The songs of Madison Fair are not content with just being heard. Their melodies want to take up permanent residence in your head. The rhythms want to be felt in your chest. The words want to resonate in your heart. The songs of Madison Fair are bigger than your stereo.
If you listen close you can hear the influence of people like Tom Petty and the Cars. Or perhaps youll hear similarities between Madison Fair and contemporaries like Matchbox 20 or John Mayer. In any case, as you hear Justin Registers warm tenor lilt and soar over a wash of bright guitars and pulsing rhythms, youll know that Madison Fair has a magic all its own.
The journey begins in June of 2002 when Register found himself heading for the studio with a renewed commitment to the two pillars of good music- songwriting and melody. His friend Eric McCoy agreed to do the recording for what was supposed to be a solo acoustic project. But at the point they should have been done, all they could hear were the songs begging for more room.
So Eric began applying his formidable skills as a guitarist to Justins music. He was joined by Chris Carroll (drums) and Jason Mauer (bass) who gave the songs a rhythmic life that are now one of the hallmarks of the Madison Fair sound. After they finished recording a three song demo, Mauer bowed out to take up other duties and bass ingnue Preston Hayden stepped in without missing a beat.
Since then, these four have been making believers out of the curious all over the southeast playing with bands such as Crossfade, Luna Halo, Stretch Armstrong, I Nine, Bain Mattox, Angie Aparo and Need to Breathe. They released a full length record in 2005, the longest day to rave reviews and shortly after signed a production deal with JT Meskiel (Document Room studio owner, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sparta, Puddle of Mudd ) who flew them out to Los Angeles to record the follow up to that in 2006, kid gloves EP. Between an unyielding string of passionate, moving songs and a high impact live show creating a steady industry buzz these kids are up for taking over the world one ipod at a time.
Imagine music that takes those small everyday moments and opens them up to show us the mystery that hides just under the surface. Love. Sorrow. Expectation. Joy. These are the songs of Madison Fair. Songs that are big enough to invite you inside them. Songs that are bigger than your stereo.
Step inside these songs. Make yourself at home.
Welcome to Madison Fair.
Free Times
Madison Fair
the longest day
The Longest Day is pure pop ore. It is the glimmering raw material that major labels mine from seedy dives and dank clubs. This record shows Madison Fair as a talented unit with oodles of heart. Its raw because it catches Madison Fair before they have been influenced by outside forces. But its refined as well. The song structures are tight and well timed, and every component works for the whole. The best part for me, being a writer, is probally the lyrics. This album, built mainly on the uneasy-yet-triumphant feeling of love, can reach into the most lifeless of bodies and pump-start that heart with its bare hands. Why are we all so hopelessly captivated by love songs? Havent we heard enough?
Hell no! Songs like more than you know are perfect for that late night drive where you can belt out those memories about someone you never want to forget.
The Top 40 is really lonely without these guys. Dont get me wrong, theres enough individuality here to allow Madison Fair to maintain some indie cred. I played the longest day for this punk rock girl Im seeing, and she said she loved it and didnt know why. Ill tell you why. Its because theyre so freakin catchy.
Review by:
William Mills
MADISON FAIR
Discoveringartists.com
01.23.05
Madison Fair: .The Longest Day
With a twinge of Matchbox 20, Madison Fair makes a brilliant debut with their first release. In "More Than You Know", a yearning is expressed in the lyrics, "I guess it always falls this way/Screamin out with nothing to say/I don't know why it always seems/I'm hangin up on your machine/I need you more than you'd believe." The lyrics are thoughtful and edgy, yet the alternative rock sound keeps their tunes nonchalantly cool. This is a group, much like Red Letter Print or Graham Colton Band, that deserves the chance to shine and I'm hoping they get it.
Favorite Tracks: Stay, Underneath
Rating: 5 stars
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Madison Fair
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