(NASHVILLE, Tennessee) – GRAMMY® Award nominees DecembeRadio are excited to join the Newsboys for the 35-city Join the Tribe tour which launches this Friday, February 20th, in Fredrick, MD. The tour, which will run through mid-April and also features bands VOTA and Bread of Stone, will support Global Tribe (www.globaltribe.com), an organization fighting physical and spiritual poverty.
“The Join the Tribe tour is going to be a blast!,” stated Josh Reedy, lead singer and bass player for DecembeRadio. “It's really cool for us to be a part of a tour with a band that we grew up watching. I know it will be a night of great music, energy and ministry.”
DecembeRadio will be performing songs from their current release, Satisfied, which was named among the “Best of the Best in 2008” by the staff and senior music editors from the Gospel Music Channel website (www.gospelmusicchannel.com).
“It's rare that a Christian rock record really rocks to the degree of deafening proportions, but DecembeRadio gets props for not only reaching that amplification level, but doing so with sophistication and satisfaction,” stated the editorial staff online. “[DecembeRadio] returns with even more muscle than the first round, all the while holding firm to their faith. Anyone who's seen the group in concert can also attest to their intensity, making DecembeRadio's future all the more alluring.”
The Gospel Music Channel's editorial team named the song “Gasoline” as their iTunes pick for the Satisfied release. This song is also available digitally as a ringtone.
Satisfied was also selected in the “Top 10 Critics Picks” for 2008 according to CCM Magazine's editors, two of which named DecembeRadio in their annual top choices for the best faith-based albums of the year.
Christianity Today (www.christianitytoday.com) released their Best of Christian Albums of 2008 list as well, also honoring DecembeRadio's Satisfied, which landed at #10. On street week in August, the release debuted at #3 on the Christian sales chart and at #116 on the BILLBOARD Top 200 chart.
The band's new single, “Look for Me,” an epic ballad with early buzz and early adds at various stations, hit the airwaves at AC radio last Friday.
“DecembeRadio's new ‘Look for Me' single caught me off guard,” stated Bart Wagner, PD for WAYR in Brunswick, GA. “I listened to it Friday afternoon and it stuck with me all weekend. The first lyric on the second verse just keeps running through my head – ‘There's a grace dying to erase all that you have said and done.' What an amazing way to capture God's forgiveness that is so available!”
NEWSBOYS' Join the Tribe Tour ITINERARY
2/19 Frederick, MD
2/20 Salisbury, MD* (DR will be in Gatlinburg, TN)
2/21 Woodbridge, VA
2/22 Williamsport, PA
2/23 Wildwood, NJ
2/27 Lancaster, PA* (DR will be in Houston, TX)
2/28 Blakely, PA
3/1 Bethlehem, PA
3/5 Texarkana, AR
3/6 Longview, TX
3/7 Fort Worth, TX* (DR will be in South Charleston, SC)
3/8 Hidalgo, TX
3/12 Knoxville, TN
3/13 Johnson City, TN
3/17 Highlands Ranch, CO
3/19 Bakersfield, CA
3/20 Redlands, CA
3/21 Los Angeles, CA* (DR will be in Ranburne, AL)
3/22 Modesto, CA
3/23 Redding, CA
3/25 Eugene, OR
3/26 Wenatchee, WA
3/28 Abbotsford, BC
4/3 Saginaw, MI
4/5 London, Ontario
4/6 Toronto, Ontario
4/7 Hull Gatineau, Quebec
4/11 Fayetteville, GA* (DR only - Non tour date)
4/17 Minot, ND
4/18 Bemidji, MN
4/19 Fargo, ND
4/26 Vero Beach, FL
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) – Slanted Records’ recording artists DecembeRadio are bringing in the Christmas season with a new three-song digital EP entitled Comfort & Joy, which will be available at online outlets on November 25th. The release includes a unique rendition of the classic “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” which has been serviced to Christian AC and CHR radio, as well as a cover of the rollicking “Run Run Rudolph,” made popular originally by the legendary Chuck Berry. “Run Run Rudolph” has been serviced to Christian CHR and rock formats.
“We hit the road pretty much ongoing the year round,” stated lead guitarist Brian Bunn. "But we take off much of December to be with our families, which is a very special time for us. Getting this time to be at home and rest in the Lord just adds to our Christmas celebration. We enjoyed celebrating it this year in song as a band and hope fans will enjoy these Christmas classics.” Bunn added with a laugh, “We really wanted to record ‘What Child Is This?’ but MercyMe did it recently, so we figured we’d better pick something else!”
Christianity Today (ChristianityToday.com), known for their detailed Christian music reviews, has just released their Best of Christian Albums of 2008 list which honors DecembeRadio's Satisfied release coming in at #10.
"This is a rock lover's album clearly descended from Southern-flavored bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Black Crowes, as well as the classic pop-metal of Petra,” stated the reviewers. “Time together on the road has only tightened their rhythm section and blistering guitars, and it's refreshing to hear unadorned rock instrumentation without flashy effects or studio enhancement. There's also something to be said for a band such as this being so forthright with their beliefs. Regardless of which DecembeRadio album you prefer, this one lives up to its title, if not more so.”
DecembeRadio’s current CHR single, “Believer,” from their latest acclaimed release Satisfied, has just hit the Top 20 R&R chart this week, garnering four new adds and over 172,000 impressions. The first rock single from the new release, “Better Man,” received the #2 most increased plays this week nationwide and was #1 on the New & Active chart for the week. “Better Man” has been on the New & Active chart for seven weeks.
"’Better Man’ is a great song - one of the better rocking tracks this year,” stated Bob Felberg, music director/program director of New Creation Radio in Myrtle Beach, SC, "It stampedes out of the speakers with a message of encouragement and strength!”
DecembeRadio is currently headlining a tour that also features bands Ruth (Tooth & Nail Records) and Sevenglory (7 Spin Music) as well as speaker Billy Wayne. The tour runs through North Carolina, New York, Maine, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa and South Carolina.
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) – October 22nd, 2008 – GRAMMY® Award nominees DecembeRadio are scheduled to hit the road this fall in support of their new release Satisfied (Slanted Records). Headlined by DecembeRadio, whose new album debuted at #3 on the CCM chart and at #116 on the BILLBOARD Top 200 chart on street week, the Satisfied Tour will also feature bands Ruth (Tooth & Nail Records) and Sevenglory (7 Spin Music) in addition to speaker Billy Wayne.
Beginning on October 31st in Kernersville, NC, the band will perform in the following markets among others:
10/31 – Kernersville, NC
11/1 – Auburn, NY
11/2 – Portland, ME
11/7 – McGaheysville, VA *Sevenglory not appearing
11/8 – Roanoke, VA
11/9 – Harrisburg, PA
11/14 – Bloomington, IL
11/15 – Minneapolis, MN
11/16 – Earlham, IA
11/21 – West Columbia, SC *Ruth not appearing
The band’s set will feature new songs from the recent release which was described by BILLBOARD Magazine as “Christian rock that will make you drive fast and pray loud” and by Stereotruth.net as a “sledgehammer—[an] album that hits you over the head like a ton of bricks and doesn’t let up until you’re well into the whole disc.”
“We’re stoked about the tour,” stated DecembeRadio lead singer and bass player Josh Reedy. “We are most at home when we are playing live, and the songs on the new record are full of energy. They have already been a blast to share with audiences. We're excited to have Sevenglory and Ruth out with us and our good friend Billy Wayne who has been speaking to youth for over twenty years. It’s gonna be a night of 'rock ‘n roll for your soul'.”
DecembeRadio’s new CHR single “Believer” is currently at #28 on the R&R CHR chart with 50% of the panel already on. “Believer” was recently the Most Added song weekly at CHR radio and has also been #1 with Most Increased Airplay. The band’s rising rock single, “Better Man,” has appeared at #1 on the New and Active chart and continues to gain momentum.
(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) – September 8, 2008 – GRAMMY-nominated and DOVE Award-winning rock band DecembeRadio’s highly anticipated sophomore release hit shelves last week, coming in at #3 on the CCM sales chart, making it the week’s highest CCM debut. The project, Satisfied (Slanted Records), landed at #116 on the Top 200 BILLBOARD chart as well, as the band’s first week sales nearly doubled that of their lauded debut.
“This is certainly a high note for DecembeRadio,” stated Paul Sizelove, vice president of Slanted Records. “This band has hit the road hard continuously, and they take their musicianship very seriously. We are thrilled to see the responses they are getting and it’s gratifying to start out with a strong week at retail for an up-and-coming band.”
DecembeRadio performed songs from Satisfied at the newly renovated Hard Rock Café in Atlanta, GA, the week prior to street date. The Atlanta location was fitting as the band recorded the new release in the city’s famed Southern Tracks studio. The event was aired locally by radio station J93.3, where listeners tuned in all day on August 20th for the chance to win one of the new Satisfied releases during “DecembeRadio Day” at the station.
The band was featured on two segments of “Good Day Atlanta,” a popular show on Atlanta’s FOX affiliate, where they performed the title cut from the new release in addition to their DOVE-nominated hit “Drifter.”
DecembeRadio appeared street week for the student body at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., where they will return for Winterfest 2008, a youth music festival and conference to be held later this year. The band played two songs from Satisfied at the convocation service for an excited group of students.
After debuting some of the new release on a spring tour with Third Day, DecembeRadio hit several festivals this summer including last week’s Rock the Light event in Kansas City, Missouri, and experienced their first tour to Sweden and Norway alongside veterans Jars of Clay. In addition to their concert appearances, the group recently performed on “Every Day with Marcus and Lisa” (FamilyNet) and “Atlanta Live” with numerous on-air radio visits including WAY-FM’s “Total Axxess,” WONU (Bourbonnais, IL), WNAZ (Nashville, TN), KZKZ (Fort Smith, AR), WVFJ (Atlanta, GA) and KHZR (St. Louis, MO) among others.
“The past few months have felt like a whirlwind,” stated band member Eric Miker. “It feels like we’ve ‘lived’ on the road and in the studio for months. This is an exciting time for us, and we’re just happy that our fans can now experience the new record for themselves. When you live with it the way we have, it feels good to finally let go on stage through the new songs and see people enjoy them firsthand. We are grateful for everyone’s support and we feel it everywhere we go.”
“For Your Glory,” the first AC single from the project, is off to a rousing start with new adds this week. “Better Man,” the first rock single from the new release, is #4 on the rock New & Active chart; and “Believer,” already receiving glowing comments from program directors nationwide, has just gone for adds at CHR radio with numerous out-of-the-box adds.
Satisfied is distributed by Word/WEA Entertainment with digital distribution by EMI CMG Distribution. For further information and tour schedules, visit www.decemberadio.com or www.myspace.com/decemberadio.
DecembeRadio
The Music
CAN'T HIDE
This song was born from helplessly watching a close friend fall repeatedly into the same crippling sin. The bluntness of these lyrics is intended to grab the listeners’ attention and demand an immediate examination of their hearts.
The Bible says that like a dog goes back to his own vomit, so we return to our sin. We are singing about that thorn in our flesh that keeps us from pressing forward. It encourages our coming back and revisiting those vices even though we are aware of the danger the sin can bring to our lives.
Regardless of where we run or hide, He is always there. The chorus states that we will meet Him sooner or later, and it guides the listener to choose how he or she will one day stand in front of the Creator of the universe.
DANGEROUS
“Dangerous” is a bold song, speaking out against complacency in our Christian lives. Inspired by the book Wild at Heart, we want to share with the world this message, "If you aren't affecting those around you for Christ, you are not living ‘dangerously’ enough."
This song in its preliminary stages has been a favorite of many, not only for its driving guitar line, but also for its assertive message to Christians. It challenges listeners to step out of their ideas of what a Christian lifestyle is and to make sure they are truly seeking to impact this world.
Because of its loud message, this song has also been the theme for entire camps, challenging kids to live lives recklessly abandoned to the call of Christ.
LOVE FOUND ME (LOVE’S GOT A HOLD)
Finally, that “southern feel good rocker” we have all been waiting for.
Josh gave this song life with a catchy guitar riff followed by an infectious melody and “feel good” lyrics that no music lover could resist. This tune one was of those magical songs in the studio that just felt so great when it was being created, we hated to stop playing it long enough to hit the record button.
We want this song to convey the feeling of finding that missing piece in your life for the first time and not being able to keep it to yourself. We have found that missing piece in our meaningful relationships with Jesus Christ, and we needed a song that best conveyed that emotion to our listeners.
GREED
With one of the seven deadly sins as its title, “Greed” is not necessarily a “bob your head” pop tune built for AC radio. This song was written as more of an accountability check for its listeners.
Greed and the love of money are two of the most debilitating forces at work in our world/workplace today. If the end goal of this song or of making this album is for us to be rich and have enough money to live comfortably in the illusion that we can go on in this world without God, just as Judas did, we have also fallen to this deadly snare.
Arguably, the most gripping line of the song falls in the bridge where the song states, "All the pennies in your pocket, won't get you through the needle’s eye, but the one thing that you're needing, money just can't buy." This reminds us that no amount of money or worldly success can buy our way into heaven.
DRIFTER
“Drifter” originated with its lyrics. Knowing exactly what we wanted to say, we created the melody that sweeps across the chorus; and all we needed were a few musical heroics to make it complete.
To put the icing on this one, Sheryl Crow's Peter Stroud accented the song’s atmosphere with some tasteful slide guitar. Also, producer Scotty Wilbanks (Third Day) appears on this tune with piano and flashy organ accents as the song comes to a jamming fade.
The lyrical foundation for “Drifter” came from the second chapter in Hebrews where we are warned of the danger of drifting away. We all find ourselves trying to stay on that road where we know we should travel, yet it is so easy to drift away from it. The setting of this song is similar to that of Jesus in the desert where He was repeatedly tempted by the devil's promises.
The ultimate goal of our traveling through this earth is that we might embrace Christ and find ourselves in His presence at the end of our long journey through this life.
LIVE AND BREATHE
This song, much like most of the DecembeRadio tunes, started with a monstrous guitar riff that demanded an attention-getting song be filled in around it. We went for a dynamic verse, equipped with a funky guitar line and ripping vocals, followed by what we hope is a blistering chorus.
In the same style as “Love Found Me,” this song blasts “feel good” decibels with a blatant message of our joy in worshiping Christ and living and breathing for His purpose.
In our day-to-day lives that are often clouded by desires of this world, it is very important to hold onto the truth that we are created to worship Him and not our own desires. He's done so much for us; it is only natural for us to lift this truth up to the top of our lungs--literally.
ALRIGHT MY FRIEND
Our main goal in writing this album is for the listener to be encouraged and to then share the hope they have found through these songs with others.
“Alright My Friend” journeys into the musically progressive side of DecembeRadio fueled by a deep syncopated drum groove with layering sparkly electric and acoustic guitar accents under a soaring five-part vocal arrangement on the chorus.
Another song containing the theme of accountability, “Alright My Friend” challenges the listener to not only be encouraged, but to also be an encouragement to others.
RAZOR
Razor is another song on the album targeting accountability. The Bible says the tongue is a sharp tool used to divide many. This song warns us of the danger of an unbridled tongue. It comes from the perspective of a person who has been hurt by someone else's hurtful comments.
The bridge of the song brings a message of selflessness and hope stating, "…after all the things you said to me, I pray that you will one day see…." It is our job to pray for those who hurt us with their words instead of lashing back and continuing the debilitating cycle.
TABLE
“Table” contains a heavy rock groove. It possibly contains the most modern rock energy on the record. The song is lifted off the ground by a pronounced guitar riff bending over the deep groove laid down by the bass, rhythm guitar and drums.
Besides being a song that we are musically proud of, “Table” also carries a message of self-examination. It states, "…when all we are is laid out on the table, and you no longer hide from what's inside…"
There are things in our lives that are much easier to run from than to turn and face. The danger in running from our problems is that they do not go away. They just continue building in our hearts until we one day either let them consume us or turn to God to rescue our hearts.
LEAST OF THESE
“Least of These” definitely showcases the more serious side of the DecembeRadio repertoire. The song gets its roots in Matthew where the King says, “what you have done to the least of these you have done to me.”
Daily we have opportunities to help others; and each time we take one of those chances, we are also serving Christ with our actions.
This song proclaims a message of selflessness—a message that would turn this world upside down if we all lived by it. We continually take for granted all the comforts we share and often look only at what more we can have instead of what more we can give. We are all part of "the least of these" in this life and have all benefited from Christ's ultimate sacrifice.
