Okay, I’ve got half an hour or so to kill, so time to get a quickie review out of the way.

I love The Juliana Theory. Though their mostly pop/punk debut album Understand This Is a Dream didn’t really impress me, their second attempt, Emotion Is Dead, went from being an obscure work of underground rock to a masterpiece that ranks among my favorite albums of all time. The band had found a way of combining the heart-on-your-sleeve whining of emo with the over-the-top audacity of metal, the sweet harmonies of pop, and the cold, calculated beats and keyboards of electronica. It took some getting used to, as it produced a different sound in nearly every song. But it had almost as much of a profound effect on me as Jars of Clay’s Much Afraid or dc Talk’s Supernatural without being as overtly spiritual.

You see, The Juliana Theory might be a Christian band. I’m not sure if they have an official stance on whether they are or not. They started out on Tooth & Nail Records, an underground label known for mostly signing Christian acts who are more on the fringe (their flagship acts being MxPx and the Supertones back in the mid-90’s). More recently, they’ve managed to secure a deal with Epic Records, so for all we know, they could be the next Sixpence None the Richer. (Not that they sound like Sixpence… you know what I mean.) But for now, we’ll have to wait to see what the band concocts for their major label debut. In the meantime, they’ve given their fans a little something to keep them sated.

I normally don’t buy EP’s. But Music from Another Room, their swan song for Tooth & Nail Records, is a solid piece of work. These songs were composed at various times in the band’s history, but remarkably, they go well together (except perhaps for the last song on the disc – we’ll get to that one later). If you didn’t know the disc was an EP, you’d be so enthralled with it that you’d be shocked to hear it end after only six tracks. You’d think it was another brilliantly arranged modern rock album like Emotion is Dead. A few of these songs fit into the sonic landscape of Emotion, and were actually considered for inclusion on that album, so it makes sense. So if you liked that album, you’ll like most of this stuff too.

This Is the End of Your Life
This mini-album starts off with an epic (no pun intended) rock song with a simple but memorable repeating guitar riff. I thought at first that it might be a continuation of the song “This Is Your Life” (one of my favorites from Emotion Is Dead), but there seems to be no relation. The song seems to address an individual who has squandered his/her life on meaningless things and is now facing the fact that his/her days are numbered. The swirling guitars (the band has three guitarists) really add to the sense of urgency, even making the song slightly creepy as it crescendos towards its sudden end at around the six-minute mark. I might go so far as to label this “progressive rock”.
Hold everything in, you're a mess
It took years to attain and a second to tear it all down
Burn everything off, 'cause the feeling won't last
Memories are all that remain of the way that it was

Moments…
This track is noticeably more acoustic – almost as if it’s an “unplugged” version of a previously recorded song. It still has a strong drum presence and a little bit of electric work going on in the background, but its overall sound is a little “emptier” than the first track. Rhythmically speaking, it picks up perfectly where “This Is the End of Your Life” left off, likely causing less observant listeners to not realize that the track has changed. This song seems to be a calm but pointed diatribe against a judgmental individual who enjoys telling others what they should be doing even though he/she doesn’t really know them or their situations. This may be another song directed at critics who think the band isn’t “Christian enough” or whatever else.
Your "open mind" is sealed and settled, locked and bolted tight
All you've lived is moments in a fraction of their lives
It's sad you never notice when the stick is in your eye

In a Fraction
This “song” is essentially a coda to the last one, and there is no noticeable break in between the tracks. I think breaking the song into two tracks was simply another way of being “progressive”, or perhaps just difficult. The sound is a little more filled out here – this section is basically the climax of the song.
All you ever said about them, it was never right…

Liability
This is a killer song both musically and lyrically. I’m sad that it isn’t on a full album, as it serves less chance of racking up strong radio play because of that. The band shows off their skill at blending modern rock and electronica by starting off with a vintage dance beat, blending in some subtle guitar work before going full throttle in the chorus. It’s an angry song of sorts, much like the brilliantly titled “To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children” or “If I Told You This Was Killing Me, Would You Stop?” from Emotion. The lyrics have an interesting way of being both chilling and convicting at the same point – again the band is addressing a hypocritical individual. This time, the individual is making excuses for their actions, and lead singer Brett Detar informs the person in his punkish sneer that “We know you’re lying through your teeth”. The point being made is actually Biblical – that those who are purposefully leading others to stumble would be better off having a millstone tied around their necks and dropped into the ocean. The piano outro that fades the song out is a deceptively peaceful ending.
You will bear the brunt of liability
It will be a stone around your neck
Drowning you in irresponsibility
Underneath the weight of your regret

Breathing by Wires
The most rocking track on the CD makes its appearance here – this sounds like it might have been written in between the band’s first two albums. Again, there is a definite sense of urgency as the drums and guitars pound away and Brett somehow manages to shout and sing the verses simultaneously. He paints a chilling picture of a technologically dependent society before the tone backs off a bit in between the verse and chorus, cleverly reflecting how the machines are supposedly lulling us to sleep. The repeated line, “Did you, did you, did you, did you?” in the chorus reminds me very much of “To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children”, and no doubt this tune will make a killer addition to the band’s live show.
Carry me through the wires
Bury me in the screen
Shift me into this fixation
Cling to the machine

The Piano Song
The mood that closes out the album is almost a total 180 from the urgent and slightly angry nature of the rest of the songs. Brett mentions in the liner notes that this song was written years ago and it needed a home – and you can tell from the lyrics that he was still sharpening his songwriting pencil back then. The song is written as an encouragement to a friend who is considering giving up in some way – perhaps losing their faith or even suicide. We learn that the friend smokes and drinks – these things aren’t necessarily condemned, just mentioned, as if to imply that the person is seeking comfort in these things. The lyrics may be a little more “trite” than the usual Juliana Theory fare, and the music a little more standard in terms of rock ballads, but it’s still a good closing number. Obviously, the piano is the dominant instrument here, though the guitars take over at the song’s highest point, reminding me very much of something the band Extreme might have done during their heyday in the early 90’s. It’s a good mix of classical and modern sensibilities, and it further shows off the breadth of the band’s musical influences.
My friend, I've listened, things only can improve
You have all the time in the world
So keep on fighting, and never let them say
There's anything that you can't do

I would definitely recommend getting a hold of this – most EP’s are based around one good song and a number of outtakes, remixes, or alternate versions of things, but this one offers you five solid new songs from a (hopefully) up and coming band. It’s a cheap way to check out the band if you’re new to the group and don’t have the technology to just download stuff, so despite a couple songs being sub-par, I would recommend it to just about any modern rock enthusiast without hesitation.

And hey, the way things are going these days, they could even win Rock Gospel Album of the Year for this thing. (Hey, it worked for dc Talk. Note my sarcasm.)

TRACK REVIEW SUMMARY
Excellent: This Is the End of Your Life, Liability
Good: Moments..., In a Fraction, Breathing by Wires
Decent: The Piano Song
Weak: NONE
Skippable: NONE

Band Members:
Brett Detar: Lead Vocals, guitars, keyboards
Josh Fielder: Guitars
Chad Alan: Bass guitar, vocals
Josh Kosker: Guitars, vocals
Neil Hebrank: Drums

Website: http://www.thejulianatheory.com


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Getting ready to go out