The story starts with a boy and his guitar. In the case of The Spill Canvas front man Nick Thomas, it was that guitar that set him on what would become a very successful, but constantly evolving, musical journey. Music listeners nationwide would subsequently let him into their hearts.
After their successful appearance on the Hurley stage at the recent Warped Tour, Thomas and his band-mates return with their first major-label record. The album No Really, I'm Fine features a greater sense of compatibility and comfort not heard on the band's previous release.
Beginning as nothing more than an acoustic act, Thomas wrote and recorded his debut CD, One Fell Swoop. He later recruited three more members, creating the full band experience with both Sunsets and Car Crashes and Fine.
Often criticized by casual listeners as being boring and somewhat sleep-inducing, TSC does their best to knock the narcolepsy out of their listeners with the opening track "Reckless Abandon."
Containing some of the harshest lyrics Thomas has ever written, the opener is sure to engross fans while also promising to catch the ear of those who like harder music.
"So fill your shoes with cement/And kiss the one you love with reckless abandonment," sings Thomas.
Showing diversity and a bridge to their older material, TSC offers up "All Over You," a dance-pop song with a chorus sure to get stuck in heads and make bodies move all over the floor on their upcoming tour.
Fans who grew accustomed to the sound delivered on One Fell Swoop will certainly enjoy "Saved," one of the slower tracks on the record that follows in the vein of their older material.
Anyone who saw them at Warped Tour has experienced "Connect the Dots," another mellow song that fits Thomas' soft vocals smoothly.
"Don't you just love the feeling of my fingertips/Circling your lips/Don't you just love the desire taking over you/I know you do/I know all your special spots/And tonight we are going to connect the dots," Thomas sings.
Before this new release, TSC released the EP Denial Feels So Good. Only one song off that project is on Fine: the wonderfully written, heartfelt, yet chillingly painful "Appreciation and the Bomb." This track will convert those who assumingly believe Thomas had drained out his lyric writing ability.
"If there's one thing I learned/It's that we never feel the heat until we get burned/But we try so hard not to die/Sometimes we forget to appreciate life," sings Thomas.
"Hush Hush" may be the best example of the band fully coming together; creating a broad pop-rock sound that truly shows that this band is more than capable.
Whereas on One Fell Swoop, TSC was still coming together and growing, this song combines every musical element the band has perfected, producing one of the strongest tracks on the record.
In a day and age where many CDs are hit or miss, TSC have achieved something few bands have in recent memory: a CD with no filler.
Whether it's a rock track with a dance vibe designed to make listeners shake, or a pounding melodic jam laced with Thomas' signature lyrics, The Spill Canvas has returned with one of the most powerful albums to come out this year.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
