Air This Side of Caution

The Story

Some people start bands because they want fame & fortune. Others start because they have nothing better to do. The rare exception is a band that believes music is an end unto itself, rather than a means to an end. Air This Side of Caution is that exception, a Chicago quartet that recently found themselves with the creation and release of their sophomore album, Nature Will Turn On Us.



Founded in late 2000, ATSoC was the byproduct of a ten-year-old relationship between best friends JKid (guitars) and Raine (vocals/guitars/keys). Having played together in a band in high school, their musical bond ran deep. Joined by a rhythm section, initial rehearsals started in November 2000; the first show was at Gunther Murphy's (Chicago) in January 2001. The show sold out ten minutes before they hit the stage, and quite literally, the band was immediately signed to a local production agency: written on a napkin at the bar, the initial contract was inked that night.



ATSoC spent the next 15 months playing shows in the region, building not only a solid fan base but also demand for a recording. 6 weeks before tracking the first record was to begin, the original drummer left, and recent Chicago transplant Lucas Farran joined the ranks. Farran, a veteran drummer, played on Northern Illinois University's drum line and has studied with such heavy hitters as Tim "Herb" Alexander (formerly of Primus) and Stanton Moore (Galactic).



The next six months proved themselves difficult not only musically, but emotionally as well. Farran worked to learn his parts and how to deal with his new bandmates; Raine battled severe depression and did his best to hide it from everyone. His effort led to an attempted suicide 16 days before the debut's release. He did his best to hide that from everyone too.



Despite (or in spite of) mental health issues, their debut album, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, was released in August 2002. While the dark emotions conjured by Raine's soaring vocals are only intensified by the swirling roar of JKid's guitars, the record never seems to attain a goal or make a point. Although the record itself is an accomplishment, the same cloud that dampened the band's live shows overshadows the album as well. Reviewers recognized the band's inherent talent, but they also noticed that the band played more to each other than to the crowd. "It was like we created a little bubble and the audience was observing us from outside it," says Raine. "Unbearable sounds the same way to me: we're playing to and for each other, not the listener."



Nonetheless, people liked what they heard; the record began to sell a little and the band hit the road, touring the Midwest. In the next two-and-a-half years, the band moved up through the ranks, playing venues such as the Metro and the House of Blues with acts like Sleeping at Last, The Webb Brothers, Assassins, and OK GO; they opened for such notables as Bon Jovi, The Goo Goo Dolls, and Jon Mellencamp. When the demo process for a new record began, disagreements surfaced. The original bassist parted ways with the group. Local actor/bassist Dan Neid was invited to join.



It was evident from his first show that he was a perfect fit. In August 2005, ATSoC took the stage at Schuba's (Chicago). Newly energized by Dan's rock-solid low end, the band tore into their tunes like a pack of wolves and played a blistering set in front of a sold-out room. After the show, Raine leaned on his amplifier, head down, shoulders shuddering. "I was crying like a baby," he says. The emotion was a result of finally finding what he calls "the perfect lineup. I knew right then that I didn't want to play in this band unless it was with these three guys. Dan was the last piece of the puzzle." Air This Side of Caution's lineup was complete.



For the next six months, the band diligently rehearsed and played shows, defining the tight, confident sound that is so evident on Nature Will Turn On Us. "It's kind of a 'right here, right now, this is what you should be listening to' attitude," says Richard Milne of Chicago's 93.1 WXRT. "I specifically like the confidence of the performances."



Much of the confidence captured on tape is a direct result of the band taking control of the recording process. ATSoC asked a close friend, Jay Marino of the Chicago band Buddy Nuisance, to engineer and co-produce the record. They created a temporary studio at Raine's childhood home in Naperville and spent a week hammering out the basic tracks; overdubs were done in the basement of the house JKid shares with his wife in Lakeview.



While very apparent on disc, the band's tightness and inherent musicality is even more obvious in their live show. Drawing comparisons to everyone from The Replacements, Radiohead, and Jeff Buckley, they careen from one song to the next, laying down a strong pop foundation at one moment with "Could You Be More?" only to dismantle it with the rich, dark, almost anti-pop bombast of "Carry On." Despite this variation in style, they rarely miss a cue, and they pride themselves on never doing a show or a song the same way twice; something is always changing.



Their new record also marks a shift in the band's attitude: they no longer hesitate to write about their beliefs. Almost every track on Nature Will Turn On Us has a societal or political comment coursing through it. "Here We Go" rants against Enron, while "Details & Structures" echoes the record's dark title, wondering if humanity will stop the destruction of our environment before it's too late. Other themes include anti-war as well as anti-Bush sentiments; musings on work and life in Corporate America; and frustration about the current state of our electoral process.



The weight of their music creates a problem for ATSoC: there is an obvious contradiction between the music they write and their personalities. The songs on Nature Will Turn On Us leads one to think the band is dark or gloomy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sitting in a room with ATSoC is akin to a bus ride home from a junior high field trip but without adults. The most common sound when with them is laughter; silence is a rarity. "The things we love become part of who we are and what we do. I love dark, emotional music, but I also love The Three Stooges," says Raine. "I'm an optimistic, happy person most of the time because music provides me with a pressure valve, a release. Without it, I'd be dead."



Some bands would see such a contradiction as a roadblock to fame and fortune; ATSoC accepts it as one of the secrets to their success. By not taking themselves too seriously, they claim to avoid the typical arguments that seem to be nearly cliché among countless bands, past and present; in other words, it grants them the ability to concentrate on what matters. "We create for the sake of creation," offers Raine. "I'd be much happier living in poverty with good songs under my belt rather than living in a mansion, embarrassed and cringing every time I hear myself on the radio."



Find out more about ATSOC and download their debut music video for Here We Go by clicking here or contact Jon Healy at healy@airthissideofcaution.com.



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