Artist: Old School
Album: New Method
Year: 2007
Label: Avista Records
Website: http://www.newmethod.net/
Twitter: @newmethod
Buy: Official Store
Sounds Like: Weezer, Bowling For Soup, Captain Kangaroo!, dcTalk, Audio Adrenaline, Family Force 5, Switchfoot
Rating: 1/5 ♥

A few weeks ago I found the New Method’s debut album under my door, entitled “Old School”. I quickly went to my laptop to play, and I realized that the album name was really appropriate. You can find influences from Weezer, Bowling For Soup, Captain Kangaroo! to dcTalk and Audio Adrenaline. Produced by Kevan Cyka (Everlife, Mission Six, Caleb Rowden, Disney), the band was nominated for a Dove Award as “New Artist of the Year” and they’re preparing a new album that will definitely strengthen the classic roots of their sound.

In general, all the songs have a strong 90’s influence and the exhausting funk/pop/rock that offered us. “Temporary Tattoo” is accelerated with guitars in a hilarious dynamic composition that tells us: “And we played the games, we changed our names, had a beach side rendezvous / As we shrared a Coke, our love was shown on a temporary tatoo / We laughed, we’d give the fun, we lived until the day was through / Talking on the pone, our love was shown on a temporary tatoo”. With interesting touches of punk, “Yearbook” fondly remembers the school days, when innocence, dreams and aspirations was the common factor in each of us: “In my yearbook, I see curiosity / I see hopes and dreams and all that seems the way it used to be”. The distorted voice of Doug Meacham (vocals) intrudes on “Fantasy Island”, which seeks to abandon the lifestyle we have and adopt the style of life that God offers us. “Not Into That” tells the story of a girl at school that seeks to fill the void in her heart with other things: “I’ve seen the truth, it’s no mystery / You think you need something new”. Quickly, the first single “All About The Love” talks about the essence of life. Quite apart from the luxuries, money, pleasures of this life, all that remains is love: “It’s all about the L-O-V-E / What are we looking for? / It’s all about the L-O-V-E / How could there be any more?”. With the metaphor of a free fall into the love of Christ, “Freefall” draws us an intelligent proposal to share the love of God. “What’s With Heaven?” reminds us that we often have many questions in our minds, and we try to respond with fame, but the only truth is in heaven. Bass and guitars take over “More Of The Same”, singing the love of God is more than enough to satisfy our spiritual need: “I’m getting more of the same and I could never go back to the place I came from / I’m tired of playing the fame where nothing’s ever enoug, for your love is sufficient”. With acoustic guitars, “Run Away” is the difficult situation when our past and its consequences are trying to reach us, ruining our destination: “I’ve been running from me”. Finally, the second single “A Safe Distance”, begins with the sweet voice of Meacham telling people that are looking for love, they need to guard their heart. Plus, it speaks about the fact that we keep a safe distance from the love that God offers with that same fear of commitment: “Now what I want for you, what I need for me, is where I need to be / I hope I see the light where I know from wrong and right on the only road I seem to be”.

Impacting youth, reaching souls, and setting Christ-like examples are just a few of the reasons for the existence of New Method. The band has always strived to reach out with the attitude and love of Christ at their concerts and personal appearances. “We wanted this CD to be a very unique project that begins with a reflection of the past, and moves into a more mature view of true love, and how we often fight against it”, says Meacham.

Hace algunas semanas encontré debajo de mi puerta el disco debut de New Method, titulado “Old School”. Rápidamente fui a mi laptop a reproducirlo, y me di cuenta que el nombre del álbum era el apropiado. Puedes encontrar influencias desde Weezer, Bowling For Soup, Captain Kagaroo! hasta dcTalk y Audio Adrenaline. Producido por Kevan Cyka (Everlife, Mission Six, Caleb Rowden, Disney), la banda fue nominada a un premio Dove como “Nuevo Artista del Año” y están preparando un nuevo disco que definitivamente consolidará las raíces clásicas de su sonido.

Por lo general todas las canciones tienen una fuerte influencia noventera y el agotador funk/pop/rock que nos ofrecía. “Temporary Tatoo” se acelera con dinámicas guitarras en una hilarante composición que nos dice: “And we played the games, we changed our names, had a beach side rendezvous / As we shrared a Coke, our love was shown on a temporary tatoo / We laughed, we’d give the fun, we lived until the day was through / Talking on the pone, our love was shown on a temporary tatoo”. Con interesantes pinceladas de punk, “Yearbook” recuerda con nostalgia las épocas de escuela, cuando la inocencia, los sueños y anhelos era el factor común en cada uno de nosotros: “In my yearbook, I see curiosity / I see hopes and dreams and all that seems the way it used to be”. La distorsionada voz de Dough Meacham (vocalista) se inmiscuye en “Fantasy Island”, que busca renunciar al estilo de vida que tenemos y adoptar el estilo de vida que Dios nos ofrece. “Not Into That” nos cuenta la historia de una muchacha en la escuela que busca llenar el vacío de su corazón con otras cosas: “I’ve seen the truth, it’s no mystery / You think you need something new”. Rápidamente, el primer sencillo “All About The Love” habla sobre la esencia de la vida. Muy aparte de los lujos, el dinero, los placeres de esta vida, lo único que permanece es el amor: “It’s all about the L-O-V-E / What are we looking for? / It’s all about the L-O-V-E / How could there be any more?”. Con la metáfora de una caída libre hacia el amor de Cristo, “Freefall” nos dibuja una propuesta inteligente para compartir el amor de Dios. “What’s With Heaven?” nos recuerda que muchas veces tenemos tantas preguntas en nuestras mentes, que tratamos de responder con la fama, sin embargo la única verdad está en el cielo. Los bajos y guitarras se apoderan de “More Of The Same”,cantándonos que el amor de Dios es más que suficiente para satisfacer nuestra necesidad espiritual: “I’m getting more of the same and I could never go back to the place I came from / I’m tired of playing the fame where nothing’s ever enoug, for your love is sufficient”. Con guitarras acústicas, “Run Away” es la difícil situación cuando nuestro pasado y sus consecuencias intentan alcanzarnos, arruinando nuestro destino: “I’ve been running from me”. Finalmente, el segundo sencillo “A Safe Distance”, arranca con la dulce voz de Meacham diciéndole a la gente que busca amor, que necesitan guardar su corazón. Además, habla sobre el hecho de que mantenemos distanciados del amor que Dios ofrece, por el mismo miedo al compromiso: “Now what I want for you, what I need for me, is where I need to be / I hope I see the light where I know from wrong and right on the only road I seem to be”.

Impactar a la juventud, alcanzar almas y establecer los principios de Dios, son sólo algunos de los motivos de la existencia de New Method. La banda siempre se ha esforzado por llegar con la actitud y el amor de Cristo en sus conciertos y presentaciones. “Queríamos que este cd sea un proyecto único, que comience con una reflexión del pasado, y se mueve a visión más madura del verdadero amor, y cómo a menudo luchamos en esa búsqueda”, nos dice Meacham.