SUPERCHICK
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Superchick is living up to its name. Its first four albums have combined for 700,000 copies sold, more than 70 film, television and videogame song placements, and five No. 1 singles. But for a band inspired to empower its listeners, its new album does more than walk the talk… it rocks the talk!
“We’ve always encouraged people to go nuts with their gifts and abilities, but on this album we personally did that ourselves,” says Matt of the band’s latest sonic stunner, Rock What You Got. “There was an instance where Dave did a 100 different guitar takes of one riff ‘til his fingers bled, and Tricia kept singing until her voice gave out. On this album we just went for it!”
Rock What You Got infuses a “rock-o-tronic” sound – an electropunk mash-up of slashing guitars, pulsing keyboards and grit-pop vocals – with enough innovative production to make Tony Stark jealous. In music and message, it’s the “Last One Picked” hitting a Sid Crosby slapshot; it’s “Beauty From Pain” tears turning a beast into a prince; it’s “Karaoke Superstars” turning Average Daves into American idols. It’s the musical realization that you can’t just believe in your gifts; you need to rock ‘em.
“I told the band, ‘Everything we do, I want it to be more,’” says Max, who also produced. “If we are going to be rock, let’s be more rock. If we are going to be punk, let’s be more punk. If we are going to touch metal, let’s really do metal. I just wanted to fire all the barrels.”
In fact, the album is loaded enough for three lead singles at different radio formats. The CHR power ballad “Hold” offers a cloud of pianos, violins and electric guitars over which the girls cry out, “I need a hand to hold, to hold me from the edge.” The stirring AC confessional “Crawl (Carry Me Through)” takes a softer yet no less dramatic approach in its prayer for strength, and “Hey Hey” is a rock rallying call with fiery guitar chords, defiant attitude and female gang vocals that challenge, “Why kiss the feet of the people who kick you?”
“It stands true to your traditional Superchick,” says Melissa. “We all stand together, embrace our beauty, encourage each other and feel good about it.”
In making Rock What You Got, Superchick found the best way to rock its own gifts was a return to the indie mindset of its debut. Max explains, “We made our first album without any outside interference so we could try and do whatever we wanted, and that record is fairly creative for that reason. This time around, instead of trying to guess what the market would want, we went back to where we started and did whatever we wanted to do on Rock What You Got.”
One such example – as heard on upbeat rockers like “So Beautiful,” “Cross the Line,” “Alive” and “Rock What You Got” – was demonstrating the girls’ affinity for the Sarah Connor-Ellen Ripley era. “Back in the ‘80s, women were more about empowerment and being strong, and they didn’t have to fit into the mold of just being sex symbols,” says Tricia. “Vocally, we went more in that direction: rawer and pushing out the range, yet still carrying what we are.”
Rock What You Got also features the hard-to-find radio version of “Stand in the Rain,” which spent a record 13 straight weeks at No. 1, and the old school, Eddie Van Halen-channeling “Dave Ghazarian: Guitar Hero.”
Adding to the album’s edge, Superchick wrote the new songs against a backdrop of personal hardship. In the past few years, band members faced painful relationship splits and cancer touched four of their families.
Still, while the last album sought to empathize with listener pain, Rock What You Got is the battle cry to charge forward.
“This album is about empowerment and hope,” says Matt. “Don’t be afraid to cross the lines that people put up to limit you when you know you are better than that.”
Or as Max puts it, “This album calls on people to wake up and find their destiny.”
Rock What You Got’s message reminds people that Einstein didn’t withdraw when his headmaster said he’d “never amount to much,” and Beethoven didn’t give up when his music teacher called him “hopeless.” These people didn’t just believe in their gifts, they rocked them out!
If Karaoke Superstars introduced the idea of a “One Girl Revolution,” it’s Rock What You Got that proclaims, “The revolution starts when you cross the line.”
STELLAR KART
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From the opening salvo of Stellar Kart’s third album Expect the Impossible, it’s evident that the Dove Award-winning band is revolutionizing its sound with this adventurous, spirited, and totally unexpected pop ‘n’ roll project.
Returning to helm the project is producer Ian Eskelin (All Star United), who also shepherded Stellar Kart’s breakthrough sophomore album, We Can’t Stand Sitting Down. That CD yielded the No. 1 hit, “Me And Jesus,” which also earned the band its first Dove Award for Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year. “Content, content, content,” Eskelin declares. “The music is awesome, the energy is off the charts, but what sets Stellar Kart head and shoulders above the vast majority of its contemporaries is content. These guys are not afraid to say what they believe, straight up, without trying to couch it in some namby-pamby metaphor.”
“We are all fans of different kinds of music, and a lot of times we find ourselves listening to songs that we love, but the message is just terrible,” frontman Agee explains. “We talk with kids after concerts and are always hearing from youth leaders about the issues facing teens today. We wanted to write songs that would address such topics and encourage kids to expect God to work in their daily lives. That is what we have been about from day one. That is what we are still about.”
When Adam, along with bandmates Cody Pellerin (guitar), Jordan Messer (drums), and Brian Calcara (bass) hit the studio, Eskelin’s frenetic energy ignited Stellar Kart’s powder keg of creativity. The result is an explosion of new music chock full of pop melodies, catchy choruses, and singable lyrics.
If it is true that first impressions are the most important, Stellar Kart goes for broke on its first radio single: the blazing, no-holds-barred confessional, “Jesus Loves You.” An impassioned song about conviction and redemption, it cuts through the comfortable shades of gray with an unabashed declaration that “Jesus Loves You,” whether you believe it or not.
“The reason I do what I do now is because of what I didn’t do when I was younger,” Adam explains of the song’s bold lyrics. “I grew up in church; my dad was a pastor. I accepted the Truth at an early age, but I was a kid just trying to get by. I didn’t really do anything with my faith until I got to college. That was when I started to realize there was more to life than just getting by.”
“The bottom line is, we are not doing this just to make music. We want people’s lives to be changed,” Brian interjects.
Stellar Kart proves it can thrive in a broad range of musical realms as Expect the Impossible sustains its momentum with tracks like the classic rock anthem, “Shine Like The Stars” and genre-defying, fist-pumping, “Eyes,” with its synth-laden 80’s groove and Beach Boys-esque, feel-good, summertime melody.
“‘I Give Up’ is hands down my favorite song on the album,” the band’s classically trained guitarist, Cody Pellerin adds. “It’s the kind of song that got me into playing music in the first place. It’s rock ‘n’ roll. It’s Judas Priest meets Van Halen meets Motley Crew. I got to just rip it up on the guitar, which is what I really love to do. I know some people may listen to it and think, ‘Wow, that doesn’t sound like Stellar Kart,’ But this is where we are musically. And I think it is a good progression for us and our fans.”
“Sonically, we wanted to shoot for a broader sound,” Eskelin says. “Stellar Kart has never been afraid to challenge the current trend, so we decided to incorporate some new elements. This album will please the band’s die-hard punk fans while offering something to straight-up pop and rock lovers as well. The goal is to meet listeners where they are, driving an emotional connection to the music.”
Stellar Kart puts an exclamation point on Eskelin’s statement with such diverse tunes as the tender-and-tough pop ballad, “Pray,” in which Adam encourages listeners to ‘Pray...Even if you think you are not good enough.’ The bouncy, infectious, “The Right One,” evokes strains of such pop/rock legends as The Beach Boys, The Cyrkle, and their more contemporary offspring like Weezer and Jimmy Eat World. The happy-go-lucky anthem “Sunshine” boldly asserts that Stellar Kart is as much a bona fide pop band and serious chart contender as it is a punk quartet.
Which is not to say the band has abandoned its punk roots. “Automatic” has enough head-nodding hooks and frantic drum kicks to satisfy punk purists. And frontman Adam Agee even manages a couple of authentic rawk screams on “Eyes” and “Innocent.”
But as satisfying as Stellar Kart’s expanding musical repertoire is, it’s the lyrical honesty coupled with the band’s personal growth that most radically informs Expect the Impossible. “We are a pop band,” Adam explains. “When we made our first record we were young, and it reflected who we were at the time. The next record reflected a natural progression. Expect the Impossible is the next step. It is casting a wider net. It gets more people involved.”
“I love seeing kids attach themselves to something bigger than just school or work or friends or the latest fad,” Brian adds. “We want to inspire kids. We want them to know that they can make an impact on the world. That’s why I love this band. I like being part of something that is helping to make the world a better place.”
ARTICLE ONE
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With parents who were both music teachers—the father also an experienced Christian recording artist and worship leader—it's only natural that brothers Nathan and Matt Piché would somehow follow in their footsteps. So along with Dave De Smit, they formed Article One, taking their name from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights featured on U2's Vertigo tour, which states that we're all born equal and should therefore treat each other equally. It's the Canadian trio's way of reminding themselves of Jesus' command to love others, while also reflecting their desire to reach Christian and secular audiences alike.
One thing that will help them do that is the relatively distinctive sound of their self-titled debut, combining three-part harmonies with piano-based pop/rock, colored by Matt's violin throughout. It's very much like The Fray crossed with a more organic Switchfoot, with a touch of MercyMe and the lighter, pop-friendly side of Dave Matthews Band.
Though there's Christian inspiration behind most every track on the album, the spirituality is usually subtle, making the album accessible to secular audiences (and perhaps frustrating for those who prefer overt faith expressions). There are songs about the uncertainty of life ("In No Time at All"), broken dreams ("Run"), and being realistic with pursuits ("Slow Down"). "Dream October" offers regret over a failed relationship, while "Say It Again" expresses the need to show love to one another. Catchy "Still at a Green" cleverly expresses fear and hesitation, while the band seeks to remain genuine in spite of celebrity with "Confetti Smile."
"Hold Onto Me" still makes reference to the "man who walked on waves" and "lifted the dead up from graves." The first single "Heaven Let Me Know" openly asks God for direction, and "So Many Ways to Say Goodbye" takes comfort in the hope of heaven after the unexpected death of a friend. All in all, the fresh sound and personable songwriting mark a good start for Article One, who are well on their way to developing into something special.
STARLIT PLATOON
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Moving from behind the drum kit to the front of the stage would be a scary move for even the most versatile musician, but its a formula that seems to be paying off for many drummers in the music industry. Undoubtedly one of the most successful transfers is Dave Grohl, former Nirvana drummer who now leads the chart-topping Foo Fighters, a band that is still going strong twelve years after they formed. Looking specifically at the CCM industry, it worked for Peter Furler and the newsboys after the departure of lead singer John James. Aaron Gillespie from Underoath took advantage of some down time and formed The Almost, and now Brandon Estelle from Superchick has made the role-change to bring us the up and coming Inland Records band Starlit Platoon. Formed in the summer of 2005, with long time friends, Chase Lovelace (drums), Caleb George (bass) and Ray Darter (guitar) Starlit Platoon became an outlet of Estelles songwriting and soulful vocals. Today, Starlit Platoon is opening for other major acts and headlining their own shows throughout the Midwest.