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    The Phantom Tollbooth 2004/Duvall
    Duvall — Volume & Density cover

    Duvall

    Volume & Density

    (2003)

    Reviewed by Matt Modrich

    DiscogsBandcampApple MusicTIDAL
    Label Asian Man RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2004
    emopop punkpower poppunk

    Duvall started in 2001 after Josh Caterer quit his old punk band The Smoking Popes since becoming a Christian in 1998. Duvall picks up where the Popes left off with their first full-length project Volume and Density.

    Caterer has the mark of a true Christian -- humility. In the first song off the new record "All in Your Hands" he talks about failing God, which makes him unworthy of God's love and incapable of making it on his own. In another song, he shares a part of his testimony in seeing the glorified Christ in a dream and how that made him surrender his life to Christ.

    But Caterer's finest lyrical moment on the album may be in "Between the Lines" when he sings: "When I read between the lines, it don't take long to find a heart that's breaking / And the joy you left behind is greater than the one you've been faking."

    Not every song off Volume and Density is a radio hit, but Duvall's specialty is sincere vocals and consistent songwriting with rock'n'roll that is Weezeresque. Still in terms of Duvall's musical journey the best is yet to come.

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    Other coverage for this album

    The Phantom Tollbooth 2004Reviewed by Brian A. SmithDuvall is one of those bands that has great crossover potential, with a modern rock sound that would fit in well on a variety of radio formats. Eventually, after a few hits, they would have to deal with the same controversy that surrounded Creed and Evanescence -- whether or not they were a "Christian" band. While the concept of music being "Christian" or "secular" seems ludicrous, it is probably…Decapolis November 2003Reviewed by Joe GiacheroWe all know the crossover-artists well. Bands start out by selling their product in the small community of Christian music, and with luck break into the buzzing city of mainstream rock. Most of us rally for those bands, and cheer them on, knowing the progression well; the spiritual lyrical content of the music typically becomes ambiguous or simply falls by the wayside and if the artist is lucky,…ReAL Magazine 2003Reviewed by Kevin D. HendricksDuvall is making faith-influenced rock that... well, rocks. The band has a stellar sound, a driving energy, and that signature emo voice. What they don't have is slick Christian marketing, trite lyrics, or a weak sound. It began with the rising success of The Smoking Popes, who emerged onto the growing emo scene and toured with Weezer and Morrissey. But lead singer Josh Caterer converted to…

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