Three Weeks

Here's our interview with local Utah band and my personal friends, Three Weeks!

    -Where did you come up with your band name and is there some meaning behind it?

       It was a late night and we were in a silly mood.. we were talking about putting things off, and procrastinating.. our drummer at the time made the statement.. "yeah dude.. it's like three weeks til sunday..."  And we thought that's could be kind of a cool name.. so we were 3 Weeks til Sunday for several years, until we we released our album last April.. at which time we dropped the til Sunday part, and now we are just THREE WEEKS.  It's more user friendly for people announcing us and stuff.. the name got confusing for people sometimes..

- Who are some of your musical influences?

        I grew up listening to the Beatles, Eagles, Kansas, Journey.. you know the classic rock that our parents love.. so that really is the biggest influence in my writing.. trying to write songs that are catchy, and hopefully timeless.. other more modern influences would include Eve 6, Fountains of Wayne, and the Killers.

- Do you have a certain theme or feel for your current album?

     The album is called Alive Again.. and in it we deal with archetypes like  Rain, birth, resurrection... the album was produced in a time of great growth for the band, and preceded  some even bigger changes and bigger growth.  It really represents our first real steps and address to the world.

- Describe your sound/genre.

     We just call it chill rock.. it's all pretty easy to listen to..

- Who are the members of your band and their roles?

      Bryce Wood- Lead singer, guitar, songwriter
      Austin Wood- Keys, guitar, vocals, songwriter
     Christian Hathaway- Bass, vocals
     Kent Scott- drums, vocals
     We also have a full tech team that runs our light and sound headed up by Mark Lusk, Joseph Ditton, and Stuart Olsen

- What would you like to accomplish or achieve with your music?

     Show the world that there is more to listen to than just hip hop.. that music really can mean something again.  I look back at the songs that have had an impact on my life, and it's those songs by the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkle that high school kids are showing to their teachers saying.. "Listen to this new band!  They have this awesome new song called Sounds of Silence!"  I want to help people rediscover the real magic of music.

- What is your creative process like?

     I do most of my composing with my brother Austin.. Some songs almost write themselves, while others have to ripen on the vine.  I get a lot of my ideas in the shower of all places:)  Usually one of us will have a concept for a song, and we get together, and just hammer it out.

- What instruments do you use (technical specs for the nerds)?  

     I play a Talman thin body electric acoustic, and I also play a squire telecaster.  Our keyboard is a Yamaha.. nothing fancy, our bass is a Fender vintage precision bass, and our drum kit is a pearl with zxt symbols.  I sing into a sure beta 58 mic, the back up vocals run on pg 48 mics, and our system is a combination of behringer, peavy, and crown boards and amps, with Kustom speakers.

- If you could work with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

Paul Mcartney!

- What's on your MP3 player currently?

     I actually don't have one!  I'm still in the stone age!

- Any upcoming concert events or releases?

     We will be doing a concert on Dec 4th up Utah State University Campus.. cost is $5.00 at the door, and all public is welcome

- Any final thoughts, shoutouts, tips or words of advice?

     Never be afraid to pursue your dreams.. I started writing music because I wanted to do a band, but wasn't good at playing covers.. it's amazing what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it.  Do it for the love of it.

     Please check out our website threeweeksrock.com, and find us on facebook.. we do have a fan page for the band, or add me personally.  We have a lot of videos from past shows and stuff.  If you want us to come play just email me or facebook me!  Thanks much!

Review - Qu: Sherwood

Rating: 7.3

“I am the favorite in a fight that I can’t win.”

On an album loaded with catchy tracks, Sherwood’s third release Qu (out October 13th on MySpace Records), has me tapping my toes and singing under my breath while I work on reports at my desk. Vocal harmonies and distortion saturated guitar solos hook you while the jazzy drums and lyrical synth hold you tight.

The lyrics are energetic and you’ll be singing along before you realize it. Peppy, upbeat tracks create a happy pop rock feel while the languid slow numbers opine about love and life. Qu, in its entirety, is an addictive and memorable collection of songs sure to have you bobbing your head and tapping your fingers on the steering wheel as you remember summer nights spent in the arms of your High School sweetheart.


Track by track review for Sherwood Qu:

Shelter – Perfectly displays Sherwood’s harmonic gift. At not even a minute long this is an nice little display of the vocal talent of the group.

Maybe This Time – I really enjoyed the percussive mimic of a rapidly beating clock as the intro to this song. The lyrics are empowering. This is a fun, poppy way to open the full length tracks for the album.

Hit the Bottom – Of all the songs on Qu, this is the song I see playing on Top 40 radio. The track is danceable, singable and is already stuck in my head. You’ll hear this song being hummed and sung by high school students the world around. It’s pretty hard not to get caught up in the chorus and in the breakdown in the middle of the song.

Make it Through – Charming rhythms and clear vocals in “Make it Through” will easily hook you. The song is relatively slowly paced but is still a fun, catchy tune.

You Are – Yet another song I could easily see, or hear as it were, playing on the loudspeakers at a High School dance or play during one of the awkward silent moments on The Hills. It’s still catchy as hell and fun to sing along with.

Ground Beneath My Feet – The very instant this track started I could not help but draw comparisons to The Fray. The use of the keys, even the vocals and lyric style all smack heavily of songs like “How to Save a Life.” After a slow intro, the song drops into a more driven style. It’s a good song and if you’re a fan of bands like The Fray, this is the track for you.

Around You – Another song that quickly had me comparing Sherwood to bands like The Fray. This number is genuine and romantic. Use this on your digital mixtape for your significant other.
What Are You Waiting For? – I suppose, in answer to the question posed by this song, I’m waiting for this song to really pick up. This is the first, but not last, example of a song where I expected the song to pick up/speed up/get better and it just never quite ended up where I was hoping it would.

Not Gonna Love – Easily my favourite track on this album. This is a catchy, inviting and thoroughly fun song. I was singing along by my second listen. From first taste I was absolutely enamored with “Not Gonna Love.” It had a classic rock feel with a twist. The drums had me feeling as though I had just finished watching The Breakfast Club or Say Anything. I wish this track had been placed earlier in the album, however.

Worn – This number is gentle and heartwarming. This song features a lovely female voice in a duet. “Worn” is the type of song you’ll love when you’re thinking about your significant other.

Free – Again featuring a driving emphasis on the keys, “Free” is a slow anthem. The message seems befitting of a more enthusiastic soundtrack but the slow steady pace of the song is still entertaining. This is one of those tracks when you expect that at any time the song will pick up. Unfortunately, it never does.

No Better – Ending the album is a slow piece detailing a story of divorce as told from the eyes of the child or children. The depressing subject matter is hard to fit into the rest of the album. The song is touching, though, and is one of those numbers you’ll undoubtedly belt at the top of your lungs when you’re feeling down.

---Casper Wood