Music
Press
7/9/2006 9:35 PM
You guys where Amazing at lifest!!!!
7/9/2006 8:22 PM
you guys rocked at lifest!!!! and i bought ur t-shirt and u drew a turkey on it and i will wear it on thanksgiving! haha. you guys are really cool and i love ur music! hope to see you at lifest again next year.
7/9/2006 4:22 PM
OMG hey, I was at lifest and i got your cd it is soo great. I hope it helped you get home:) You guys are awesome. keep up the awesome music!!
7/7/2006 11:24 AM
i heart you. - LA
One of the most refreshing rock bands to hit the scene in many years, Lost Anthem combines the talents, experience and inspiration of seasoned artists coming together to make the best of a bad situation.
Several years ago, lead vocalist Jason McKinney and lead guitarist Jimmy DeTalente were in two different bands on the same record label. They frequently ended up playing shows together and became good friends with a mutual respect for each other’s musical abilities. Unfortunately their record label ended up folding as a result of the recent downturn in the music industry, and each was left without a label home. Says Jimmy, "After picking up the pieces, or trying to anyway, we decided to get together and combine our influences to see what we could come up with. I am definitely a student of the old school approach - guitar riffs, solos, and power chords. Jason’s forte is coming in with great vocal melodies and lyrics, and a real desire and ability to connect with the audience at our live shows." Completing this powerful pairing are brothers Jake and Jessie Fuller, sons of a well-known concert promoter, who have each been around the music scene literally since they were infants.
The results have been enthusiastically received by audiences around the South and Midwest as the band is readily gaining an eager following. With a musical style that McKinney describes as ‘summer rock,’ Lost Anthem’s music is a rare mix of glorious ROCK ANTHEMS ("Too Far Gone," "Born to Lose," "Other Side of Nowhere") that hearken back to the glory days of 80’s Rock and Roll, carefree and fun rock songs with a mixture of themes ranging from love songs to a search for meaning in life ("80’s Love Song," "Dear Summer," and "Take Me There") and poignant POWER BALLADS ("Reason," "Broken") that touch and inspire the listener on a much deeper level.
A close personal friend and mentor of the band, Michael Tait (dc talk / Tait) affirms Lost Anthem’s gift for engaging people on many different levels. "When I first met them at a summer festival two years ago, I didn’t realize what kind of experience I was in for. I must admit that during the routine sound check, I took them for just another band. That all changed when McKinney and crew took the stage. They electrified the crowd, engaged every eye, and touched every soul."
As the primary lyricist, McKinney draws on his life experiences as a child from a broken home and a wayward teenager to pen lyrics that are both practical and accessible, yet offer faith-based solutions to life’s everyday trials. The call to a music career came early for McKinney. "At an early age music became my passion, as a means to challenge and inspire the human spirit. It was like I had an epiphany," he explains. "I knew that this is what I was created to do."
One of their more recent songs, "Breakdowns and Breakthroughs," tells the story of a tongue-pierced, unruly young woman who runs away from home, resorting to drugs and prostitution for survival. Mentally and physically broken, she shamefully goes back to her family, who rejoices over her return. It is a modern day retelling of the familiar story of the Prodigal’s son. Also on the subject of grace is "Broken," a song inspired from a book written by one of Jason’s favorite authors, Philip Yancey. The first verse states, I cried out surrender but I kept holdin’ on / You shattered my agenda I’d held for too long / I’m walking and I’m wounded but I’ve begun to see / Sometimes broken is the best way to be.
"Most of the time it is in those desperate moments of brokenness that we are most aware of our need for God’s grace," Jason says. "I want my listeners to take away a positive yet tangible message from music they can relate to."
Lost Anthem draws much of their musical inspiration from great rock bands spanning several eras. The educated listener will hear influences from a diverse selection of bands like Cheap Trick, Bon Jovi, Marvelous 3, Prince, and newer bands Maroon 5, Switchfoot, Yellowcard, and Lost Prophets to name a few. Their sound is innovative yet familiar, with powerful radio-friendly hooks and deep grooves.
"Growing up as part of the MTV generation, we were exposed to a much broader spectrum of music. Before media took over the dissemination of popular music, people were introduced to music through their culture. Our music is a reflection of a melting pot of musical influences, and that’s only a good thing. We believe that’s where the future of music is headed."
- CMCentral 2004
Up and coming band, Lost Anthem, formed a few years ago upon the meeting of Jason McKinney (lead vocals/guitar) and Jimmy DeTalente (lead guitar). Contrary to what you may believe after hearing the album, the band was not born in the 80's. However, McKinney and DeTalente, teaming with Jake Fuller (guitar) and Jessie Fuller (drums), make it perfectly clear that while they haven't been around since the 1980's they have given that decade a special place in their hearts. It's refreshing to hear music with this type of guitar philosophy behind it. Though the guitar solo is slowly returning to the rock scene, for Lost Anthem it's already arrived, though not in an overly dated way. Their sound is somewhere between Cheap Trick, Rick Springfield, Boston, and Marvelous 3, which is an interesting combination to be sure. It's grounded in 80's rock, but still has modern sensibilities so as to avoid musical irrelevance. Lyrically, the band is positive and reflective and, at times, a bit more thoughtful ("sometimes broken is the best place to be," they sing on "Broken"). Give Lost Anthem credit. They tribute their musical influences and heritage but still turn in a final product that can be appreciated by today's musical audience. (Lost Anthem's debut is a fiesta full of summer rock anthems and power ballads. It's a wonder these guys haven't been signed yet, but it won't be long. There are only a limited amount of these CD's that were printed and once they're gone....well, there won't be any more left :-) ) - Fresh Releases
Otherside Of Nowhere
Artist: Lost Anthem
Label: Indie '
A modern rock band with a mentality that is so totally stuck in the '80s, Lost Anthem creates a sound that hearkens to a musical decade memorable for giving us air-guitar producing power chords, epic rock ballads, and fire, fire, fire!
Thankfully, Lost Anthem is no clone of the current Rolling Stone poster child, the increasingly annoying Darkness. Rather, they subtly import a retro influence into their hook-heavy tunes.
Largely positive in both lyrics and instrumental tone, Lost Anthem’s album _Of Nowhere_ incorporates a standard mixture of big rock, reflective odes, and drippy ballads. They mostly accomplish the task of pulling off a fairly successful sonic output and definitely demonstrate a proficiency of musicianship that is comparable to similar-sounding bands such as Sugar Cult.
The best tune on Of Nowhere is “Forgetful Memory,” a song overflowing with amp-bursting guitar riffs.
Lost Anthem is a worthy torch-bearer to the '80s legacy, but not so totally immersed in the decade that they have lost their modern sonic sensibilities. They are sure to be snapped up by a savvy record label in very short order.
Noel Lloyd
6/22/04
- Phantom Tollbooth
Discography
Moments In and Out of Time - Aug 2005
Otherside of Nowhere - April 2004
Photos
Bio
We're taking some time off touring to finish our new CD with Tommy Sims. Look for an update on things later this summer (2008).
Vidoes and new audio online at www.myspace.com/lostanthem
They have been called the soundtrack to youth, the soundtrack to summer, and worthy torchbearers of the 80s legacy. Not content to rest on previous successes, Evansville, IN based Lost Anthem has released their anthemic sophomore disc Moments In and Out of Time and if you thought their debut release was a fun ride, then in the words of Bachman-Turner Overdrive You aint seen nothing yet!
Lost Anthem was birthed in 2003 by vocalist Jason McKinney and lead guitarist Jimmy DeTalente. The group is rounded out by Jordan Fuller (guitar), Jesse Fuller (drums and no relation) and James Brown (bass). The "J" names are all coincidential, but cool none the less. Their debut release, Otherside of Nowhere, hit the streets May 2004 to critical acclaim from such respected publications as all City Music Guide, CM Central, and Nashville Rock Scene; plus features in Kings of A&R, Midwest Bands.com and on Westlake Audios site. They even appeared in the film Novem which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005. The disc spawned singles like Take Me There were well received by radio stations from coast to coast causing fans everywhere to turn their heads as the band relentlessly toured.
Their latest effort, Moments In and Out of Time, boasts a more mature sound for the band. Relying heavily on the hook laden rock and roll sensibilities of latter days while, at the same time, belonging soundly in the here and now. A lot of the songs on our first record were written before we became close friends and developed a strong sense of musical direction, states Jake Fuller. McKinney adds, When we wrote the songs for the first album we were wondering if who we were as a band was palatable, relevant or needed. He continues, We have discovered over the course of this last year that what we have to offer is needed and that brought a lot of confidence to the band. That confidence is evident all over Moments In and Out of Time.
Songs such as Hey DJ, California, and 80s Love Song bring a much needed summer feeling to todays music scene, offering equal parts fun and talent. When people hear the album I hope that they get the urge to get in their car, roll the windows down and drive around aimlessly, singing Lost Anthem songs at the top of their lungs, says guitarist Jimmy DeTalente. While Lost Anthem has their share of fun, be careful that you do not dismiss them as a one dimensional band.
Case in point the more focused route of songs like Too Far Gone, Otherside of Nowhere, and the strikingly emotional ballad Reason, all of which contribute to the intricate balance the album displays. Moments In and Out of Time also features a DVD comprised of a behind the scenes documentary and videos for Dividing CDs, California and the rock anthem Hey DJ - the latter of which features Miss Teen Indiana.
As the primary lyricist, McKinney draws on his life experiences as a wayward child from a broken home to pen lyrics that are both practical and accessible. As far as lyrics go, we try to capture common experiences that all humans have. We try to paint a scene with our lyrics so that the listener can relate our stories to theirs, without losing who we are in the process. There is a stream of faith that runs throughout our lyrics and its current is our belief in Jesus Christ. Sometimes that current is overt and other times not, but it is always there," shares McKinney.
The commonalties between the band and the listeners life experiences are precisely what connect Lost Anthem wholeheartedly with their ever growing fan base. We genuinely appreciate every single person who takes time out of their lives (time that they can never get back) and decides to come and allow us to play for them. It humbles us that people allow us to be a part of their lives, even if it is only for a couple of hours, states McKinney about the bands special relationship with their listeners. Adds Jesse, When people hear this record I want them to fall in love with rock and roll and start a revolution with us; and I think thats happening.
Hearkening back to the days when Bon Jovi and Cheap Trick ruled the airwaves yet cementing their reputation among current radio rock icons, Lost Anthem is uniting fans of different generations to rally behind their cause.
Lost Anthem is a band that challenges their listeners to look below the surface of life, but encourages them to enjoy the ride as well. Be assured, this ride has just begun.
6.06
Booking:
Nathan Night / Cinder Entertainment
615.456.1123 nathan @ cinderent.com
Management:
Scott Williams / Prodigal Son Entertainment
615.377.0057 scott @ prodigalson-ent.com
Links
