Oh the joys of a local band starting to make it big! I've been a friend of two members of Jefferson Third since I was a freshman in high school. It was only a matter of time before the two of them started a band. And when one of them was randomly assigned a college roommate and they started jamming out, the fates had aligned and a three-piece acoustic band was formed under the name Jefferson Third. Being friends with two-thirds of the members, I've been following Jefferson Third from day one - watching them cover Taking Back Sunday in their basement to adding a drummer and becoming a four-piece rock outfit. I talk with this band on a regular basis, and have been in regular communication with them through the professional recording of their demo, and I am confident to say I have never met a band more excited about what they are doing, all the while still trying to be humble about their gaining popularity and exposure. This is Only a Test is the beginning of a band going places; don't miss out on the ride.
Jefferson Third plays what can be described as indie pop punk. Not quite Brand New, not quite All American-Rejects, but all kinds of rock. With that being said, anyone that knows me personally knows that I would much rather listen to a poorly recorded EP from some obscure, screamy emo type band rather then the bands mentioned above. Nevertheless, I can appreciate the talent these bands have, and can take it for what it is and have fun with it. This is what Jefferson Third is to me. A band who's genre I can't relate to, but who's music I can listen to have fun with, and enjoy. And that's exactly what This is Only a Test is: four tracks of rock fun.
Vocally, Jefferson Third does everything I could ever ask from them. Listening to them, I start to think; "It would be way rad if they added some anthem type vocals into the chorus." Or, "The tempo's starting to pick up, adding some 'Whoas" to the end of the chorus would sound great." Needless to say, a few seconds later my wishes are granted, and Jefferson Third's vocalist Tim is doing exactly what the drums and bass, as well as my thoughts, are telling him to do.
Musically, Jefferson Third is built around tempo changes and building their music up, usually slowly at first, with a couple strums of the guitar and a few drum beats to go along with Tim's slow and deliberate vocals. The tempo will keep rising and rising to an absolute crescendo, with bass, guitar, and drums moving at a fast place to go along with the quick vocal workings of Tim. Anything we haven't heard before? Not really. Does it matter when listening to them? Absolutely not.
Every town has them: Shitty local bands that win a battle of the bands, pretend like they are going to go somewhere, and then break up over some petty, insignificant problem. Not that it really mattered, because in the back of your mind you always knew they sucked anyways. Jefferson Third is not this band. From playing acoustic basement shows to playing in front tons of kids, and from self-recording a rough demo to going into the studio with producer Paul Leavitt (Senses Fail, Hidden in Plain View), Jefferson Third has moved from the ground up and is starting to make a name for themselves. With the future right ahead of them, This is Only a Test is hopefully just that.
