Spaces for Morning

by Leigh Silbernagel in Album Reviews, Concert Reviews, Editorials, Musician Reviews, New Releases, Opinion Posts, Song Reviews, bands to watch

A New Day in Indie Rock-experimental: ‘Spaces for Morning’

May 6, 2008 – Classified as Indie-Rock-Experimental, Spaces for Morning— Philadelphia PA —has a new album coming out. Members are John, Deven, Eric, Pete, and Mike. They started two years ago, and one year ago they changed the name from The Hummingbirds for stylistic reasons and because of the arrival of new members. They have not been signed and their album will be out mid-to-late June. They need bookings for D.C. Richmond, Charleston , Cleveland , Pittsburgh , New York , Atlantic City , and Connecticut for the month of July.

[The Songs] Available now on the Band’s myspace

“Like a Coal Mine Canary”— The power chords and drums work nicely together. Good intro and a smooth build up into the lyrics. The singer is a definite talent- his range and vocal control are impressive. Romantic-sounding lyrics are well written and the mellow guitar solo is refreshing. The bridge has creative effects. The end of the song and the resolution is all nicely done for a smooth finish.

“The Vanity in Her”—Was more emo-punk lyrically. The mixing and mastering is very nicely done. I would not recommend operating heavy machinery while listening, but for headphones and for when you want to be removed from the world it is a perfect fit. It is nicely done in terms of the effects and overall sound of the song.

“A Liar not a Scoundrel”—The a cappella intro highlights the talent of the vox. There was an unexpected transition. I can feel the “experimental” vibe here, with a post-alternative-punk twist. Nicely done arpeggios with a little bit of screamo influence makes for something fun to listen to. I’d say this one is my favorite.

“This Frozen Sea ”—I like the intro and the trance influence is apparent. It has very hypnotic melodic phrasing and nicely done, very smooth transitions between segments. This is good head phone music for those who want to fully enjoy the electronic subtleties and nuances. I actually really love the vox and harmonization of the echo effects. There were very much stream of consciousness lyrics. I have no idea what he’s saying but I really like the sound of it. It’s the music that you put on when you want to forget about the world for a while. Climax at the end gives it a nice little twist and the transition into the conclusion of the song is nicely done.

[The Interview]

They got their name by first brainstorming “words that comforted us:” “We wanted words that brought us a feeling of calmness. So we came up with spaces and morning and then ‘for’ was what we used to link them together.” Their biggest music influences are Circa Survive, Death Cab for Cutie, Mars Volta, and Gatsby’s American Dream.

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was named as a political and intellectual inspiration. The inspiration for lyrics comes from everyday random thoughts.

They named the biggest reward, as “when a dude comes up and is interested in the music… and it’s the response and respect from other musicians.” The biggest challenge they’ve encountered is “Recording. It is a long process, especially since we are not recording in one specific space. We started in January, it is almost May and we are still not done.”

The advice they have for new bands is “Be in a pop punk band. It’s easier (laughs). Stick with it. There’s ups and downs… lots more downs… but it’s definitely worth it.”

[The Performance]

The musicians were absorbed in their music the whole time, which made for an interesting stage show. The vox was impressive- in terms of a high vocal range while still maintaining the melody. This is the first guy I’ve heard who genuinely has an impressive, expansive skilled vocal range. Overall, the band has cohesiveness, ample stage presence, and a remarkable singer.

[The Bottom Line]

They can be readily identified by their combination of punk rock roots, electric rock instrumentation, demanding instrumental part writing, varying tempo and time signatures, subtle use of vocal harmonies. They have a new record coming out, and their old songs were good headphone music. The album will be a creative endeavor that will grab the attention of the listener and remove them from their surroundings for as long as you want to listen. The bottom line: the music entrances those who love it. Visit myspace.com/spacesformorning

-leigh silbernagel