Classes are over, the sun is shining and the familiar sound of rattling window panes can only mean one thing-spring is officially here.
You know the drill: Once the weather hits 60 degrees, you dust off that stereo, crank it up to 11 and blast your favorite music out the window for the entire campus to hear. From the latest and greatest club hits to old favorites from The Boss or Billie Joel, this is the perfect moment to show off your musical style and celebrate the return of warm weather. And if you're looking for something great to add to your playlist, rising rock/pop powerhouse Oh, The Story!'s new EP, Sea of Stars, couldn't come at a better time.
Fresh off their stellar performance at Relay for Life in March, the band hasn't slowed down one bit. In the past month alone, Oh, The Story! have simultaneously played a sold-out show at Towson's Recher Theatre, released their new EP for fans to buy from either iTunes or Amazon.com's MP3 store, and announced plans to hit the road on tour this summer.
With such a loaded schedule and so much recent exposure, it would be fairly easy to get caught up in the buzz surrounding the band and view this recent release as just a fans-only record, but that's not the case. The four-song EP hits you fast and hard and is jam-packed with all the bravado and energy that local fans have come to expect from the band. But for new listeners, it serves as a great introduction to a group of six guys that have quickly taken the Baltimore music scene by storm.
Formed in 2006 by vocalist James Larson, the band consists of guitarist John Calvin, bassist Josh Schlotterback, drummer Chris Pollack, pianist Scott Swindells, and Loyola's own J.W. Sargent on guitar. After releasing their debut album, Good Morning Illumination, in 2007, the boys are back with this four-song sampler. From start to finish, Sea of Stars commands attention and successfully keeps Oh, The Story! from being labeled as just another semi-angsty rock band in skinny pants.
Larson's slightly-raspy vocals have an almost eerie calm to them at times, making it hard to classify his sound. Even as he wails and throws all of his heart into the lyrics of "Into the Unknown," it still feels like he's got so much more to say, but is determined to make those three minutes and 21 seconds the best that listeners have all day. But it's on the album's opening track, "The Astronomer" that the band truly shines as a whole. From the sing-along chant touting the simple message of living in the moment, to the subtle-yet-pleasant addition of Swindells' keyboard during the chorus, it becomes quickly apparent that this is a band that not only strives to make it big, but actually enjoys what they do and wants everyone that hears them to enjoy it too.
Sea of Stars is a nice addition to the spring/summer music season, and it will be interesting to see where this band goes in the future. But for now, strap down that stereo, fire up the grill, and rock out with the boys of Oh, The Story!.
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