The James Logan Courier

By Rebecca Soltau, Courier Entertainment Editor

Aaron Gillespie is a man obsessed. Whether he’s out in front of The Almost, his new, eagerly anticipated rock-based project, or behind the drum kit for Christian-rock band Underoath, the Florida-bred singer/songwriter can’t help but throw himself into everything he does.

What was once more of a secretive project became more than that, thanks to MTV2 and websites like Myspace. Once the fans took a listen to the new songs by the guy who beats on the drums helps with vocals in Underoath they were hooked; so hooked in fact that "Say This Sooner" has become, to-date, one of the higher played songs on iTunes and Limewire.

Despite being known as a Christian rock star, you shouldn’t write this off as a record with a lot of Bible thumping lyrics. The CD is the perfect disc if you are into the more modern day pop-punk rock. There is no sign of the ear piercing screaming going on and the songs are all very

captivating. Most of the songs are more mellow and pleasant with lyrics that were not created to offend. I couldn’t find one song that was boring or felt like it had all been said before. All of the songs were full of guitars and some even included strings and piano.

"Say This Sooner" starts the album out with a sound that sort of reminds me of pop-punk bands like Paramore or Cute Is What We Aim For. A perfect concert song, it’s filled with killer guitar riffs and lyrics that are easy to understand and easy to dance to.

"Dirty And Left Out" was a slow moving song that almost reminded me of a harmony a la Coldplay. Peaceful and mellow, it’s the perfect song for sitting by a window on a rainy day and thinking.
"Amazing Because It Is" was by far my favorite track of the record. The gentle raspy vocals of Aaron Gillespie softly serenade you with such simple beauty that you feel moved to tears. The raw intense emotion that he expresses is so clear that you can’t help but empathize with him.

This was a great album filled with memorable tracks that will soothe and stimulate you. I would recommend that you definitely get “Southern Weather” as a holiday gift for the Paramore or Relient K fan you know.