Funny story. I learned about this band from Metacritic and have them on my Ipod. Anyway, I'm back in Santa Barbara around New Years and I'm at a bar I used to work at, and my buddy lets me set up a playlist. As soon as Behold the River comes on, someone recognizes the song. He's a manager of a Border's in Goleta (right next to Santa Barbara) and all the band members used to work there. Small world. I learn about the band from this site and then find out they lived in Santa Barbara, where I lived for 10 years.
Just thought fans of the group might be interested.
Posts: 889 | Location: santa barbara | Registered: 02 November 2006
I finally got around to hearing their album late in 2007 and mostly thanks to RL’s praising it. I think it finished very high on his list but was somewhere near the 30s on mine. This isn’t to say that I don’t like it—because I really do—but like with a lot of my other albums that didn’t finish in the top 20, I just haven’t listened to it much recently. I really like Cotton Teeth though and as a Rock/Americana band, they are one of the best I have recently heard. I haven’t heard anything prior to their 2007 effort, does it compare to their newest?
That is a pretty interesting story though, small world.
----- If you don't love me, I'm sorry.
Posts: 5883 | Location: Texas | Registered: 27 December 2005
I think they are awesome. I would love to hear more of their work. I don't know if I will ever get around to posting a top songs list, but I think "Behold the River" would be challenged on my top ten by "Back to the Helicopter".
The Drums on "Back to the Helicopter" are possibly some of the best drums sounds I've heard in a song ever. This maybe hyperbole, but I honestly can't think of a better drum sound in a song. And it just builds and builds in a storm that is just too perfect and beautiful.
As a side note: Anyone else realize that "The Snake, The Cross, The Crown" is a six word paraphrase of the Bible?
---------------------------- I'm the operator with my pocket calculator.
Originally posted by FragileKidA: I haven’t heard anything prior to their 2007 effort, does it compare to their newest?
They made an interesting evolution as a band. Their first release was pure hard rock/emo, which is not a genre I particularly care for. IOn they're next album, Mander Salis, they moved more toward a straight-up rock sound, and there are only hints of the Americana that was to come on Cotton Teeth.
And I had no idea what the meaning of their band name was, Shadrach. How exactly does it translate into "the Bible" though?
Posts: 4012 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
Yeah. Snake, Cross, Crown = Conflict, Solution, and Victory. This is the basic story arc of the Bible, and those three items are passable symbols for each stage of the story line.
The more detailed explanation is that the Snake represents Satan in the garden of Eden and his temptation of mankind to sin. Sin separated the close relationship between God and man, and God implemented a plan starting at that moment which would bring them back into a relationship, but it required death (a fact God had warned them about earlier). God prophecied that there would be a seed line leading to the solution of the problem, and then the entirety of the Old Testament is the story of that seed passing from Eve down the generations as Satan tries to destroy it and God protects it while preparing the world for it's arival (with law, prophecy, ect.). Finally, Jesus is born and fullfills his purpose in teaching and then dieing on the Cross. However at this moment of utter failure the mystery is revealed that God is in complete control, even over death, and Jesus is raised again. The rest of the bible from this point on is about mankind finding victory over sin by connecting themselves with the death and resurection of Jesus (which spiritually becomes their own death and resurection). This victory over sin is figuratively refered to in many ways in the bible, but is often shown as a Crown.
Although the "symbols" in the band name show up as book ends and a midpoint to the Bible (roughly speaking). I call it a paraphrase because they really sum up the entire "story" of the bible aswell.
This was just something I found interesting. I'm sorry if my explanation was long. It's hard to sum up the Bible in a brief way. That's really why I think it's cool that they were able to do it in their band name.
By the way, I haven't heard anything in their lyrics that suggests any further bible references so I don't know exactly what this all means for them as a band.
---------------------------- I'm the operator with my pocket calculator.
Interesting description Shadrach. As for the band, I like them, and had Behold the River on my songs list, but their album didn't make my list. I may have to listen to it a little more.
Does anyone know if they still live in Santa Barbara or if they've relocated?
Posts: 889 | Location: santa barbara | Registered: 02 November 2006
Originally posted by besttasteinmusicever: They may have been raised there, but I know at some point they moved to Santa Barbara. Not sure at what point though.
Here's AllMusic's summary of the band:
quote:
AMG Indie rock outfit The Snake the Cross the Crown was formed in Huntsville, AL, by two brothers, Franklin Sammons (guitar) and William Sammons (keyboards, programming), and friends Kevin Jones (guitar, vocals) and Carl Marshall (bass, vocals). The group initially performed as Curbside Service, releasing 2002's I Packed My Bags a Year in Advance, before changing their name and adding drummer Mark Fate. Relocating west to Santa Barbara, CA, the group released an EP, Like a Moth Before a Flame, on Waste of Time Records in 2003. Taking influence from bands like the Beatles and Radiohead, they followed it up a year later with the full-length album, Mander Salis, on Equal Vision Records. Rounds of touring came next with bands like mewithoutYou, Hot Rod Circuit, Decibully and Armor For Sleep before the band grew dissatisfied with their music's direction, cancelled their remaining shows and headed back to California to begin writing new material. The Snake the Cross the Crown eventually entered the studio in April 2006 to record their next album, grabbing additional inspiration for their now folky, alt country leaning tunes from Bob Dylan and The Band. The ten-song Cotton Teeth surfaced in March 2007 with the group down to a quartet minus Marshall.
Posts: 4012 | Location: NE Indiana | Registered: 14 April 2005
I agree completely that this an amazing band and I have been a fan for several years now. It is a shame that more people do not know about them. But I have to let you know that their band name refers to nothing as grandiose as surmised above. It refers to the emblem of a car company, Alfa Romeo, which a depicts a snake, a cross, and a crown. Sorry, but they are not a Christian band.
Thankfully.
EDIT: I fixed your link.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: FragileKidA,
If their name was a reference to the Bible, it would be quite heavyhanded and I appreciate that they were not even aware of the inferences that fans might draw from the symbolism of their band name.
Good music is good music. You'd probably agree that a lot of Christian music is crap but a Christian band can certainly make some authentic and original music. As far as bands that make music with Christian undertones, do you like Brand New, Cold War Kids, or Pedro the Lion/Headphones/David Bazan?
The crown on the snake could symbolize that Satan is king of this world, which is what he is called in the Bible.
