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

March 16, 2008

REVIEW : The Comeback Tour - And Then He Dreamed...

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Artist: The Comeback Tour Album: And Then He Dreamed… Label: None (released independently) Release Date: January 2, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Confusing Soup and Birthrights (Genesis 25) 2. False Dimitri (Genesis 27) 3. Here Stands Emanuel (Genesis 28) I’ve own many a concept album before, but never a concept EP. As the tracklist would suggest, And Then He Dreamed…, retells the interactions of Isaac’s two sons, Jacob and Esau, as told in the book of Genesis. “Confusing Soup with Birthrights” recounts how Jacob took Esau’s blessing in exchange for some stew.… Continued →

March 11, 2008

REVIEW : Ashes Ashes - Aries

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Artist: Ashes Ashes Album: Aries Label: EMT Entertainment Release Date: January 1, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. The Hammer 2. White Lights 3. Airplane 4. Get Steppen Boy 5. Castles 6. Sunlight Somewhere 7. Blue Alley Ways 8. Take Our Oceans 9. Invisible Children 10. Amphetamine I’m gonna be honest with you guys. Aires is one of those albums that’s just plain hard to review. From the chunky alternative rock guitars to “The Hammer,” to the funky dance sounds of “Airplane,” to the emo sing-along-ability of “Castles,” there’s just too much that could be said.… Continued →

March 10, 2008

INTERVIEW : Emery

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Emery interview March 7, 2008 By Eric Pettersson APOLOGY: After showing up fifteen minutes late because of traffic on the expressway, I was quickly escorted to Emery’s dressing room at The Trocadero Theater in Philly to find Josh waiting for me. We moved through what at the time seemed like a great interview while my budding photographer friend Reuben toyed around with his fancy new remote flash taking pictures (to see the rest of his photos from the show that night, check out his MySpace here in the near future) and then Josh was off for sound check while we were off for Chinese food.… Continued →

REVIEW : Concert Review: Emery, As Cities Burn, Cry of the Afflicted

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Artists: Emery, Mayday Parade, As Cities Burn, Pierce the Veil, Cry of the Afflicted Venue: The Trocadero, Philadelphia, PA Date: March 7, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson As an old burlesque hall that has since been converted into a punk venue, The Trocadero Theater is one of my favorite places to see a show here in Philly, and hearing that As Cities Burn and Emery would be stopping by was such exciting news, my friend Reuben and I had plans to go months ago. I mention Reuben because the pictures you will soon see are his.… Continued →

March 9, 2008

REVIEW : Lanae' Hale - Lanae' Hale EP

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Artist: Lanae’ Hale Album: Lanae’ Hale EP Label: Centricity Records Release Date: November 6, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Spring Again 2. Alive Again 3. Love Is Worth the Fight 4. Stay 5. Start Over 6. Quiet Place On listening to this EP, a few thoughts come to mind. One, Lanae’s sound is not as indie as her influences listed on MySpace would leave one to believe. Two, this is not a bad thing, because she’s got a great sound. “Alive Again” could easily end up playing on a new episode of Scrubs with its soft, artistically poppy feel.… Continued →

February 24, 2008

REVIEW : The Black Noise Party Boys - Party All the Time

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Artist: The Black Noise Party Boys Album: Party All the Time Label: Holdfast Records Release Date: January 8, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Pity Party 2. Spend the Night Party 3. Pizza Party 4. Pool Party 5. Guitarty 6. Going away Party How many times can you use the word “party” in a tracklist? All of them, apparently. If one word could describe this record, it would be “guitars.” The Black Noise Party Boys deliver a nonstop southern metal blend with loud guitars, raw screamed vocals (think Every Time I Die), and a lot of chugga-chugga headbanging.… Continued →

February 19, 2008

REVIEW : Tree63 - Sunday!

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Artist: Tree63 Album: Sunday! Label: Inpop Records Release Date: September 25, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Sunday 2. Becoming 3. World Undone 4. Alright 5. Foolishness 6. There Is a Kingdom that Cannot Be Shaken 7. Almighty Silence 8. Walking Home with You 9. Not as This World 10. New Creation 11. The Revolution Once, somewhere between 1995 and 2001, there was surge of CCM bands that were genuinely good. Jars of Clay, Newsboys, Third Day, DC Talk, Deleriou5?… they all rocked in a way that was spiritually empowered and musically creative.… Continued →

February 18, 2008

REVIEW : Jake Smith - Real

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Artist: Jake Smith Album: Real Label: Rocketown Records Release Date: July 31, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Get Up 2. This Is Certain 3. What I Plan to Do 4. Breakdown 5. These Things 6. Real Love 7. Can’t Save Your Soul 8. I Don’t Know 9. Shady (Crazy) 10. Make Me Move 11. Run 12. Outtro Jake Smith is a man of versatile appeal. His cozy singer-songwriter tunes could easily travel from an independent coffeeshop to a larger radio-based prime-time-television-watching type audience. Smooth and soulful, his songs usually rest in a relaxed tempo with paino and heartfelt guitar work.… Continued →

February 12, 2008

INTERVIEW : Brave Citizens

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Eric, IVM: Alright. You guys can start out by introducing yourselves to our readers. Names and positions in the band. Adam, BC: My name is Adam Bialik, and I play lead guitar, keyboard, and backing vocals. Andrew, BC: Andrew Capra: vocals, rhythm guitar. Adam, BC: Are these answers informal, or should I use complete sentences? Eric, IVM: Ummm… no, it’s cool. Informal works best. Adam, BC: OK. Andrew, BC: Don’t want the kids thinking we have bad grammar, haha. Eric, IVM: How long have you been playing as Brave Citizens, and what’s the general background story?… Continued →

February 11, 2008

REVIEW : Admiral Twin - The Center of the Universe

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Artist: Admiral Twin Album: The Center of the Universe Label: The Pop Collective Release Date: October 16, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Good as Gold 2. In My Veins 3. Take Me Down 4. Smash It Up 5. Say Your Prayers 6. Get Well Soon 7. You Hung the Moon 8. Fear 9. Renegade Planet 10. Monument 11. The Best at Being Lonely 12. I Confess 13. Big Black Car 14. If Hell Is like You 15. Silence Charming pop-rock jams with a sensible indie twang ooze from this Tulsa, Oklahoma, three-piece.… Continued →

February 6, 2008

REVIEW : BadEnders - Driving

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Artist: BadEnders Album: Driving Label: None (released independently) Release Date: August 31, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. New and Improved 2. Possum 3. Masquerade 4. Don’t Tell 5. Cry for Help 6. Cold Feet 7. Drywater 8. The Lights Indie/Rock/Experimental. Or so says MySpace. This four-piece out of Dallas, Texas, could be enjoyed by fans of such bands as The Appleseed Cast, Copeland, or Radiohead.  The vocals are spacey and can become ethereal when harmonized. The slower songs like “Possum” and “Don’t Tell” lace piano and acoustic guitars over the usual mildly distorted guitar.… Continued →

January 30, 2008

REVIEW : Torn from Red - The Heart Beat EP

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Artist: Torn from Red Album: The Heart Beat EP Label: None (released independently) Release Date: June 23, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. We All Die Young 2. Not Tonight 3. Heart Beat 4. Forever 5. This Love With heavily charged guitars and loud and fast drumming, this four piece from York, PA, showcase a sound that lies somewhere between MxPx, Story of the Year, and The Early November. And be warned, it’s a grower, for sure. My first few spins found nothing spectacular, just another energetic punk-infused rock group with moderately loud vocals but a reasonably accessible sound.… Continued →

INTERVIEW : Number One Gun

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Eric Pettersson, IVM: You can start with your name and duties in the band. Jeff Schneeweis, Number One Gun: My name is Jeff Schneeweis and I sing and play guitar for the band. E: For those who haven’t been along for the ride, could you give a brief history of Number One Gun? J: Well we have been around for about 5 years. We are from Chico, CA, and still live there today. We have put out 3 full length records including the newest one on Tooth and Nail called The North Pole Project.… Continued →

January 23, 2008

REVIEW : The Shackeltons - The Shackeltons

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Artist: The Shackeltons Album: The Shackeltons Label: Loveless Records Release Date: January 29, 2008 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Your Movement 2. Tremble 3. The Blood 4. Yellow Cadillac 5. The Ship 6. The Breaks 7. Emergency 8. Soft Heart 9. Madeline 10. Bloke 11. Get Out Hailing from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, the five men forming The Shackeltons play a hip and unadulterated form of rock and roll that can only be described as what bands like The Killers would sound like if they actually had the indie roots people say they did.… Continued →

January 14, 2008

REVIEW : Rodinia - Year of the Liar EP

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Artist: Rodinia Album: Year of the Liar EP Label: None (released independently) Release Date: September 10, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Bad Habits Don’t Die Easy 2. Sound the Alarms 3. Honestly I’m Lying 4. Year of the Liar 5. [Untitled Instrumental] At ages 18 and 17, this Virginia Beach five piece would normally be written off by most concert-goers before they even began to play. But this is the fault of the audience, because they would soon be won back when Rodinia ripped into their sonic display of sound and energy called music.… Continued →

January 11, 2008

REVIEW : More Yom - Ripe

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Artist: More Yom Album: Ripe Label: None (released independently) Release Date: 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Beautiful 2. Demon Donkey 3. Set Sail 4. Peace of Mind 5. The Laugher 6. So Bold 7. Our Savior’s Eyes 8. Elements 9. Show Me the Door Bonus Tracks: 10. Tonic 11. Demon Donkey (the original 1:00 am version) It’s weird. I thought that all the reggae rock bands that were playing today had started their careers sometime before 1999. Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, and Sublime all played a style similar to More Yom over five (nearly ten) years ago, and there have been no newcomers to the fad since then.… Continued →

January 9, 2008

REVIEW : Oh, Sleeper - When I Am God

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Artist: Oh, Sleeper Album: When I Am God Label: Solid State Records Release Date: October 23, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Vices like Vipers 2. I Will Welcome the Reaping 3. We Are the Archers 4. Charlatan’s Host 5. The Siren’s Song 6. The Color Theft 7. To Flagship 8. His Name Was Bishop 9. Building the Nations 10. Revelations in the Calm 11. The End of a Dark Campaign Finally. A word that can be used in many ways to describe the release of this album.… Continued →

January 3, 2008

REVIEW : Demon Hunter - Storm the Gates of Hell

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Artist: Demon Hunter Album: Storm the Gates of Hell Label: Solid State Records Release Date: November 6, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Storm the Gates of Hell 2. Lead Us Home 3. Sixteen 4. Fading Away 5. Carry Me Down 6. A Thread of Light 7. I Am You 8. Incision 9. Thorns 10. Follow the Wolves 11. Fiction Kingdom 12. The Wrath of God Exploding onto the Christian metal scene in 2002 with dark imagery and a shroud of mystery was a band by the name of Demon Hunter.… Continued →

December 20, 2007

REVIEW : Tree by Leaf - There Is a Vine

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Artist: Tree by Leaf Album: There Is a Vine Label: Long Ago Light Release Date: 2006 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Over and Under 2. Chicago at Night 3. His Banner over Us Is Love 4. Fraud 5. Come on, Babe 6. Little Lost and Lonely 7. I Know Naught of Thee 8. Prince or Pauper 9. Believe It 10. You Have Always Met Me 11. God Is Good 12. Doxology Once in a while (or extremely often, depending where you get your music), one will find a band that scores very low on the originality scale.… Continued →

December 11, 2007

REVIEW : Far-Less - A Toast to Bad Taste

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Artist: Far-Less Album: A Toast to Bad Taste Label: Tooth & Nail Records Release Date: October 23, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Intro 2. Toast to Bad Taste 3. I Hope that We Swim (Oceans) 4. Thin Line 5. Segue to Devil without a Clue 6. Devil without a Clue 7. It’s Not Me, It’s You 8. Segue to Gentlemen (Go to Sleep) 9. Gentlemen (Got to Sleep) 10. Keep Keep 11. Segue to So Glad 12. So Glad 13. Surprise Funeral (For the Charmed) 14.… Continued →

December 7, 2007

REVIEW : David Crowder Band - Remedy

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Artist: David Crowder Band Album: Remedy Label: Sparrow Records Release Date: September 25, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. The Glory of It All 2. Can You Feel It? 3. Everything Glorious 4. …neverending… 5. Never Let Go 6. O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing 7. Rain Down 8. We Won’t Be Quiet 9. Remedy 10. Surely We Can Change David Crowder has always stood out in the Christian market. If you hate worship music, you have probably made the exception for David Crowder, despite the fact that most of the worship music world loves him too.… Continued →

November 16, 2007

REVIEW : Canterbury Effect - We Are All Dogs

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Artist: Canterbury Effect Album: We Are All Dogs Label: Crossroads of America Records Release Date: September 25, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Sasquatch Wristwatch 2. The Water’s Warm and It’s Getting Warmer 3. Everybody Says They’re a Little Bit Irish 4. They Don’t Run These Things on Hopes and Dreams 5. They’re My Friends and I Like Them 6. Gin Breath 7. Little Brown Bottles 8. Best Man 9. Crown Vic 10. Oh My God, I Totally Hate This Place 11. Southern Indiana Yacht Club 12.… Continued →

November 12, 2007

REVIEW : Surrogate - Love Is for the Rich

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Artist: Surrogate Album: Love Is for the Rich Label: Tooth & Nail Records Release Date: August 28, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Shift the Blame 2. 15 3. Talk of the Weather 4. Photographic Memory 5. Death Penalty 6. Problem Solving 7. Easy 8. Papertrail 9. Fix Another 10. Stay out of the Sun 11. Upside Down Pictures 12. The Fence “Indie.” A term used to describe musical styles as diverse as the full spectrum of the animal kingdom. From the amoeba to the deer to the pterodactyl (RIP), “indie” is a great blanket genre to cover them all.… Continued →

November 9, 2007

REVIEW : Thousand Foot Krutch - The Flame in All of Us

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Artist: Thousand Foot Krutch Album: The Flame in All of Us Label: Tooth & Nail Records Release Date: September 18, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. The Flame in All of Us 2. Falls Apart 3. New Drug 4. What Do We Know? 5. Favorite Disease 6. My Home 7. My Own Enemy 8. Learn to Breathe 9. Inhuman 10. Broken Wings 11. The Safest Place 12. Wish You Well Having followed TFK since Set It Off, their 2001 debut on DJ Dove Entertainment, their musical change across this career has been on one hand expected, and on the other, ridiculous.… Continued →

November 5, 2007

REVIEW : Mainstay - Become Who You Are

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Artist: Mainstay Album: Become Who You Are Label: BEC Recordings Release Date: September 25, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Become Who You Are 2. Stars Are Singing 3. Away from You 4. Where Your Heart Belongs 5. Am I Keeping You? 6. Believe 7. Only One 8. Island 9. When You Come Down 10. Roads 11. Story 12. Don’t I Look the Same 13. Hang On BEC Recordings has come a long way since The Adventures of the O.C. Supertones. Over the years, the label has switched its focus from being the home of the best-selling T&N bands to home of the more openly Christian artists that sign to the Nail’s empire.… Continued →

October 31, 2007

REVIEW : Oceans Above - Oceans Above

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Artist: Oceans Above Album: Oceans Above Label: Sparrow Records Release Date: April 24, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettesson Tracklist: 1. Beautiful One 2. O Praise Him (All This for a King) 3. Gazing 4. Rain Down 5. Filled with Your Glory 6. Blessed Be Your Name 7. God of Wonders 8. In Christ Alone 9. Love Break Me 10. Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful 11. Everything about You 12. Forever 13. We Fall Down 14. You and I 15. Jesus’ Blood “Holy faith! Why didn’t I hear about this thing before?”… Continued →

October 29, 2007

REVIEW : Mahteo - The NuWave Republic

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Artist: Mahteo Album: The NuWave Republic Label: Scotoma Artist Co-op Release Date: August 14, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Lucky 2. Montreal 3. To Manifest like Breath 4. Ahi Te Encontrare 5. New Love The fact that the 80s are still trying to live on is, in my opinion, a rather confusing thing. At times it can be entirely thrilling, and at others it can be downright horrifying. Take the example of 80s cartoon shows being turned into modern movies. You’ve got TMNT, Transformers, The Incredible Hulk, and so forth.… Continued →

October 17, 2007

REVIEW : Palaris - The Pros and Cons of Redemption

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Artist: Palaris Album: The Pros and Cons of Redemption Label: Blue Duck Records Release Date: August 21, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Long Walk Home 2. Thinking to Listen 3. Sandboxes and Sailboats 4. Iscariot 5. Masquerade 6. Ghost 7. Blindness for Belief 8. Time to Kiss the Ground 9. To Cameron, from Taylor 10. Life as a Game Palaris are, at this stage in their career, one of those bands that I could see as an opening act and absolutely love. It’s happened to all of us with any number of bands, and while I only have this CD to go by, I am convinced that Palaris would be the same, had I seen them live.… Continued →

October 16, 2007

REVIEW : Soul-Junk - 1959

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Artist: Soul-Junk Album: 1959 Label: Quiver Society Release Date: April 15, 2007 Review by: Eric Pettersson Tracklist: 1. Psalm 1 2. Psalm 2 …you get the idea… 22. Psalm 22 23. Psalm 23 By a show of hands, who knew that Soul-Junk still existed? Apparently, this project has been around for a long time and is still going strong. Soul-Junk is arguably best known for 1956, which was released on 5 Minute Walk Records (Five Iron Frenzy, The W’s, Philmore). From that album came the song “Ill-m-I,” which Toby Mac covered on his second solo record, Diverse City.… Continued →

October 6, 2007

INTERVIEW : Brian Fletchner (Quiver Society, Pilgrims band, ex-Warlord)

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Eric Pettersson, IVM: Please briefly introduce yourself. Brian Fletchner: Well, thanks for the interest in what I am doing. I have a family and they are wonderful. I have friends that love me and inspire me. Music is very important in my life, and I am very happy that others find what I am doing worth paying attention to. E: I thought it would be fun to start this interview off at the beginning historically and then work our way up. So let’s go back to the days of Warlord.… Continued →