Winter 8. Countryside 9. Banners and Fires 10. A Song for Martin It seems Future Destination have acquired quite an affinity for original-sounding, acoustic-based indie rock bands. One of the latest of these is the folk-infused, female-fronted Y/Our Sparkle Heart.… Continued →

May 9, 2008

REVIEW : Passion - God of This City

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Artist: Passion/ Various Artists Album: Passion: God of This City Label: Sixstepsrecords/ Sparrow Records Release Date: February 5, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Chris Tomlin – Let God Arise 2. Charlie Hall – You Are God 3. Chris Tomlin – God of This City 4. David Crowder Band – O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing 5. Christy Nockels – Hosanna 6. Chris Tomlin – Sing, Sing, Sing 7. Kristian Stanfill – Beautiful Jesus 8. Charlie Hall – Walk the World 9. Fee – We Shine 10.… Continued →

May 6, 2008

REVIEW : Standing Small - Oh Sweet Child

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Artist: Standing Small Album: Oh Sweet Child Label: Future Destination Records Release Date: January 15, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. I Need You 2. Strings 3. Oh To Know 4. I’m Coming Back 5. Grace through Iniquity 6. When You’re Lost Standing Small are what I would categorize as “The impressive opening act.”  You know the type. You went to see the headliner or maybe one of the bands in between, but after this smaller unheard-of band played the first set, you were rushing back to the merch table to pick up a CD (or at least trying to remember their name so you can become friends on myspace).… Continued →

May 1, 2008

REVIEW : Jordan Critz - Nightlights and Melted Ice

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Artist: Jordan Critz Album: Nightlights and Melted Ice Label: None (released independently) Release Date: July 27, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Somehow 2. Fade Away 3. Leading Me 4. Cold Sunshine 5. Gravity 6. Off My Mind 7. Take It Back 8. Run Too Far 9. The Line 10. Every Moment 11. Brand New Day 12. Begin Again 13. Until We Meet Again “Nightlines and Melted Ice is a symbolism of hope in the dark; of taking steps on faith and the hope of new life after the winter has come to an end,” explains the insert booklet.… Continued →

April 29, 2008

INTERVIEW : Gasoline Heart

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Interview with Gasoline Heart (4-16-08) As a 19-year-old, it was a little awkward walking into the Green Rock Tavern in Philly for a 21+ show asking for Gasoline Heart, but their manager Jimi met me pretty quickly since I was early enough to be the only one there not with the band. After Louis finished his sound checking, we walked outside to look for a place to do the interview while he had a “smokerette.” We chatted about the problems with liberal Bible colleges and my possibility of sneaking back inside to watch the show after our interview, which I was lucky enough to be able to do.… Continued →

April 7, 2008

INTERVIEW : Colour Revolt

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Colour Revolt interview April 7, 2008 By Eric Pettersson Please give your name and duties in the band. Jesse – guitar/sing Patrick – Bass Can you give a history of Colour Revolt (how you formed and what you’ve been up to since then)? Colour Revolt actually came to while we were in school here in Oxford.  Before, Jesse, Len, and Jimmy were in a band called Fletcher.  Sean was in a band called City Lights, and Patrick was in The Rockwells.  We’ve all known each other for a long time and have played together for years.  … Continued →

April 5, 2008

INTERVIEW : Mae

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Mae interview March 20, 2008 By Eric Pettersson Upon arriving at The Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA, I met up with the band’s tour manager to be taken to the place of the interview. However, since I am under 21, I wasn’t allowed up to the backstage area where the venue allows alcohol because they obviously don’t want to get busted with me up there. So after a little shuffling around on stairs, Zach came down and we walked across the street to the Senorita Burrita.… Continued →

March 30, 2008

REVIEW : Concert Review: Brand New, Colour Revolt

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Artists: Brand New, Colour Revolt Venue: ATS Auditorium (Dickinson College), Carlisle, PA Date: March 29, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson “When you go on tour for so long, sometimes you just get kind of sick of it. And it’s funny how few bands we really like touring with, how few bands we actually like as friends and want to keep in touch with. Colour Revolt were the first band that we actually enjoyed hanging out with, so they’re very dear to us and we love the chance to play shows with them.… Continued →

March 26, 2008

REVIEW : Esterlyn - Lamps

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Artist: Esterlyn Album: Lamps Label: Rooster Records Release Date: February 26, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Tie the Leaves 2. Kill Your Own Despair 3. We All Need 4. Seasons of Grey 5. This Mystery 6. Reveal Your Love 7. Emptiness 8. Back to the Start 9. Faster, Faster 10. Like the Rain 11. Lamps 12. About You The packaging to this CD is awesome. I’ve never seen a lyric booklet fit into the front quite like that before, and the artwork is equally fantastic.… Continued →

March 18, 2008

REVIEW : The Apathy Eulogy - Introduction: Walk North When Winter Hits

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Artist: The Apathy Eulogy Album: Introduction: Walk North When Winter Hits Label: None (released independently) Release Date: February 23, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Mandelbrot 2. We Did This to Myself 3. These Aren’t Tears, They’re Atom Bombs 4. Impetuous Me 5. If I Take This Sitting Down Will You Promise to Leave on the Gloves? 6. To Be Read in the Morning Directly after You Wake As both the follow-up to last year’s Beauty for Ashes and the first of a three EP project to be released this year, Introduction: Walk North When Winter Hits comes out of your stereo like a brick to the face.… Continued →