The Omnibus

Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Gallery

Aaron Gillespie, drummer and singer of Underoath, recently released his side project debut album titled Southern Weather. Gillespie's side band is called The Almost.

The Almost is a Christian rock band from Salt Lake City, Utah. More widely known as Aaron Gillespie's (from Underoath) side project, the almost's debut album Southern Weather released April 3.
Aaron Gillespie is well known in the music industry as being one of the best singer / drummers around and the only original member of Underoath to have recorded on all of the albums.
Underoath would not be the band they are without Gillespie. His voice and drumming are vital to Underoath's success, even though the hardcore albums do not often portray just how well Gillespie can sing.
There is not any screaming on this album, it seems as if he has strayed from writing about his four-year relationship that recently went sour. It seems to be a mix of hinting at relationships and songs about faith-based issues. Gone are the more introspective lyrics found in most Underoath songs. It may be wrong to compare the two, but it is inescapable.
Every instrument on this album was played by Gillespie, thus giving it the melodic rock sound that Underoath has maintained in their last two albums. But this album is not hardcore, and I do not think this can replace Underoath.
I think Gillespie has done well with this project, but when I listen to it, I find myself wanting to listen to Underoath. I wait for breakdowns and I wish that someone would scream, just a little bit. But the Almost just does not have it. It is more of a lighthearted album that I would recommend to anyone that does not like screaming.
This album has something on it that most Underoath fans ignore. They ignore the fact that Aaron Gillespie can do just as well on slow songs.
Songs like "Amazing Because It Is" and "Dirty and Left Out" are so pretty. Both are about personal struggles with sin and interpersonal turmoil.
"Amazing Because It Is" is a modern interpretation of Amazing Grace, at the end of the song there is a choir section that pulls the whole song together and following that is a little breakdown, making it my favorite song on this album.
I wish they made an album with songs just like the latter, slow and pretty songs that reassure you of the fact that other people are not as perfect as they seem, not songs that are so close to sounding like Underoath.
Overall, I would say that I like this album, and I support Aaron Gillespie. However, I really wish that the songs were slower and quieter. Gillespie has a lot of talent, and I think that an acoustic project is inevitable, but until then I only have a couple of songs that I like on this album.

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