"We wanna live for something / we don't really wanna die here anymore," Eric Collins busts out on the chorus of the first track on Denison Marrs' new full-length. It seems like these guys do have something to live for, as they recently signed to Floodgate Records and gained Warner Bros. distribution in the deal. But it's not all about the Benjamins for these boys — they wanna sing about hope and love and all that. Sonically, this album does not mess around, and skips the spacey riff-raff that was on DM's first two records. Then Is the New Now has plenty of sing-along choruses. Collins delivers these well crafted pop/rock tunes with a histrionic, at times vibrato, vocal styling. The songs are also shorter and more to the point when compared to previous albums. More like a live show than a canned recording, TITNN captures a tight, bold, and big sound. The cover of Real Life's "Send Me An Angel" is unnecessary, although a crowd favorite, and Denison Marrs couldn't seem to resist putting a 14-minute song on the album. Other than those arguable gaffes, I wholeheartedly approve.
Editors' ratings - Doug 3.5/5, Jason 3.5/5
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Bert GanglThe ability of any artist to call their musical influences clearly to the mind of the listener without simultaneously hurling down the slippery slope of outright plagiarism is indeed a rare one. For every band like, say, R.E.M. or the Gin Blossoms that has managed to harness the defining essence of their musical inspirations (in this case, the Byrds, among others) and translate that quantity into…The Phantom Tollbooth 2003Reviewed by Noel LloydOkay, the first thing I have to admit is that I love the name of this band--Denison Marrs. I am intrigued as to how they acquired it. Could it be the name of some obscure hero from a 1950s Roger Corman sci-fi flick? Or perhaps it is some turn of the century dead poet of whose prose I the inerudite philistine possess no knowledge? I am sure somebody could provide me with the answer, but I prefer…Decapolis August 2002Reviewed by Matt ModrichDenison Marrs is one of the best emo bands in the "Christian" scene, but has yet to receive the exposure they deserve. But for the first time ever many people will have an opportunity to hear their new record, "Then is the New Now," which will be nationally distributed by Floodgate Records. Blending the beauty of The Cure's vocals with the edginess of Jimmy Eat World, Denison Marrs has a unique…The Rebel Base 2002Reviewed by Andree FariasDenison Marrs is not a new pop singer or an inane candy bar. Denison Marrs is simply a rock band. A badass, no-holds-barred rock band. Gritty and unpolished, these indie favorites are responsible for Then is the New Now, the most recent head-turning outing from Floodgate Records, the California-based upstart that has already wowed us with the intensity of hard rockers EastWest and the heartfelt…Similar sounding releases
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