lambchops's Full Review: Days of the New (Yellow) by Days Of The New
You’ve seen it done before. A young rock band (call them Silverchair or Eve 6) records an album. People swoon over the songs until they realize that on a whole they sound too much like other bands and that the trendy sound albeit entertaining sound is unlikely to last far beyond an album or three.
I would like to say that Days of the New is different. That they won’t go away after a few albums. But, I don’t think that’s the case. What I do believe is that guitarist/vocalist, songwriter, and founder Travis Meeks has a future in the rock industry. It seems that Days of the New is merely a steppingstone for the young jack of all trades. And, following the band’s 1997 debut (this album), Meeks ridded himself of all the members except drummer Matt Taul (he would late fall by the way). Meeks did everything else from programming to vocals to bass to production. Quite an impressive feat for any musician, much less one not even twenty years of age.
Days of the New released their self titled debut album in 1997 on Geffen subsidiary Outpost Records. Veteran producer Scott Litt worked to sign the band and went on to produce their eponymous debut. The album (featuring the talents of soon-to-be-history band members Jesse Vest and Todd Whitener in addition to Meeks and Taul) went on to sell well over a million copies and spawned three top 40 singles. The most notable of these singles was the chart topping Touch, Peel and Stand that spend seventeen weeks in the number one position.
The Meeks-led band is comparable to many other grunge and post-grunge acts. Their roots are certainly in grunge with this early album sounding very much like a less angry Alice in Chains. Meeks, who wrote each of the twelve tracks, has a rich voice. He sounds much older on the debut effort than his 18 years. I have a great appreciation for Days of the New although, I also am very aware that they had much growing to do before they would garner any more critical acceptance.
What I do enjoy is the fact that they are distinctly rock and roll. Not mush-rock popular in the mid-1990’s that blended grunge with pop. Actually, what that band can easily be compared to is the crap-rock of today. Even at Meeks’ tender age, it seems that Days of the New is a precursor to the likes of Tantric, et. al. While I remain unimpressed by the whole ‘New Rock’ pseudo-revolution, Days of the New was a breath of fresh air to me in 1997. Today, it’s just old hat. Well, old hat with a few really terrific songs.
As I’ve already mentioned, Touch, Peel and Stand biggest hit from the band’s earliest album. It’s also the song that sticks in my mind the most. This, the second track, song got loads of play on rock radio. As a whole, it’s nearly impossible to imagine that kids (barely out of high school) recorded the track. Meeks’ has an impressive rock voice to say the very least. The musical aspects of the track are very supportive and restrained. Rather than letting go, Vest, Whitener, and Taul control their fingers and support Meeks in what is best left a one-man show. One thing…it’s a bit too long and becomes repetitive. Rather than the approximate five minute running time, the track could have been just three and a half minutes.
My favorite track is the first, Shelf in the Room. Once again, the modulated guitars, bass, and drums are appreciated. The guitars really are amazing here. Rather than relying on overwhelming electric riffs, Days of the New utilizes delicate plucking and understated and at times melodic lines. The drums are almost non-existent, a characteristic almost unheard of in an era of loudly expressive percussion sections. Meeks did this album right by being overall very different than other rock bands.
The Down Town is the third and final bona fide hit from Days of the New. The track is relatively upbeat in comparison to the other songs from the band played on radio. As the song nears the chorus, it picks up the pace. What I enjoy the most about the band and this song is Meeks’ inventiveness in songwriting and the use of this own voice. The centerpiece here is his voice and the understated song. Everything else seems at times to be an afterthought (something that changes distinctively in later recordings thanks to Meeks’ Billy Corgan-esque recording style).
The thing that really injures this album is that many of the songs blend into one another. There’s nothing specifically wrong with any of them, but the fact that each sounds so much like the next makes it difficult to distinguish one from the next. For example What’s Left For Me? boasts some of the best vocals on the album, but when paired with an overall lackluster musical accompaniment, there’s nothing to distinguish it from (for example) The Down Town.
Face of the Earth could have been better. Once again, I’m impressed by the band’s ability to hold back and not to drown out any one other aspect. Also important is Meeks (as usual). He’s got one of the better voices out there. He has great range and great vocal ability. But, once again I’m turned off by the fact that once again he sounds just like he does on every other track. The same can be said for the three other members.
Honestly, I could go through each of the other songs. But, I’d say the same thing. They are all pretty much mid-tempo and driven by Meeks more than anybody else. He has a lovely, multi-talented voice. Vest, Whitener, and Taul each are respectable musically but seem to lack any real direction beyond backing Meeks up. The lyrics and musical perspective of each of the songs is also impressive, but each of the twelve tracks seems to lack any direction. Nor does any one separate itself from the next. In all honesty Freak sounds very much like Solitude which in turn sounds significantly like Whimsical. Meeks also has a tendency to make his songs too long and too repetitive. Almost all of them could be easily cut by a minute and nobody would realize anything was missing.
Since the release of this album, Days of the New has given the word two more albums. 1999’s Days of the New II (green album) and 2001’s Days of the New III (red album) both featured a massively pared-down band…basically just Meeks on the actual recordings with a touring band for shows. The band’s second album is probably the most widely accepted. Although, so far as radio goes the debut effort remains the most played. I will probably always most enjoy Shelf in the Room. I do highly appreciate Meeks. He’s got a wonderful sense of rock music. And, for that alone (along with some really decent tracks) I award this debut album 3/5 stars. I will also recommend it to rock fans and fans of any of the bands I’ve mentioned above. I think they too will get much out of Days of the New.
Track Listing:
1. Shelf In The Room
2. Touch, Peel And Stand
3. Face Of The Earth
4. Solitude
5. The Down Town
6. What's Left For Me?
7. Freak
8. Now
9. Whimsical
10. Where I Stand
11. How Do You Know You?
12. Cling
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.