It's been a little over two months since the release of What Am I. Since then, a lot of things have changed. Mistletoes and Warheads is now a 3 member band, we're playing live shows, and we've announced a new album in the making. This album is "Great" to the End. After the initial slow release of What Am I, the fan base has grown, the buzz has started, and a higher level of expectation needs to be met. I can assure you that those expectations will be exceeded. We are doing everything in our power to make an absolutely earth shattering release. "Great" to the End will be a defining moment for Mistletoes and Warheads. This isn't the logical next step, it's an evolution. Here's why:
-Focused, yet Experimental
The reason why What Am I was met with such warm reception is puzzling. On paper, it shouldn't have worked. An album sprawling over so many genres is a tricky thing. It was What Am I's bane and also one of it's greatest strengths. How do you gain listeners from one particular genre when you're spread thin over so many? What Am I had something for everyone, but not enough for the one. We're fixing that with Great. Don't worry, this is still experimental music at it's finest. This time however, we're firmly rooted with Garage, Punk and Pop-Rock. No two songs sound the same; every single one of them are carefully written and composed by us. Scott-esque lyrics are splattered all over these songs, flanked by Love's ingenuity and Justin's hard hitting beats. These songs stand out, and put together, they form one hell of a release. Did I mention there are around 20 of them?
-A Story
This album has a story. It's comfortable for the songs; fitting them into an overall theme. This isn't a gimmick, it's a well thought out string that ties together the social commentary and gives the album an extra dimension for the careful listener. This is an abstract, modern day revolution story following one man's fall from graces and struggle to save what he holds most dear to him. Early on, stricken with tragedy, this once cocky and carefree leader finds himself in a maddening battle between his desire to remain in the past and his duty to build a future for his nation as well as himself. Distracted from his duties by his downward spiral of depression and a new romance (A twisted love story in it's own right), he neglects his people's needs and fails to soothe the problems of his ailing nation. Now, faced with the blood-lust of the people, he must make a choice: Will he recover what he's lost, or is it time for the people to take their power back?
-The Personal Connection
Every Mistletoes and Warheads song has some sort of connection to my personal life. This album focuses on a variety of things ranging from my distaste of narrow thinking to my parasitic desire to better myself at every possible turn. I'm acidic; I don't attempt to hide anything. I've been betrayed, I've had my fights. I've had my falls, and I've had my comebacks. Prepare to listen to songs about my need for musical variation, the loss of interest in things that used to make me happy, and most importantly: women. God, I love women.
-The Political Connection
We live in exciting times. For better or worse, we live in exciting times. We live in an era of modern warfare, financial instability, a struggle to be a green planet, and terrifying exponential technological progression. We've had major events happen recently, from hurricane Sandy wrecking havoc, to the recent 2012 presidential election. Expect all these and more to come up in Great. Great isn't a politically biased album. I'm not trying to be a cynical mess here, this isn't a barrage of complaints. It's an overall message. This is a battle cry to America. It's time we meet today with a firm handshake, and send a polite wave to tomorrow, letting it know that it's next in line.
I hope you're as excited as I am for "Great" to the End. It's been and will continue to be a long road ahead. Just know that it'll be great all the way through ;)
-Nelson