Since there's no new releases to report on and I could not find any new
reviews that I was just dying to share with you in cMusicMail, I thought I
should reacquaint you with some releases from years gone by and what these
bands are doing these days.

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FONO THEN: GOESAROUNDCOMESAROUND (1999)
by Josh M. Shepherd
Welding strong melody with cynical-yet-hopeful lyrics, die-hard bridge solos
with a wall of sound, Fono from the United Kingdom has already created quite
a stir with their debut GoesAroundComesAround. "Collide" and "Under My Skin"
are breathless rock-alt tracks espying the power and relationship of God,
all in the context of "there's a world living outside." Belief in the unseen
is prominent in "Something Must Be Happening." Naming that oft-referred-to
"place where I can find God," "Alcatraz" locks listeners into a loop of
"I'll bend until you break," a reference to the Lord's violent destruction
of our carnal mindset. Not a typical love song, "Pretty You" relates to the
loners and outcasts in trying again at life and love. Hardly a take on
fellow Brits delirious? and their hit single "Gravity," "Round and Round"
cleverly speaks of the moon man's retirement and the cheap help of social
clubs as it mocks the vanity of culture and selfishness. Attention to detail
in production is obvious on GoesAroundComesAround, conflicting with the norm
of Christian outfits who drop all sense of technical excellence. An epic
journey of darkness, mistakes and the resolve in "the first time she screams
~ 'Jesus, I am Yours,'" "Now She's 24" is a perfectly-delivered meld of
electric and acoustic that speaks volumes. The character and energy of Fono
begins to grow on you by "Drift Away," an avid track that stands to reach
and embrace the forgiving face of God. "Strangest Thing" is not as focused
as GoesAround's other material; however, the desire to "Burn" is made
manifest as they employ a shiftless, enduring sound to display the "red
orange glow" of our Maker's presence. Tinged with a melancholy reality,
"Splendid" tears a page from the Gospels in it's dance with Jesus--with us
as His bride. A hidden title track stresses the continuity of life, and the
ever-constancy of the Lord's far-sweeping forgiveness. The indelicate drive
of Fono glimmers with the perilous might of Jesus' love on their
indispensable project, GoesAroundComesAround.

FONO NOW: While touring in support of their debut, the Brit-rock trio opened
for (and became good friends with) the Goo Goo Dolls. Fono is still warming
up the crowds for the Goo Goo Dolls, and in return some of the GGD's have
lent a helping hand with Fono's latest studio project "Vinyl Life." No word
when it will be released, but keep checking http://www.fono.net/ for info
and http://mp3.com/fono for new tracks on mp3.


CHEVELLE THEN: POINT #1 (1999)
by Josh M. Shepherd
Call them intellectual punk, relaxed fit rock, or concentrated bass
groove-the only label that sticks for Squint's new band is Chevelle.
Brothers Pete (vocals, guitar), Joe (bass) and Sam (drums) Loeffler pack a
real punch in their debut's eleven tracks, journeying from fallen nature
("Point #1"), to the healing, vision and freedom God wills. Distorted and
grating at its core, "Open" rocks out the project with an intense mix of
track two's progression. The title cut rebukes the folly of adding our loss
in light of Christ's immeasurable love. Chevelle's potent rock grind
continues in "Prove to You" which screams (literally) for people to see a
world in dire doom and longing for the truth. Their current single "MIA"
strives for an identity that's missing in action, while "Skeptic" clings to
the wise ignorance of choosing Christ as the source of life. Many punk/hard
rock acts irk me with their obvious lack of talent; Chevelle consists of
first and foremost some incredible players, fronted by Pete Loeffler's
solid, intense voice and multi-layered songwriting. "Anticipation" builds on
the perspective of a new believer urged to see the Christian walk as a daily
struggle, not a Band-Aid to life's confusion. Translating the Spanish word
for "two," "Dos" contradicts oppressive reality that begs to give up.
Powered by the line "the rhyme you've hidden in won't keep long," track 8
takes on discouragement and unanswered questions, looking only to eternity
for resolve. "Blank Earth" and "Sma" cynically deny any hope in the world's
culture or the church's legalism, instead loosening their grip so God can
take hold. "Peer" slows down the breakneck pace (briefly) in disclosing the
blindness of humanity and overall need for vision. The Loeffler brothers
have for years been hard at work engineering their Chevelle...now we're
enjoying the ride as they floor their vehicle on a tarred pavement of images
and emotion.

CHEVELLE NOW: Guesses are that if you listen to mainstream rock music you
have probably heard these guys recently. Their second disc, Wonder What's
Next, hit stores last fall, and songs such as "The Red" and "Send The Pain
Below" have been hitting radio pretty hard. The brothers Loeffler are also
touring nonstop, and are currently on the Ozzfest tour with KoRn, Marilyn
Manson, and of course Ozzie himself.


THE ELMS THEN: THE ELMS EP (2000)
by Josh M. Shepherd
Unassuming and ungaudy, the first band of the year to be added to Sparrow
Records' roster, The Elms, give modern music fans a savory taste of their
upcoming full-length project in this impenetrable self-titled EP. "Goodnight
Rosa" thrusts listeners into the Elm's polemic observations on "love ~ and
all the crazy things it'll make a person do." With a one-two punch of tight,
strong vocals and a pop-yet-rock chording, Owen Thomas (lead vocals, piano,
guitar), Chris Thomas (drums, vocals), and James Thompson (guitar, vocals)
show promise even with just the first cut. Potentially a hit youth group
anthem, "Lifeboat" unharnesses the wilder side of worship, placing trust in
God despite life and it's trials. Delineating their desire to be God
chasers, my personal fave "You're Glowing" is a tame, but no less direct,
pursuit of our Creator. The sonorous, pure melody "You Think You Know A Guy"
is bound to become addictive for fans of Seven Day Jesus and Audio
Adrenaline, as this earth-toned impression crawls to the King for
consolation. Any band would turn a title like "Real Men Cry" into some
gushy, overstated tear-jerker. Save the Elms. They decry isolation, ego and
emotional barriers in their balanced, "let’s just sit and talk" closer. Much
more than a hot advance item for their early 2001 debut, The Elms EP is a
handful of antiphonous choruses cultivated with harmony, intensity and
understanding.

THE ELMS NOW: After two full-length releases and the above EP (currently out
of print), The Elms are still rockin' crowds of all ages and getting better
all the time. Supporting their latest release, Truth, Soul, Rock & Roll, The
Elms deliver true American rock and roll, and have become a regular opening
act for rock legend Peter Frampton. These guys are coming to your town soon,
so find out all the juicy details at http://www.theelms.net/


OTHER NEW STUFF ON cMUSICWEB.COM

Review: Here In America - Rich Mullins
http://cMusicWeb.com/pop/richmullins/hereinamerica.shtml

Review: Never Felt This Way Before - The Billions
http://cMusicWeb.com/rock/billions/neverfeltthiswaybefore.shtml


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