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A Best Third Release Honorable Mention in the 2007 Awards

The third release from Falling Up features a lot of musical expansion and diversification.

Forgoing a first-track musical buildup, they instead get right to it with “A Guide To Marine Life”. Its music— which shows their new, wide expansion— rises and falls in steps, and this intriguing track also has an appealing chorus.

Then follows “Hotel Aquarium”, an excellent, rhythmic rock track with the most straightforward lyrics (all the way through) that they’ve ever sung. It’s one of their all-time best.

Quite different-sounding track “Goodnight Gravity” contains an interesting use of synths underneath the rock guitars and vocals (which are both more conventional than their usual style).

Title track “Captiva” is also somewhat different musically from their previous work; but it does contain the same kind of artistic lyrics. The vocal harmonies in the chorus and bridge are quite good, and the song finishes with a thoughtful instrumental outro.

“Helicopters” is quite different musically, especially in the verses, which are slower and somewhat dark; and the artistic lyrics (also especially in the verses) are very vague.

“Maps” contains a bit of a surprise— in comparison to their other work, its music is actually medium-light rock.

“How They Made Cameras” features part-artistic/part-straightforward lyrics, and equally part-familiar/part-different music. It’s an excellent track.

“Good Morning Planetarium” again musically mixes both familiar and new elements, and it has quite straightforward lyrics, too.

“Murexa” (its title— as explained by frontman Jessy Ribordy— referring to a rare type of shell found in the ocean) features great, energetic full rock, which builds further in the chorus; and showcases a bit higher vocal range than we’ve heard from Jessy before.

“Drago Or The Dragons” is another rock track, this one darker in tone; and while some of this track’s lyrics are downright puzzling, that’s not really a surprise. The song ends with a rhythmic, engaging, and quite cool beat/synth instrumental.

The intriguing “Arch To Achtilles” musically builds throughout from a piano to full rock; then the end steps down to a piano once more.

Finally, closer track “The Dark Side Of Indoor Track Meets” is excellent musically, with a perfect rising/falling quality between different portions of the song. And the way the chorus vocals are harmonized with each other and with the music underneath is also excellent (and very catching). The piano outro fades into an at-first rather suspenseful synth instrumental, which eventually changes tone and then stops.

Our rating for Captiva: 5 Stars.

This is anything but a typical remix CD, and it’s all the better because of that. Utilizing many different producers (including frontman Jessy Ribordy himself on one track), these songs aren’t just ‘remixed’— many are literal remakes. Not only are some of the original lyrics removed from several songs, there are completely new lyric additions. And while the songs’ music has changed, as expected, a good number of the changes were actually recorded by the bandmembers themselves. And there are also three entirely brand-new tracks! Wow.

(Apart from the musical aspects, interestingly enough, the liner notes are somewhat of a mystery. The words written there are only actual song lyrics for maybe three of the tracks, and even those are not totally complete. The rest of them are vague, rambling thoughts that appear connected only loosely with each other and not really at all to the song they’re written under. It gives you something to ponder over, anyway. )

Exit Lights kicks off with “Islander”, the first of the three completely new songs. It features great percussion/drums and a really cool electronic-sounding bass until the chorus, where the music becomes a sort of atmospheric rock. Lyrically it is about isolation; and there are more lyrics in this song than what is printed in the liner notes.

“Exit Calypsan (Into The Ice Cave)” has a new tune, is more beat-driven and rhythmic, and still has a good, rocking chorus. This is a different take on the original that is very good.

“Escalates (Aceramic)” also has a new tune; and this particular track is actually redone in Dance-style. It’s quite different until the chorus, which is cool and low-rocking.

“Broken Heart (Ghosts Of Seaside)” begins almost creepy with a music box and echoing background voices. Again, it’s more beat-driven and has a new tune. At the end a clip from a speaker’s talk is also mixed in, and it’s pretty interesting. This is another very good take on the original.

“Circlewinds” is the second of the three brand-new tracks, and it’s actually an instrumental interlude. It consists of Jessy’s great piano playing along with some great orchestration, done in a suspenseful style. It almost sounds like a movie score.

“Moonlit (Neon Predator)” is produced by and features Solomon “Soul Glow Activatur” Olds of Family Force 5. As you might guess, this track is upbeat and fairly electronic, and during the chorus it moves into a really great new rock riff. Solomon’s lyrics, which he adds near the end of the song, are not written in the liner notes.

“Bittersweet (A Jedi Force)” has a good opening electronic buildup with an almost completely new tune. This song is interesting in that it’s actually almost totally electronic, and this track’s mysterious producer (“Jedi McKnight”) left in almost no lyrics.

“Third Lake” is the last of the three brand-new tracks on the album, and it’s another instrumental interlude. It again features orchestration, and great piano playing behind the other instruments.

“Searchlights (Indoor Soccer)” is another Dance-style track, but this time it’s much more rocking (especially in the chorus). It also has a new tune.

“Fearless (250 And Dark Stars)” features Troma and Trevor McNevan from TFK. Partway through the song, the music fades away as if finished and then guest Troma sings a verse, after which the music returns. This track is also interesting because along with the new music and great piano, the lyrics in the liner notes (which actually are lyrics this time, and you also might notice that they copied a line from one of their other songs) actually completely replace the original ones.

“Contact (Complexus)” is slightly more electronic than the original, and it of course has a new guitar tune. There’s a cool voice chorus in the background and a neat drumbeat near the end, too.

“Exhibition (Epoison)” features Rachel Lampa. It has a suspenseful electronic/orchestra intro, similar but slightly modified piano, and some added/replaced lyrics. Not all of the words written in the liner notes are sung; the rest are apparently thoughts.

Finally, the very good closer track “Cascades (From In The Forest Cascadia)” has a new tune and is actually somewhat more rocking than the original.

We’re glad that Falling Up decided to make this CD, because it’s the best remix album we’ve heard in a long, long time, and a great disc in itself. We recommend it.

Our rating for Exit Lights: 5 & 1/3 Stars.

BEST SECOND RELEASE 2005 Award Winner!

Runners-Up: tobyMac (Welcome To Diverse City), Thousand Foot Krutch (Phenomenon), John Reuben (Hindsight), Mae (The Everglow), The Elms (Truth, Soul, Rock & Roll), Kevin Max (The Imposter), Bleach (Static), DJ Andy Hunter (Life), Relient K (Anatomy Of The Tongue In Cheek), Flatfoot 56 (Waves Of War).
Honorable Mentions: Pillar (Fireproof), Cool Hand Luke (The Fires Of Life).

One word: Wow.

Falling Up’s hit debut was excellent, earning a solid Best First Release… and with such talent, it was expected by nearly everyone who heard it that their second album would match (and probably even surpass) that.

It did.

Dawn Escapes, Falling Up’s second release, takes their original style and keeps the great guitars while also cranking the keyboards up a notch; maturing even further their music, vocals, and lyrics (which have become much more vague and artistic, adding another layer of interest), Falling Up does indeed meet (and exceed!) expectations.

Dawn Escapes kicks off with another first-track buildup on “Searchlights”. [Falling Up leads into the opening tracks of their first two albums by adding the instruments one by one, layer by layer, until they reach the main theme and vocals.]

“Exhibition” has the familiar layered guitars along with the upped keyboards, great drums, and (as ever) great vocals.

“Flights” begins with a great, short, synthesized-voice intro layered over building guitars, which flows into the rock a few seconds later.

“Exit Calypsan (Only In My Dreams)” features lyrics and music that are memorable (and simply great).

The medium-paced, intriguingly calming, and surprisingly beautiful track “Contact” is Falling Up’s slowest song so far. It provides a good break and a nice change of pace before the next track…

…And what a track it is! “Moonlit”, one of the radio singles released from this CD, is nearly tied with “Lights Of Reedsport” (below) for best track of the album. A rocking, rhythmic crowd-pleaser that makes you want to move, it’s an excellent song.

“Cascades” has some interesting melody combinations, a solid chorus, and a great rock riff near the end.

“Meridians” again has a great, interesting music combination, this time between the guitars, keyboards, and cool drum line. There are some neat vocal harmonies, too.

Now, if we absolutely had to choose a single track as the best track of the album (which is really almost impossible, because this whole CD is basically one hit after another), “Lights Of Reedsport” would be it. There are some awesome musical elements in this song (including guitars that are just powerful, and the guys using their voices to marvelous effect). It’s an amazing track.

“Marathons” is another great track. A type of anthem, it’s lyrically neat, musically sound, and a quite solid rocker.

“Fearless” has a cool, quick drum/guitar intro. The main melody, which contains some neat riffs, smoothly changes for the chorus and then just as smoothly eases back; and the final bridge’s vocal harmony and guitar combo is just great.

And to cap off this astounding release is “Intro The Gravity”. It begins with orchestration, which changes into a sweeping vocal, piano, guitar, and beat combination, closing this CD perfectly.

In all, Falling Up’s sophomore album upgrades their style, again showcases their talent, and is definitely worthy of Best Second Release.

Our rating for Dawn Escapes: 5 & 1/2 Stars.

BEST FIRST RELEASE 2005 Award Winner!

Runners-Up: Kids In The Way (Safe From The Losing Fight), Aaron Sprinkle (Lackluster), Showbread (No Sir, Nihilism Is Not Practical), tobyMac (Momentum),
Kutless (Kutless), John Reuben (Are We There Yet?), subseven (Free To Conquer),
Everyday Sunday (Stand Up), Dizmas (On A Search In America), Day Of Fire (Day Of Fire).
Honorable Mentions: Duvall (Volume & Density), Ever Stays Red (…I’ll Tell The World),
Sides Of The North (The Incurable Romantic).

On Crashings, the members of Falling Up show a remarkable (and admirable) maturity in both their music and lyrics. These are rather uncommon features in such a new, young band’s first release, and are major points in Falling Up’s favor. Also, because of their fairly large six-member band, their music can (and does) have a lot of layers, which makes it audibly interesting. When lead singer Jessy Ribordy adds his great vocals and their mature lyrics into the mix, the result is nothing short of excellent.

Crashings‘ first track, “Bittersweet”, is built up layer by layer until they reach the main theme [a great first-track feature that they also used on their second release]. This is a good rocking opener.

Next follows “Symmetry”, which features interesting melody combinations between the music and vocals and a great short rock riff near the end.

“Broken Heart” is a classic Falling Up song. Their first radio release, this rocking smash single is a fan favorite and all-around excellent.

“Escalates” is another good layered rocker.

“New Hope Generation” (featuring Benjiman), as its title suggests, is meant to acknowledge struggle and yet encourage you and give you hope. There are some great vocals in this song.

“The Gathering” is again about comfort and hope; and again, it has great music. The final verse has a good vocal combination, too.

“Jacksonfive” is different from the other songs on this album in that its vocals are done almost entirely by guests (Benjiman, Paul Wright, Jon Micah of Kutless, and Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter). If you know what those bands’ styles are— Benjiman is Hip-Hop (Rap), Paul Wright is Reggae-influenced Pop, Kutless at this point was Hard-Edged Rock/Rock, and Demon Hunter is Metal!— you have a good idea of how diverse this song is.

“Divinity”, another great track, has vocal and musical combinations that simply sweep you in (especially in the chorus and near the end).

“Places” is a bit faster-paced and continues the great vocals and music.

“Falling In Love”— beginning slower but picking right back up in the chorus— is a passionate song with great lyrics.

“Ambience” (again featuring great, rocking music) describes finally seeing through long-held lies, and in the process it rebukes those who have told them.

And the final track, “Arafax Deep”, closes off the album with yet more great lyrics and music.

Crashings is an excellent album, and worthy of Best First Release.

Our rating for Crashings: 5 & 1/2 Stars.