IR Orlando #18: Spotlight on Spacebar

I originally played Spacebar way back on episode #4 last August, and several times since then. In the meantime, their debut full-length album, ‘Our Fight,’ has been completed and released. They are working on the video for ‘Things Change’ and the album will be hitting college radio on June 19. They are looking to chart on over 350 college radio stations around the country. They also recently signed on with a new manager, Major Bob, who discovered and still manages Garth Brooks. And to top it off, they just did a song called ‘Breathe the Air’ for the video game ‘Dance Dance Revolution 4’ by Konami.

Spacebar was founded in Jacksonville, Florida in 2003 by James Rowand (vocals, bass) and Arthur Hardie IV (lead guitar, keyboards). They relocated to Orlando in 2004 and picked up 2 more band members: Christian Wilson (no longer with the band) and Brandon Marsden (drums). Last year, Bill Hamel, a reknowned artist in his own right, joined the band to lend his electronic talents and beef up the rock with beats, keyboards, synths, loops and other assorted oddities. BT has referred to Hamel as ‘a shining star in a sea of faceless DJs and producers’ and Paul Oakenfold has called him one of his favorite re-mixers.

Spacebar’s ‘Our Fight’ is an accomplished debut, featuring 12 rock-solid songs and a second disc filled with remixed and reworked versions of 6 of the songs. Their unique blend of electronic beats and sounds melded with cutting guitar riffs and soaring vocal harmonies creates a lush, textured soundscape. The band’s sharp pop sensibilities serve them well here, making the tunes catchy and unforgettable.


Some of the highlights include:
‘Our Fight’ – the newest song on the album, holds much promise for future endeavors. Begun as an instrumental by Hardie and Hamel, it was fully realized after a weekend session with Rowand in Hamel’s home studio;
‘Pacific’ – for anyone who has longed to escape the monotony of everyday life;
‘Someone’ (remix) was created by Bill Hamel, Arthur Hardie, James Rowand and British dance music legend,
Simon Noble;
‘Bonfire’ – a musical interpretation of Robert Frost’s poem ‘the Bonfire.’ The music was written by Hardie and Rowand at a party, with the lyrics thrown in when they grabbed a nearby book and opened it to that poem.

To purchase ‘Our Fight’ please visit:
http://spacebarmusic.com/
Spacebar’s MySpace page


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