Evan Lysacek claims winning Dancing with The Stars wasn’t his goal. I am a little disappointed to hear that because I was a fan of his. Maybe it’s just me, but if I am in a competition, I’m in it to win it.
“We are so excited to have gotten this far,” the Olympian told us this morning during our weekly exclusive one-on-one. “What I said coming into this competition is, regardless of what anyone says—I did not know how to dance. My motives for doing the show were really simple and honest—I wanted to do something fun and I wanted to dance. At this point I feel like: mission accomplished.”
Mission accomplished. So that’s it and now you can go home.
Often descriptions of bands fall into the equation of “this well known group plus this other established act plus a few adjectives.” But some bands defy this shorthand, offering something so pure & true that its roots aren’t apparent. Everestis this sort, taking us down to foundational rock truths with an easy glide and expansive vision. While one can draw some clues from the folks they’ve toured with – Neil Young, Wilco, My Morning Jacket – ultimately Everest is simply a great rock ‘n’ roll band in the classic, open-minded mold, something boldly apparent on their sophomore release, On Approach (arriving April 20 on Vapor Records).
Formed in Los Angeles in 2007, Everest is comprised of Russell Pollard (vocals, guitar, drums, lyricist), Jason Soda (guitar, keys, vocals), Joel Graves (guitar, keys, vocals), Elijah Thomson (bass, vocals) and Davey Latter (drums, percussion). Their 2008 debut, Ghost Notes, drew strong critical marks and comparisons to primo Topanga Canyon, California country rock. However, none of this quite prepares one for On Approach, which finds the group in a full-tilt creative charge.
“We weren’t a band for very long when we made Ghost Notes. I had songs, we recorded them in just two weeks, then immediately toured. On Approach has been a completely different experience,” says Pollard. “Now it’s guys who’ve actually struggled together and survived some tight spaces, cramped hotel rooms, some arguments and some really, really good times. There was a lot of collaboration, and we weren’t afraid to do anything.”
On Approach is a bold album that bolts out of the gate with an enveloping sound capable of filling large spaces, both in the outside world and between one’s ears. In broad strokes, it hits the sweet spot between stratospheric, stadium size rock and gorgeous, emotionally charged pop craftsmanship. From infectious and thumping opener “Let Go” through heavy rocker “I’ve Had This Feeling Before,” the sweet humming, “Keeping The Score,” the naked romance of “Dots,” the haunting, spacious roots rock of “East Illinois” and “Fallen Feather,” and culminating in the boiling over cascade of closer “Catalyst,” On Approach moves with a focused, switched-on intensity that announces the arrival of one of the most engaged rock units today.
On Approach isn’t just an assemblage of random tracks, but a classic two-sider vinyl kind of album, where the full resonance and weight of it can only be felt by taking the full ride. Everest is this sort of band, too, one that strives for something more than three-minutes in the spotlight. These guys are lifers and the music they make is built for lifetimes, maintaining some elusive core that rewards one with each new spin.
“On Approach has all the good things that make a great record,” says veteran producer/mixer Rob Schnapf who mixed Everest’s latest, and who’s impressive credits include such modern classics as Beck’s Mellow Gold & Odelay, Elliott Smith’s XO & Figure 8, as well as Foo Fighters’ eponymous debut. “This record has a familiarity yet doesn’t copy anything. It’s expansive, and it doesn’t sit in one place. Listening back to the final version, I realized it was like an old-time record experience, one you don’t get any more.”
With guitars that range from bright and chiming to tense and meandering, harmonies that are both delicate and pastoral, and Pollard’s gentle, hazy vocals, On Approach is indeed reminiscent of a bygone era, a time before the Internet, when albums were still an art form and stories were told on vinyl. But as it exudes timelessness, as it ebbs from rustic grooves into hushed lullabies, it also asserts itself as something very of the here and now – something that is more than the sum of its parts.
“One of the things that’s intriguing about this album for me, is hearing the moments where we started to transcend,” reveals Pollard, “where those moments and the music became something beyond ourselves.”
I’ve heard their album, and it’s absolutely amazing!
CONTEST!
I’ve got 2 tickets to see Everest in Portland, Oregon THIS FRIDAY!! If you want tickets, leave your name/email in the comments below!
Paying homage to actor and style icon Brad Pitt’s ultra bohemian, off-screen look, CALIFORNICATION guest star Rob Lowe plays unpredictable mega-watt movie star ‘Eddie Nero,’ a contender to play Hank (series star David Duchovny) in the film version of his blockbuster novel. Lowe (Parks & Recreation) will star in three episodes of the hit SHOWTIME comedy series’ upcoming 4th season.
Katie Holmes walks and talks with her friends. She looks so tall! Every time I see her now, my mind has been burned with the image of her singing and dancing for Tom Cruise. Why’d I have to watch the video? Why?
Paula Abdul is coming back to TV to judge on CBS’s Got To Dance! It has been a year since her departure from American Idol and I don’t know about you, but I have missed her. American Idol is just not the same without Paula and her craziness. So I am thrilled to here she is coming back to TV.
It had been rumored that Paula would join Simon Cowell on his upcoming show The X-Factor, but I guess she had other plans in mind. This show is going to feature all styles of dance and that is right where Paula shines. I can’t wait to tune in.
