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3 6/16/201015. Ben Folds Five - Smoke. In this song, Ben Folds convincingly belts the lyrics "Those who say the past is not dead can stop and smell the smoke" as he metaphorically sings of burning a book of memories. He's just always been great. I was fortunate to see Ben Folds Five a couple of times.16. Built To Spill - Car. BTS very well might be my favorite band, at least from time to time. Something about this song just has a place in my heart. There's Nothing Wrong With Love is a stellar BTS album. There one of the few bands that I'm quite glad they don't seem to ever really seem to change.17. Jeremy Enigk - Cannons. Jeremy Enigk has always been one of my favorites. Whether it was with Sunny Day Real Estate, The Fire Theft, or on his own, he never - ever fails to discover melodies with his sage voice that move me. I've always thought if the Jeremy Enigk we knew would have been around when Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel were in their Heyday, he would have been right there with them.18. Paul McCartney/ The Beatles - Blackbird. This song is one of the greatest songs ever written. Such a brilliant chord progression, such beautiful lyrics that connect with anyone and everyone but originally written about African Americans in their plight of deserving equal rights. I had the opportunity of getting to see Sir Paul this past year in concert. Although he could practically be the president, I still hope to one day have tea with this man.19. U2 - Beautiful Day. - Have you ever heard a song that gets you as stoked on life as this song does? To think they wrote this song in their 40's, after countless other massive, great songs. I can only hope for such a day to write such a gem. U2 are the kings.20. Jets To Brazil - Sweet Avenue. Punk Rock legend Blake Schwarzenbach is one of the greatest lyricists of the 90-00s underground music scene. There's a line in this song "...Like they handed me my life, for the first time it felt right... for the first time it felt worth it... like I deserved it." Just gives me hope. I love music. - 2 6/15/2010
My favorite songs
Hey guys, a couple months back an mp3 site asked me to write out my favorite songs and why so that they could post it as a feature on their site. I ended up just coming across these songs and realized that I'm not sure this list ever ended up seeing the light of day. So, I figured why not post it here? Hope you enjoy! These are some favorite songs of mine...
Bryce
1. Counting Crows - A Long December. - "And there's reason to believe maybe this year will be better than the last..." This song has to be one of my favorite songs in the world. Not only because it's just simply a great song, but how I happened to hear this song at a time in my life where it just really struck a chord with me. It was one of those "you had to be there" kind of moments... and it just changed my life. While for others, A Long December might just be a great song, for me I associate this song with an amazing moment when God wanted me to know that he loved me, and he showed me through this song playing on a jukebox at the perfect timing. My friend Matt Thiessen of Relient K came out to Dallas to open our hometown release show for Of Men and Angels and he played this song. I decided to walk out and sing it with him. Was a really good moment.
2. Radiohead - Let Down. When I was a freshman in high school I would come home from school, light candles in my room and I would put on ok computer several times a week. To me, this album might be the best album ever made. Let Down is one of the greatest songs ever written.
3. The Damnwells - Texas. I dare you to not drift away into a blissful state listening to this song. This song reminds me of a very special time in my life. Texas, Love, Travel. This band is so incredibly unsung. Alex Dezen's voice is legendary.
4. Archers of Loaf - Web In Front. I heard this song on the Mallrats soundtrack and it solidified my love for indie rock as a teenager. To me, this is the perfect example of a band not over thinking, just plugging in and going and a perfect little gem of a song being born. Archers of Loaf were awesome.
5. Peter Gabriel - Here Comes The Flood. Something about this song has always given me chills, it's quite dark and makes me think of death and those dear to me that I've lost. But I just can't stop listening to it.
6. The Killers - All these things that I've done - My brother and I were driving around a couple years ago and he put this song in, turned it up and jammed it. It was just this random but incredible moment that I can't forget. I ended up singing the "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" in the breakdown of my song ,"A Song Is Not A Business Plan" for an entire tour and had a cheap thrill of feeling what it must be like for Mr Flowers. It felt good.
7. Superchunk - Watery Hands - Superchunk has a special place in my heart. "I'm made of water you're made of sand. Don't grit your teeth, just let me kiss your watery hands." Does this mean mud=love? I have no idea, but I just love it.
8. Kanye West - Jesus Walks. Sure, Kanye can be an annoying individual, but can't we all? I think this song is brilliant and gets me so pumped. I love his lyrics. I once surprise karaoked this in a quiet pub on the road for my guitar player who was going through a hard time. I was embarrassed at how white I sounded but I felt so Bad A.
9. Smashing Pumpkins - Where Boys Fear To Tread. I convinced my dad to take me and my friends to see the pumpkins when I was in 8th grade. They came out and opened with this song, pitch black in the room with strobe light flashes, playing it about 5 times faster than on the record. That moment changed my life. I knew that I was going to rock when I grew up, no matter what it took.
10. Jimmy Eat World - Believe in What You Want. This song gave my desires for wanting to really play music for a living a good kick start. I got to see JEW play on the static prevails tour in front of about 30 people. I couldn't be happier for their success and that they are still cranking out the tunes.
11. Gomez -Hamoa Beach. This song has such a unique quirky vibe to it and is so catchy. Those lyrics, "Fear. Don't let it take you, like it nearly took me - fear." The song could be about something totally different but that one line over that hook just gets me every time.
12. Guster - I Spy. Guster is a great band. So original. I tried to get their drummer/percussionist to play on one of my songs "Tell Me Something Good" but it was too hard to get a hold of him so I just played the drums and percussion myself. This song is lush and powerful. Those lyrics, "There is something I've been meaning to do, I've been meaning to tell you, I've been so damn sad." Man. The melody and delivery of that is just incredible. I know I sound so emo right now.
13. Bryce Avary - Hymn. This might seem a little vain, but I wrote a song once that I simply titled "Hymn" that means a lot to me
14. Foo Fighters - My Poor Brain. All I can say about the Foo Fighters everyone already knows. This band straight up owns. - 3 5/4/2010
Dear UK
Dear UK,
The time has finally come. After almost two years we will finally be returning to the UK on a headlining tour. I couldn't be happier and more ready to hang with you guys. Since it's taken so long to get back, we plan to make up for that by playing long, bombastic sets every single night As it stands now, it's likely this might be our ONLY trip to the UK on this album cycle... So don't miss it!Hope you are well! Can't wait to see you...
Bryce19-May-10 Nottingham, UK - Rescue Rooms20-May-10 Newcastle, UK - University21-May-10 Glasgow, UK - G223-May-10 Liverpool, UK - Academy 224-May-10 Manchester, UK - Club Academy25-May-10 Cardiff, UK - Club Ivor Bach26-May-10 Birmingham, UK - Academy 228-May-10 London, UK - Electric Ballroom29- May-10 University of Herfordshire - Slam Dunk South30- May-10 Leeds Uni - Slam Dunk North31-May-10 Stoke, UK - Sugarmill2-June-10 Portsmouth, UK - Wedgewood Rooms3-June-10 Brighton, UK - Concorde 25-June-10 Amsterdam, Holland - Melkweg6-June-10 Paris, France - Batofar - 25 Hey guys,we will be going on tour in the US this March with OneRepublic then in April with the Goo Goo Dolls. We're pretty excited about this as we can't wait to see you guys and it will be rad touring with both of these great bands. And just so you know, the plan is to play headlining shows on several off days within the tours as well as do a brief headlining run in between the two tours. Will keep you posted! Here are the dates for now, can't wait to see you. BryceWITH ONEREPUBLIC3/13/10 Montgomery, AL Riverwalk Amphitheatre3/14/10 Tallahassee, FL Floyd’s Music Store3/16/10 Mobile, AL Soul Kitchen3/17/10 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall3/22/10 Des Moines, IA People’s Court3/23/10 Madison, WI Overture Center for the Arts – Capitol Theatre
3/24/10 Decatur, IL Kirkland FAC @ Millikin U.3/27/10 Searcy, AR Benson Aud. @ Harding U.3/29/10 Russellville, AR Arkansas Tech U.WITH GOO GOO DOLLS04/10 Oswego, NY SUNY Campus Center
04/13 Hershey, PA Hershey Theatre
04/15 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino
04/16 Potsdam, NY Cheel Arena
04/17 Erie, PA Penn State Behrend
04/20 Richmond, VA The National
04/21 Norfolk, VA The Norva
04/23 Greensboro, NC War Memorial Auditorium
04/24 North Charleston, SC Performing Arts
04/27 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live
04/28 Auburn, AL Beard-Eaves Coliseum
05/02 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
05/04 Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theatre - 12 2/22/2010
Of Men and Angels Eve.
Wow.
The day is finally here...
There are so many long pauses I’ve already taken as I write this blog and I’m only one sentence in. It’s quite hard to put into words the magnitude of this moment. Of Men and Angels is here. Of Men and Angels is… HERE. You have no idea how great this feels to type this. I’m flooded with memories of the past year while I’ve waited for it’s release and I’m just so incredibly thankful. I couldn’t be more ready and driven to dive in to this year. An explosion of pent up energy more than you’ve ever seen from TRS will be in full force this year. Seriously… yes! Each album I’ve made is special to me, but none have a story like this one. From the start, I went out to make an important record, important meaning bigger than one that just sells lots of records and makes someone bob their head, but one that ultimately does something special for someone, one full of honesty, tackling faith and doubt, struggles and hope… an honest, candid record. I pushed myself musically more than I ever have. I wanted to write great songs and I wanted this album to radiate with integrity. It was the easiest record I’ve ever written and recorded yet at the same time, it was the hardest to endure. It was an album and season so full of obstacles, the kind of obstacles that 2009 brought for so many. From a staggering amount of key people coming and going from management to the label that ultimately forced the release of the album back much longer than we expected, to scheduled events being moved around, Of Men and Angels has been in a way a battle… but now a victorious one. Because we are here! And that is the bottom line! This is truly the beginning of something special. The eve before the release of my favorite TRS album and I find myself in a place where I’ve never been so grateful to do what I’m supposed to do - play music, so grateful for this album, so grateful for the team I have in our label, mgmt, my band, agents and so grateful for YOU. You are just as much a part of this as I am and I say that sincerely. Thank you for being apart of this. It’s time to raise a glass and begin a new journey.
“I wouldn’t know just how sweet this tastes now, no, if at first I did not go through bitter times, through bitter places, Ill stay alert for new battles, but for now we’re here.” – Hills and Valleys
“I don’t want to look back on all my years, recollecting the mistakes that then will be clear about how I ran and chased a place my whole life then come aware that I was there… I was there.” – This Is A Refuge
We’re here.
You Ready?
Bryce
- 2 2/18/2010
First Blog
This is where you will see some sweet bloggage. For now, feel free to look around and hang out. Really glad you are here.
PEACE.
Bryce
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