Author: Timo Cuoco
December 31, 2022
I have dug this song from when I first heard it when it came out. The 2 piece is a brother & sister duo that primarily did pop rock that explored CCM radio back in the early 2000s. They were in their mid teens when they started. The band resonates with me also as both were homeschooled just like me. Both pursued soloist careers after they released 3 LPs together. Check out these lyrics. & hope y’all have a great safe New Years!
It’s a beautiful pain
When Your grace shines and touches my face
I know Your love
I’ve heard it sung a thousand times before
But still I cry for more
Surrender to my Lord
And tonight and the rest of my life
I want to live for You
Still I cry for You
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December 28, 2022
Song of the Day: Thrice - Black Honey vs Image of the Invisible
So this band reminds me of Memphis May Fire. Yeah, I saw them around, but never listened as they never landed on anything Christian related that I saw. Until maybe 10 years ago for both bands. Thrice is very well known obviously so I started to listen to their back discogs. They got some great stuff & this is my face from them, but please check out their other stuff. And yes, their songs are in the mainstream. Also, Check out their vocalists Dustin’s solo stuff
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December 26, 2022
Song of the Day: Philmore - Mobile Telephones
Pop punk Philmore were a band that released some fun songs back in the early 2000s era. Most would remember Our Finest Hour, but my friend loves Fishy. The members currently work in a few different fields. One is a fireman, one realtor & one photographer. Enjoy my fave!
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December 24, 2022
Song of the Day: Reckless Faith - Lonely Season
This 4 piece Canadian band released a demo & 1 LP. They sound pretty tight to me & I’ve heard thousands of bands. The Chrisman tape underground has a little info on them if you want to check that site out. Anyways, enjoy from 1993.
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December 21, 2022
Song of the Day: All In - Charles Barkley
All In released 2 LPs on & then fell away into obscurity from what I gather. Their 2nd cd was very different in that every song is titled after someone in basketball’s Olympic dream team. They are hardcore & appears to have had 5 members. Anyways, love this song.… Continued →
December 19, 2022
Song of the Day: The World Wide Message Tribe: Life vs Reach for Heaven
The WWMT has so many good dance songs. They changed their name to The Tribe & influenced so many Christian EDM artists. Beth is actually worship artist Matt Redman’s wife. My fave member of the band is Andy “Heavyfoot” Hawthorne. His voice is very unique. Also check out the other projects LZ7, & thebandwithnoname.
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December 17, 2022
Song of the Day: Noggin Toboggan - My Own Few Words
NT was a band from Cali who released 3 LPs of energetic pop punk tunes circa the late 90s. Appears the bass player went on & played w/ Eager Seas & Lakes that I’ve seen around. Their drummer was also in Upperhand. This jam is my fave.
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December 15, 2022
Project 86 releases Metatropolis
So this has gotta be the heaviest song Andrew & co. has ever released. It is the first single for their last project (no pun intended!) entitled Omni that will be released in early 2023. I’ve seen them almost as many times as Norma Jean live & they are great in ever way with their musical finesse. I helped crowdfund their live album & have a unreleased pressing from it. Their eponymous album was the first cd I purchased when I joined the military at an army PX!… Continued →
December 14, 2022
Song of the Day: Kingsdown - In Elegance and Rescue
This Arkansas band was a fave of mine when their The Scenario We Know So Well EP released. Prior songs from their Moments to Monuments were on my radar but this EP blew me away. They reeased a S/T LP that tbh I didn’t really care for which is I am guessing they went from the emoish modern rock sound to a rock n roll band. Anyways hope y’all like it & here are some lyrics.
I was lost at sea
And your gentle touch rescued me
You said you would stay but I was walking away
I heard your voice say come to me
It’s Our Time
I feel so free tonight
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December 12, 2022
Song of the Day: Robert Randolph and the Family Band - Going in the Right Direction
This blues band has been one of my musical faves for years. I finally got to see them live & took my mom! Check out their whole discography as they have released a lot over the years. This review will also run on a day when I will be travelling to my new job in another state so seems like a fitting title!
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December 10, 2022
Song of the Day: SHeeSH - Lip Service
This 3 piece grunge band made one album & fell into obscurity from what I can tell. Their label is none other than Grrr which houses a lot of the Jesus People U.S.A artists. Check em out if you like the garage grunge that seemed to rule the early 90s.
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December 7, 2022
Song of the Day: Under Midnight - Babylon USA vs Welcome to Dystopia
Mark Robertson has done a lot musically. This project is industrial w/ the 2 albums having a concept story, but he was also a part of the Ragamuffins w/ Rich Mullins & fronted This Train. He also played bass for the Legendary Shack Shakers. These 2 UM albums were faves of mine in high school. Check out the rest of his discography-you won’t be disappointed.
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December 5, 2022
Song of the Day: Hammertown - Reborn
This SOTD is unfortunately a memorial to the vocalist from this band. He was sadly killed by a drunk driver. This song Reborn was featured on some Christian radio stations back in the day. The band’s name came from a lake in their hometown. If you want to know more about them, follow the following link.
https://archive.org/details/HAMMERTOWN
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December 3, 2022
Song of the Day: EveReady - Live Completely
I apologize in advance, but here is a very obscure band that I found through an old Christian online radio station playlist. Wish I had more, but from what I gather their only other song was called For What’s It’s Worth. This song is pretty catchy imho. Maybe someone someday reading this will know more about them than I do. I don’t even know if their name is spelled right.
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November 30, 2022
Black Cherry Soda - Your Alibi
Who likes Black Chery Soda? 2 choices-Pop punk band or the drink. Band is from PA & lasted almost the whole 90s time period. They had a few songs that hit “Christian” radio & I’ve always liked this one the best.
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November 28, 2022
Song of the Day: Tenderfoot - Paid in Full
This band formed from the ashes of early emo band Dear Ephesus. The musical aspects dive into more modern rock. Appears they reformed under Tenderfoot to fulfill their contract with their record label & to reach a more versatile market outside the “Christian” industry. Anyways, also check out #1 & Low Road to Heaven also.
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November 26, 2022
Song of the Day: Rock N Worship Circus - Gift of Cool
This band formed from a church worship band. They were one of the first modern rock worship bands I think. They had a tight modern rock sound & had songs on Christian edgier radio stations including Ride, Undiscovered. They have since changed their name to The Listening. Gabe Wilson has worked with many musical endeavors over the years also.
These lyrics are awesome!
I remember the day
When the love of God landed in our town
He took all the silent and broken hearts
And fixed them up and gave them a sound
He had almost every different kind of kid
From every different kind of social background
Taking all the cool they had and praising God
As He spun them around, it’s when God came to town
And the people in our churches, they were constantly amazed
At the kids kneeling at the altar with their different fashion flavors
You had squares and preps and skater punks, Goths and techno-ravers
And the tattooed kids with the colored hair
And they were all getting saved
You think the sixties had good vibrations?… Continued →
November 23, 2022
Song of the Day: Morella's Forest - Voices Carry
Who besides me think covers can be awesome? Well MF did a great cover of ‘Til Tuesday’s classic song. Sydney has a unique voice & it does carry throughout this song. I listened to their Hang out EP for hours as a kid. I loved the shoegazing aspects of fuzz from MF & Starflyer. Tooth & Nail were putting out very different music sounds from the rest of the “Christian” market back then & I was fully on board. Before joining the military I had dreams of going to work for the label.… Continued →
November 21, 2022
Song of the Day: Forever Moon - Refined
Forever Moon was a modern rock band that released an EP & full length before disbanding from what I gather. I bought the EP, but now it runs for around $100 from what I’ve seen. They were reminiscent of the early 2000s era that “Christian” rock stations played on edgier stations with rock shows. Win You Over was their other main song.
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November 19, 2022
Song of the Day: Element 101 - Standing On the Edge of Night
Saw this band with Slick Shoes many years ago. Hung outside the place w/ the guitarist & drummer from what I remember. Hope you remember & like them as much as I have over the years.
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November 16, 2022
Song of the Day: Dodavahu - Mountain
Dodavahu reminds many of the funk groovy alt-rock of DighayZoose, Jane’s Addiction, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus vein. I can see a little why as they remind me of Elder & a few others from the early 90s alt rock daze. Their stuff can be hard to find , but appears a band member added some to his SoundCloud page. Look for Larry Larraga. They are also on a hard to find compilation from Dwarf Records called Sam which I have been looking for years. Check em out.… Continued →
November 14, 2022
Song of the Day: Eden Regained - Patient
This band seems to hearken from Newark, Ohio & this song was from their last release Ascension. They seem to have a post hardcore sound along w/ maybe nu-metal as you can hear some scratching. This is the only song that I know of that found its way onto indie “Christian” radio as I saw on a online chart a few times. hope y’all dig it.
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November 12, 2022
Song of the Day: Prescription - Reason For This Rime
It was pretty hard to find this LP over the years. Finally tracked down a copy on Ebay If I remember quickly. They fall within the alt/nu metal/rapcore genre. They had another LP on CDBaby back in the day also. Anyways, check out Lately I’ve Noticed also. Appears they were from Cali. They remind me a lot of E-So whom I am still looking for their song The Game.
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November 9, 2022
Song of the Day: Beth Hall - Send Down The Fire vs Fuel4Soul - Keep The Faith
Beth Hall has branched out from her band Fuel4Soul for this song. It has a modern rock vibe & the lyrics are chock full of worship energy . The song has hit Christian rock radio this past week so check it out. Also check out Fuel4Soul’s song Keep The Faith.
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November 7, 2022
Song of the Day: The Fall of Leviathan - Jesus Didn't Live the American Dream
Good luck on finding much on this rarity. I believe from what I remember they were featured on Radiou’s metal show many years ago. They seem to be of an early metalcore/deathcore variety & were from Reno, Nevada. Their Myspace page has them going to Joshuafest back in 2010 & ReverbNation has a demo of another of their songs. This song’s lyrics sounds to be close to a worship song as you can hear them screaming He died for us circa the 1:30 mark & some spoken circa the 3:15 mark.… Continued →
November 5, 2022
Song of the Day: TheCellExperiment - The Prize
This industrial artist Chris Cummings has gone by a myriad of names over the years of whom you can hear more of his stuff through Bandcamp. I have always liked this one, but it was long lost from a comp cd I made when mp3.com went away. Anyways, forgot about it over the years & found 3 cds of his on Ebay recently. Was listening to his nostalgic stuff when one jumped at me & I realized this was the song I had lost circa 20 years ago!… Continued →
November 2, 2022
Song of the Day: I Am They - From The Day
This country folk rock band isn’t your normal artist noticed on this site, but they have been a fave of mine for years. I finally got the chance to see them live here recently & I was sad. This was their last tour as a band. They actually started out really small doing some songs for their church from what I gather. Obviously they grew & found their way onto Christian CCM radio. I actually performed this song on bass to this megachurch church I was going to at the time to audition for the worship band.… Continued →
October 31, 2022
Song of the Day: Redline vs Ironside Collective - Vapor vs Doomsday
Redline is a grunge/post hardcore band from the 90s that changed their name to Echocast then to Ironside & now to The Ironside Collective. I think I saw them live right as they changed to Echocast. The Ironside Collective is their name & will song be coming out with stuff on The Charon Collective record label.
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October 26, 2022
Song of the Day: Room Full of Walters - Jefferey Dahmer Went to Heaven
Room Full of Walters was a modern alternative rock band from Kansas & were on Christian rock radio formats back in the late 90s. This SOTD references the age old question of how far is too far gone for us to be able to go to Heaven. The band had seen an interview on television & wrote this song. I know the reference is very extreme, but it still brings to light that every sin keeps us away from Jesus. Not one is good enough & we ALL need JESUS.… Continued →
October 24, 2022
Song of the Day: Shoo Fly Pi - Distasteful
This hard hitting nu metal/quasi rapcore band seems to have only released one LP in 2001, but had another song on a Rescue Records compilation. I am pretty sure their name comes from a type of pie that has molasses.
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