If there is one band I can vouch for - one band that I can honestly say belongs on THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES soundtrack - it would be Chevelle.
I saw this band back in May at a local music festival. I'd been a fan of them for a few years, but you truly don't get the full experience of how much these guys rock until you hear them deliver songs like "Red", "Send the Pain Below" and the song I've picked for this week's Music Monday: "The Clincher".
This song has many interpretations, there's a much simpler explanation. Chevelle's Sam Loeffler explained to MTV back when the video first premiered in 2005. "It's about claustrophobia. It's cool to get a song out on the radio that everyone can listen to but it's about such a dark subject," Loeffler said. "I read somewhere that the Smashing Pumpkins song 'Today' was about [Billy Corgan] realizing he could end his life at any time and everything would be all right. It was a happy song about a pretty negative thing. And I think it's cool it got through under the radar."
Even more than just claustrophobia, I actually see this song in terms of Jocelyn and Valentine. Take a look at the lyrics:
I think of Jocelyn laying motionless, trapped in her own body as Valentine does what he can to plot and scheme to unleash his evil plans. I can almost hear her singing "Here's the clincher, this should be you".Touch
I'll stand for nothing less
Or never stand again
These are the limits when one's buried
This body's left the soul
(Well)Could we have known
Never would I(have)helped to nail down
Careful of drifting off
Now losing taste and touch
Turning a pale blue leaning in to say
This body's left the soul
The brain needs oxygen
Can't sneak around this bait
His catacomb has got me by the chin
This body's left the soul
[Chorus:]
(Well)Could we have known
Never would I(have)helped to nail down
With nothing to gain
Here's the clincher, this should be you
Now saturate [x4] and touch
Now saturate [x3], the earth
Now saturate [x3], the earth
[Last chorus:]
(Well)Could we have known
Never would I(have)helped to nail down
With nothing to gain
Here's the clincher, this should be you
(Made cold and crippled)
This happened to be never changing
Holding inside, the phobia viewed
Made cold and crippled, ending it all
Now saturate [x4], the earth
Now saturate [x3]
More about Chevelle:
Chevelle preserves their underdog spirit on Hats Off to the Bull (Epic Records)--their sixth full-length album.
That spirit has characterized the Chicago alternative hard rock trio since its independent debut, 1999's Point #1. Shortly after bursting onto the scene, the group made its major label breakthrough on the platinum-selling Wonder What's Next in 2002. The album spawned chart-topping hits "Send the Pain Below" and "The Red," leading to high-profile tours like OZZfest. Meanwhile, their next effort, 2004's This Type of Thinking Could Do Us In, exceeded gold status and the follow-up Vena Sera bolstered their prominence even further. Most recently, the band scored its highest entry into the Billboard Top 200 with Sci-Fi Crimes in 2009 debuting at #6.
Most artists with over 12 years in the music industry lose their initial fire, but Chevelle burn brighter than ever on Hats Off to the Bull. Rather than simply subscribing to a tried-and-true formula, they made a conscious effort to incorporate new sounds and textures into their patented airtight anthems. As a result, the group composed its most infectious, intriguing, and impressive offering to date.
"We're evolving," declares Chevelle singer, songwriter, and guitarist Pete Loeffler. "The album is different, and it's going to take some people by surprise."
"We wanted to capture more vibe than we had in the past," says drummer and Pete's brother Sam Loeffler. "We're a melodic hard rock band, but we wanted to expand on what that means. It's really important to be aware of what you've done already. We never want to write the same song twice. I think Pete writes 300 days a year. Joe encouraged us to try different instruments and techniques. He pushed us to continually play everything until it was right too. There are so many nuances to this music as a result."
Bassist Dean Bernardini agrees that Joe added something special to the project. "Joe was a perfect fit for this record. On the last record--Sci-Fi Crimes--we explored the possibilities of longer bridges and segues in an effort to deepen our musical waters. With Joe's laid back style of recording and creative input, we were able to assemble a collection of songs that greatly differ from each other, while having the consistent hard hitting tones that make up songs like 'Face To The Floor.'"
Those nuances come through loud and clear as a talk box echoes through the hard-hitting title track, reverb adds schizophrenic vitality to "The Meddler," and an organ colors the acoustic "Won't Be Left Out" with ethereal flourishes.
"We used a couple different things to pull that vibe out of the songs," adds Pete. "Using the talk box, reverb, and organ were completely out of our comfort zone, but we were excited to try something new."
At the start of the sessions, a brutal seven-day migraine sidelined Sam, and it altered the course of recording. "I was doing drums practically bleeding out of my head," he continues. "Some days, I literally couldn't get out of bed so they ended up working on the lighter tracks like 'Won't Be Left Out.' It set the tone for us to take our time and be experimental."
The album's first single "Face to the Floor" is emblematic of the band's progression. A grinding riff snakes through a hypnotic haze as Pete rails against the corporate corruption of Bernie Madoff on one of the most explosive hooks of the band's career. Simultaneously, Sam powers through a propulsive beat locked into Dean's groove. As soon as "Face to the Floor" hit airwaves, it became the #1 most added record at Active and Alternative Rock radio, a testament to the band's songwriting prowess and eternal knack for a hit.
Sam goes on, "Pete brought the riff to us, and we started jamming on it. The more we play together, the tighter we become. It was such a good riff that we didn't want to mess with it."
"It's an angry song," reveals Pete. "The lyrics are about someone who's been taken advantage of. I reference Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme. He raked people over the coals, stole, and is a terrible person. One day, these people have everything, and it's completely gone the next. At the time, I wondered exactly what went on and how it could happen."
Chevelle still keep everything a family affair, inviting their sister Natalie to add vocals to "Same Old Trip." Her falsetto rises alongside Pete's scream as the riff and drums stomp along together. Lyrically, the singer examines censorship.
"It's something everybody has to deal with, especially if you're in any kind of creative world," Pete exclaims. "You're going to have to face people trying to censor what you do. Don't fall into the same old trip."
The album title sums up the band's ethos. The singer had stumbled upon bullfighting pictures online and began reading about the sport, appalled at its brutality. "It's such a heartless sport and it's so torturous for these animals," says Sam. "We got the idea of rooting for the bull instead. We root for the underdog."
In the end, Chevelle are speaking out for underdogs across the board. "I'm writing about a lot of serious issues and emotions," says Pete. "When I was a kid, I used to throw on Led Zeppelin records, turn off the lights, and watch the stereo lights blink in total darkness. I'd crank it up, feel the rawness, and think about what was going on in my life at the time. I hope people can get lost in our music like that."
"We play music because it's what we love," concludes Sam. "It's been that way since the beginning. We're going to continue to ride this wave and see where it goes."
You can go follow the band on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChevelleInc and go like their Facebook page.
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