Customer Reviews

Mending

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

From start to finish, this album is one of the greatest albums I've ever heard. I think it's fantastic. It starts on a more upbeat note with "Black Lung" and ends on a more mellow accoustic out with "Who will Give Us Love." The album is thier much anticipated first full release since "The City Turns Everything Electric." If you only buy one album this year it should be this album. Epic music that won't leave your head, and should be listened to from begining to end. Phenomenal!
If you're a fan of jeff buckley, coldplay, accoustic, indie, or just a fan of good music.. then by all means, pick this album up.

This is the best album i've heard in a really really long time. Its one of those albums where you can't skip a song because its just overall amazing. It's the best cruising music, when you're driving at night and just want to be at peace.

This is one of the best albums I've heard in several years. It is such a natural, well-rounded sound that is broad enough to cross genres but unique enough that I can't think of anyone else who sounds like them. Over and over I have been impressed by this group of guys, and this is just another perfect example of why they belong in the national lime-light.

Highlights of the album for me were Man Down, Mirrors, This Is My Home, and Who Will Give Us Love. The writing does such an amazing job of communicating a concept and a message instead of just the words being a tool that the band can wrap the music around. This is one of the most well rounded group of musicians I've heard, and they are certainly a testimony to knowing when to play and when to let space play a role in their music.

I love this band, and I love this album. I can't wait till they are a national name and I can say that I saw them at a tiny little venue in Dallas, TX before anyone else knew their name!

No matter what type of music you listen to, you will really enjoy listening to this album. Definitely one of the best albums I've ever listened to.

This album is already my favorite of 2008. Its alt-country, its indie rock, its gorgeous and heartfelt. I don't think I will ever get tired of this CD!

talk about seeing them in dallas. i seen them quite a few times as stellamaris. i feel the same about seeing them from the start up. i feel proud. this record is so solid.

I just purchased this album like last week through here and i can honestly say this is one of the best albums i've ever heard. There's not many albums you can listen to all the way thru and not skip a song. This is that album. Why why why did they have to break up!

I finally find a great new band with a great new cd, so I try to find out more info on their Myspace page and would you believe that have just broken up! Anyway this is a great testament to what could have been an amazing career.

Mending is the debut full length CD from Dallas based quintet The New Frontiers (formerly known as Stellamaris). While some are quick to draw comparisons to the British powerhouse Coldplay, this only tells part of the story. After spending a few weeks listening to their music I believe that the other main ingredient in their musical stew comes from a band on this side of the Atlantic - Better Than Ezra circa Deluxe (1995). Like both of the bands to which I compare them, The New Frontiers are not a band that is going to overpower you with crunching guitars or thundering bass and/or drum lines. Their music is mellow without being passive. It is introspective without being pretentious or obtuse.

Mending opens with highest energy song on the entire CD, Black Lungs. It is a song that grabs your attention without beating you over the head. However they essentially take the lights down for the remainder of Mending. The Day You Fell Apart is a melancholy song about crises and the people who help you get through them. Sally Gathings adds a rich vocal layer with lead singer Nathan Pettijohn to the chorus while mournful guitars tie the verses and chorus together. Other standout tracks include Man Down and This Is My Home.

Being a freshman effort, I wasn't too surprised that not every track appealed to me. Mirrors finds its way to a choral/chorus section that calls to mind the Mike & The Mechanics song The Living Years. While it worked well for Mike & The Mechanics, I thought that it distracted from Pettijohn's otherwise solid vocals. Then there is the closing track Who Will Give Us Love?. It comes close to being a 7/11 song - 7 words repeated 11 times. While the words in question are not offensive (variants of "We gotta learn to pray like Jesus"), musically it is just bad.

All in all, though, this is a solid debut CD from The New Frontiers. They are definitely a band that shows a lot of promise, and I look forward to hearing their future work. If you think a blend of Coldplay and Better Than Ezra sounds interesting, give it a spin and let me know what you think.

Download this: The Day You Fell Apart

[...]

2008 is starting to become a year to be remembered. There have been a handful of great releases already and The Militia Group have released their first MUST HAVE of 2008 with The New Frontiers` debut, Mending. This is uplifting Alt Country inspired album that isn't afraid to borrow the best parts of other Rock sub-genres. This blend makes for an original yet familiar sound, with straight forward Country tinged Rock songs (Black Lung), to beautiful, laid back melodies (The Day You Fell Apart, Mirrors), even a genuinely honest acoustic number (Spirit and Skin).

A lot is to be said about the vocals as well. Nathan Pettijohn's soothing vocals are near perfect, and some of the best I've heard this year. Complimenting Nathan's incredible vocals are amazing harmonies sung by the other members of the band. This especially done well on the song Mirrors. It sounds like everyone in the band contributed to these harmonies and they are the most beautiful harmonies I've heard in a song in the past few years. In fact, the album's high point comes a little too early with Mirrors, easily the best song on the album. That's a minor gripe. Because the album is so good, you almost want to pick it apart to see if there are any flaws at all. You're going to have to get a microscope out, because The New Frontiers have a near-perfect album with Mending.

With memorable songs and honest lyrics, The New Frontiers have given us an inspirational and unforgettable album with Mending. Get ready to wear out your CD player or iPod, you won't want to listen to anything else for a while.

Stand Out Tracks:

"Mirrors"

"Strangers"

"Black Lung"