THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(9-TRACKS)
1-BELIEVE
2-EXECUTION
3-LONELY HOUSE
4-JERKY LOVE SONG
5-DROWN
6-UNDIVINE ELECTION
7-HUMANITY
8-FOR ME
9-EXECUTION
This is an extremely rare independent release that predates "Lonely House" and features 8 songs that would end up on that release and 1 that would later appear on "Flying." Features both plugged and unplugged tracks, some of which were recorded live in Seattle.
GRAMMATRIAN-LONELY HOUSE-1999
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(13-TRACKS)
1-SHE DON'T KNOW
2-BELIEVE
3-EXECUTION
4-LONELY HOUSE
5-PSYCHO
6-SICK OF WILL
7-NEED
8-DROWN
9-UNDIVINE ELECTION
10-JERKY LOVE SONG
11-HUMANITY
12-PICTURE PAINS
13-APATHY
Why do the best bands always have to break up? I found out about grammatrain about a year ago while looking for good christian music on amazon. What I found blew me away. I never knew christian music had its own Soundgarden, one of my favorite secular bands.Grammatrain has awsome,UNDERSTANDABLE lyrics and some of the most solid rock/grunge music I have ever heard. I own both Lonely House and Flying, and while I love them both, Lonely house would have to be my favorite. The thing that makes grammatrain so unique among Christian artists is their style of music. Christian music used to be totally pop music. Then a few bands decided to break off from that image. Some went to a kind of "power-pop/light rock" style (Third Day, DC Talk, Newsboys, etc.), while the rest went to the complete other side of the road to all-out hardcore rock. I thought that there was no middle until I found Grammatrain that day. They figured out that seemingly unknown fact that you can have a solid rock sound without yelling the lyrics AT THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS. Then, as soon as they came, they were gone. But... we still have these albums to remember them by. I would strongly recommend both albums, especially Lonely House And Flying.Are one of the best rock albums I have ever heard, Christian or Secular. Strongly recommended. .
GRAMMATRIAN-FLYING-1997
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(9-TRACKS)
1-JONAH
2-LESS OF ME
3-ROCKETSHIP
4-PEACE
5-FOR ME
6-PAIN
7-SELL YOUR SOUL
8-FUSE
9-NATION DISASSIOCIATES.
Although released in 1997, this excellent jewel was actually four or five years too late. Simply put, the songs on this disc are good enough to compete with the best of the secular stuff offered by Grammatrain's fellow "Seattle-ites". As a huge fan of early-to-mid 90s grunge (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, AIC, Screaming Trees, etc.), there is no doubt Grammatrain are good enough to be mentioned in the same breath as those bands.From the subdues tones of 'Peace' to the manic paced progressive intensity of 'Rocketship',Do you think there is no such thing as tight sounding rock music with a worth while message? Think again! "Flying" by GRAMMATRAIN is one of the best rock albums I've ever heard. It combines some of the best instrumentation you'll ever hear on a rock album, with strong, thought provoking lyrics. The rhythm section of this band reminiscent of Led Zeppelin; "yes it's that strong"! There is really not a dud on here; just one great tune after another. My favorite song is "Pain" (one word for you here, INTENSE). I purchased this cd a couple of years back, and it still gets heavy rotation on all of my cd players. 'Flying' - Grammatrain's second album - proves to be a treasure trove of profound lyrical and musical delight. Herein lies many a brooding moment where the tight musicianship paints an apt backdrop for uncomfortably challenging and uplifting lyrics. No stone is left unturned as Dalton, Paul and Pete explore and comment upon such topics as social depravity ('Fuse'), inner struggles ('Jonah', 'Less Of Me'), longing ('Spiderweb'), redemption (the witty title track) and the stunningly profound 'Pain', concerned with the coexistence of faith and suffering ('I find through every ounce of pain I feel that my mind cannot deny that God is real'); arriving at the conclusion that there are no real answers to the question of pain and suffering, only the fact that through Jesus' shed blood there is eternal life beyond the immediate and therefore hope in the midst of even the darkest of hours. 'Flying' offers a vulnerable yet powerful insight into real life; carefully crafted so as to leave the listener in no doubt as to Grammatrain's faith in Christ, yet sensitive enough to lovingly challenge those left standing in the dark. Excellent.
GRAMMATRIAN-LIVE/12/01/98-1999
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(11-TRACKS)
1-LESS OF ME
2-EXECUTION
3-PAIN
4-FUSE
5-FLYING
6-BELIEVE
7-NEED
8-JONAH
9-SIX O'CLOCK NEWS
10-LONELY HOUSE
11-JERKY LOVE SONG
This is the live CD of Grammatrain's final concert in Germany, Recorded a Few year's Ago At Christmas Rock Night in Hagon, Germany, 'Live' spans both Forefront releases, as they wrapped up their musical career.'90s, Grammatrain have developed into a tour de force within the alternative rock genre, melding the best elements of 'modern' rock with post grunge undertones, resulting in a refreshingly unique sound within an over familiar musical genre.They play a lot of wonderful songs from their albums including Less of Me, Flying, Execution, Believe, Jonah, Lonely House, and Pain. Halfway through the show, Pete gives a great speech about their career and the glory of God; their pains and struggles and joys of the Christian walk. They follow it up with one of my favorite songs, "Need". Germany's annual Christmas Rock Night was captured on tape, and the results are beginning to hit the shelves as this year's event approaches. Grammatrain's final show was among those captured and now it's ready to complete the band's trio of label releases. One of the few bands to appear on the Christian scene who actually reflected the "alternative rock" label which they were handed, it's not surprising to find that Grammatrain's live sound is turbulent, churning, and bass-heavy..
PETE STEWART-PETE STEWART-1999
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(11-TRACKS)
1-OUT OF MY MIND
2-BETTER OFF
3-UPHILL BATTLE
4-WORSHIP SONG
5-LITTLE COUNTRY CHRUCH
6-DON'T UNDERESTIMATE
7-SPINNING
8-UP IN THE SKY
9-THE REASON IS YOU
10-THE ONE
11-WAITING FOR THE SON
PETE STEWART-I GAVE YOU A DESERT-2007
THIS ALBUM CONTAIN(11-TRACKS)
1-NO ONE CAN SAVE ME
2-THIS WAY
3-IN MY WATERFALL
4-I TRIED
5-I DON'T NEED YOU
6-BROKEN NEST
7-I'M FREE
8-ENTER THE SUN
9-NOT OK WITHOUT YOU
10-(MORNING)OVER YOU
11-THIS IS GOING NOWHERE
Having been a Pete Stewart fan from his days in Grammatrain, I can say this is a true return to form for him (no, I don't mean that this sounds like Grammatrain). One misses his musicianship in The Accident Experiment, but it's back in full force on I Gave You a Desert. I nearly forgot what a great guitar player he is.this is highly recommended, just like all his other projects.
The emotion on Seattle-born/San Diego-transplant Pete Stewart’s solo album, I Gave You A Desert, is impossible to ignore. Songs that range from dark acoustic Nick Drake/Elliot Smith-influenced masterpieces to White Album-esque hard, lonely blues rock outings show both a variety of sonic colors and a depth uncommonly found in modern singer/songwriters. In the tradition of solo artists such as Lenny Kravitz and Elliot Smith, Pete sings and plays nearly every note contained on his CD, leaving drumming duties to two of his former and current bandmates—Seattle’s Kelly Lichtenwaldt and San Diego’s Ernie Longoria (of both Sprung Monkey and The Accident Experiment—the nationally acclaimed rock band Pete has served as lead vocalist for during the past four and a half years). The lyrics on I Gave You A Desert reveal an artist who tackles issues of love, loss and personal liberty without falling into the common pitfalls of self-indulgent shoe-gazing and isolation. The result is an album that is wonderfully both messy and beautiful—just like the great records that make Pete’s influences
He's a down-to-earth, what-you-see-is-what-you-get blue-eyed preacher's kid from a tiny Washington town who sings his thoughts on tape. So what's so exciting about Pete Stewart? Once you hear the songs he sings—and the voice that sings them—you'll know. Stewart's singular voice has ground its mark into the fabric of Christian music for the last five years as lead singer of Grammatrain, which came to the end of its tracks with the mutual decision of the band members to disperse. Stewart continued writing and recording songs—nothing new for him—but this time the project was his own solo venture. Although he never had considered a solo deal, once presented to him, the self-titled record became an exciting experience. "I can't really think of too many male solo artists right off the top of my head who are doing more rock kind of stuff, more edgy music. So to be able to do something that would be perceived as unique I thought was a really cool opportunity," he explains.
The excitement increased as Stewart had the chance to produce the album alongside dc Talk's Michael Tait, who concentrated on vocals. And it's those stalwart vocals that Grammatrain fans will undoubtedly recognize as the same ones which crashed passionately into the band's forcible music. While none of the emotion has died from Stewart's voice, the new songs he wrote and co-wrote for his first solo effort showcase its versatility.
Stewart's voice is not the first of his talents that Tait has acknowledged. Stewart plays guitar on the project as he did on dc Talk's Supernatural, which is when the two musicians first connected. After that they co-wrote "Uphill Battle," a harmonious song the two recorded as a duet for ForeFront's Ten: The Birthday Album. With less grit than Grammatrain's rock, "Uphill Battle" joins the debut's 10 other cuts which constitute the thoughts of this 26-year-old man who recently uprooted himself from the Seattle area along with Donna, his wife of six years, to head two thousand miles to Nashville. Stewart has always been a thinking man, reaffirming his beliefs through a difficult struggle during his years at a legalistic Bible college that frowned on loud rock bands—even if kids did get saved at the concerts. On another level, his spiritual struggles were reflected in a lot of the songs he wrote for Grammatrain. Some of the themes of the new songs differ, but the depth remains. "Grammatrain was always introspective and this is introspective too, but I think this one's a little more like a celebration of God's love and salvation. Grammatrain tended to deal a little more with trying to die to our sinful nature," Stewart says. "The lyrics are a little more in your face as far as Christianity goes; they're a little more worshipful on some songs."
Musically, the songs reflect Stewart's interest in pop music. In fact, the disc's opening cut, "Out of my Mind," exemplifies the celebrative music and demonstrates the scope of Stewart's voice. Set to what Stewart calls "retro rock" mixed with modern sounds (including a horn refrain), lyrics co-written with dc Talk's Toby McKeehan speak of how constantly God fills the singer's thoughts, which to unbelievers seems crazy. Stewart's voice rises and falls without missing a beat, like water that rolls softly over pebbles and then gushes through gravel-filled rapids.
His voice also flows nicely in and out of low minor keys in "Better Off," a favorite of his depicting a scenario he can well relate to: growing up in a depressing town where life seems to be going nowhere. The way to truly become better off in life is not to seek out material things, but to know Christ. Stewart's wife inspired another of his favorites, "Don't Underestimate," by keeping her husband on track with what God wants him to do. The lyrics, again co-written by McKeehan, are sustained by solid and heavy, yet pleasant, guitars.
A song Stewart finds himself listening to often is another one he wrote for his wife: "Be the One." It's not a washed-out ballad; rather, it's a rocky declaration of faithful love to a person that has traveled many miles with him and supports him when he's away from home. "I just always felt like God blessed me with the right person," he says. "That song really sums up how I feel about our marriage." "It's amazing that God chooses to love us and accept us despite the fact that we struggle with our sinful nature … God's always offering us His grace," Stewart says, reiterating the message of "Spinning," a haunting melody with acoustic beginnings that blaze into a British pop sound reflective of the song's meditative nature. Similarly, "The Reason Is You" takes a pensive look at grace and wraps the quest for understanding God's choice to be benevolent into mellow harmonies and smooth vocals exhibitive of Tait's coaching. The song concludes: tell me why I should not give all I am to Him?
And Stewart's desire is to give all of himself to the Lord, resulting in the album's thanksgiving and worshipful themes. You fill my soul with peace and deliver me, and I will call upon Your name summarizes the reverent, acoustic ballad "Worship Song." Stewart's gentle vocals underline the song's pure honesty, indicating the influence of Larry Norman. Another evidence of Stewart's love for the simple authenticity of the early 70's music is the cover of "Little Country Church," going back in time to Lovesong—and to Stewart's childhood when he listened to his parents' "Jesus Music" records.
Musically, Stewart cites Led Zeppelin and The Beatles to be among his influences, but lyrically it's apparent that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth sings. And with such an inescapable voice proclaiming the depths of a Spirit-filled dwelling, Pete Stewart at the very least will awaken the complacent to the fact that walking with Christ is exciting.
Something old, something new, something rock and roll and blue, or something like that, right? Grammatrain rocks with a new sonic feel and an old familiarity. This hard working band could be the poster boys for the new grunge sound. They're a big sounding three-piece group with a mind toward ministry. The songs are well crafted and recorded effectively. This record is right up the alley of fans of melodic grunge and definitely worth checking out. .Highly recommended if you like the early 90's Seattle grunge sound like Soundgarden, Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
(Former Bloodgood member Paul Roraback) is part of this three piece band and already they have established a reputation for themselves in their hometown of Seattle for playing authentic passionate rock music. Listening to their debut album for Forefront, it's not difficult to see why. It's a powerful rock performance that deserves to place Grammatrain at the front of the queue for Christian rock in the 90s. From the feedback-filled intro and heavy rhythm of songs like the title track through to the more gentle "Need", these albums are the business! If you were looking for a Christian band with the power of Nirvana without the paranoia, you've found them!(http://www.holymetalrob.com/)
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