Jonas Sees in Color
Encyclopedia
Jonas Sees in Color is an American rock band from Greensboro, North Carolina
composed of members John Chester, Ryan Downing, Jonathan Albright, Michael Deming and Jonathan David Owens. The band's debut, self-titled album, Jonas Sees in Color
, was released on September 29, 2009 on Glassnote Records
.
The band's name is a reference to the book The Giver
by Lois Lowry
.
Downing, Albright, Deming, and Chester began writing music together in the summer of 2005 and the band's line-up was solidified in 2007 with the addition of Owens and Plummer. They cite The Beatles
, The Black Crowes
, Band of Horses
, Kings of Leon
, My Morning Jacket
and Otis Redding
as musical influences, as well as literature such as The Giver, The Catcher in the Rye
, and works by Japanese modernist Haruki Murakami
Frontman Ryan Downing also cites Mick Jagger
of the Rolling Stones as inspiration.
and Glassnote Records
.
(The Fray
) and the album was released on September 29, 2009. The album included several songs from the “Avalanche EP” along with new tracks. The themes range from personal topics such as longing and hope to a narrative about Charles Manson
. The sound of the album encompasses rock
, indie rock
, and pop
music.
On November 27th, 2011 the band started a Kickstarter project to raise the funds needed to finish the band's next release. Within 48 hours they raised over $1400 which is 65% of their $2000 goal. The project must be fully funded by December 30th, 2011 at 9pm or they risk having the kickstarter project cancelled.
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...
composed of members John Chester, Ryan Downing, Jonathan Albright, Michael Deming and Jonathan David Owens. The band's debut, self-titled album, Jonas Sees in Color
Jonas Sees in Color (album)
Jonas Sees in Color is the debut album by American rock band Jonas Sees in Color, released on September 29, 2009 by Glassnote Records. It was produced by Aaron Johnson at Candyland Studios in Denver, Colorado, the same studio used by The Fray to record both of their albums...
, was released on September 29, 2009 on Glassnote Records
Glassnote Records
Glassnote Records is an independent record label launched by American music executive Daniel Glass in 2007. The label primarily has a lineup of indie rock and alternative rock artists...
.
The band's name is a reference to the book The Giver
The Giver
The Giver is a 1993 soft science fiction novel by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society which is at first presented as a utopian society and gradually appears more and more dystopian. The novel follows a boy named Jonas through the twelfth year of his life...
by Lois Lowry
Lois Lowry
Lois Lowry is an American author of children's literature. She began her career as a photographer and a freelance journalist during the early 1970s...
.
Formation and influences
The name "Jonas Sees In Color" is a reference to Lois Lowry's 1993 Newberry Award winning novel The Giver. Singer Ryan Downing explains, "Our name is basically a metaphor. In The Giver, the main character (Jonas) lives in a black and white world. When he is chosen to take on the responsibility of the hopes, thoughts, and feelings of his entire village, he finally begins to see in color. One of the most important goals of our music is to create a connection with the listener by accurately connecting the stories and ideas contained in our music in a way that allows the listener to take and interpret the songs as their own."Downing, Albright, Deming, and Chester began writing music together in the summer of 2005 and the band's line-up was solidified in 2007 with the addition of Owens and Plummer. They cite The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
, Band of Horses
Band of Horses
Band of Horses, originally briefly known as Horses, are an American rock band formed in 2004 in Seattle by Ben Bridwell. They have released three studio albums, the most recent and most successful of which is 2010's Grammy nominated Infinite Arms...
, Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
, My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
and Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
as musical influences, as well as literature such as The Giver, The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye is a 1951 novel by J. D. Salinger. Originally published for adults, it has since become popular with adolescent readers for its themes of teenage confusion, angst, alienation, language, and rebellion. It has been translated into almost all of the world's major...
, and works by Japanese modernist Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami
is a Japanese writer and translator. His works of fiction and non-fiction have garnered him critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the Franz Kafka Prize and Jerusalem Prize among others.He is considered an important figure in postmodern literature...
Frontman Ryan Downing also cites Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
of the Rolling Stones as inspiration.
"Avalanche" EP (2007-2009)
The band's rowdy, high-energy live performances attracted the attention of North Carolina indie label Right Hook Records. “Avalanche”, the first EP, quickly sold out of the 1,000 copies pressed and attracted the attention of numerous other record labels, among them Daniel GlassDaniel Glass
Daniel Glass is an American music industry executive whose output has included work with artists Billy Idol, Wilson Phillips, Sinéad O'Connor, Jon Secada, Warren Zevon, Blur, Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Erykah Badu, Baha Men, Kurupt, Susan Tedeschi, The Pretenders, Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society,...
and Glassnote Records
Glassnote Records
Glassnote Records is an independent record label launched by American music executive Daniel Glass in 2007. The label primarily has a lineup of indie rock and alternative rock artists...
.
Signing to Glassnote and debut (2009)
After meeting with the band and experiencing the live show, Daniel Glass signed the band in December 2008. The band entered the studio in Denver, Colorado with platinum producer Aaron JohnsonAaron Johnson (musician)
Aaron Howard Johnson is an American music producer. Aaron has produced and mixed many artists including Secondhand Serenade, Katie Herzig, and Eve6, but he is best known for being the producer of the Denver-based piano rock band The Fray....
(The Fray
The Fray
-Literature:*Fray, a phenomenon in Terry Pratchett's The Carpet People*Fray , a comic book series by Joss Whedon**Melaka Fray, titular character of the comic book series-Music:*"Fray", a song from the album 14 Shades of Grey by Staind...
) and the album was released on September 29, 2009. The album included several songs from the “Avalanche EP” along with new tracks. The themes range from personal topics such as longing and hope to a narrative about Charles Manson
Charles Manson
Charles Milles Manson is an American criminal who led what became known as the Manson Family, a quasi-commune that arose in California in the late 1960s. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit the Tate/LaBianca murders carried out by members of the group at his instruction...
. The sound of the album encompasses rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
, and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
music.
Harvest EP
After months of spending time working on demos, the band went into the studio with Ted Comerford and Mitch Easter in the summer of 2011. The band released the cover art for their new EP, Harvest, on August 31st, 2011. The EP features 5 new songs and will be released independently on September 8th, 2011.On November 27th, 2011 the band started a Kickstarter project to raise the funds needed to finish the band's next release. Within 48 hours they raised over $1400 which is 65% of their $2000 goal. The project must be fully funded by December 30th, 2011 at 9pm or they risk having the kickstarter project cancelled.
Band members
- John Chester - drums
- Ryan Downing - lead vocals
- Jonathan Owens - guitar, backing vocals
- Jonathan Albright - guitar, backing vocals
- Mikey Deming - bass
Discography
- Avalanche EP (2007)
- Jonas Sees in ColorJonas Sees in Color (album)Jonas Sees in Color is the debut album by American rock band Jonas Sees in Color, released on September 29, 2009 by Glassnote Records. It was produced by Aaron Johnson at Candyland Studios in Denver, Colorado, the same studio used by The Fray to record both of their albums...
(2009)
Singles
| Date of Release | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| April 20, 2010 | Loose Threads | Jonas Sees in Color Jonas Sees in Color (album) Jonas Sees in Color is the debut album by American rock band Jonas Sees in Color, released on September 29, 2009 by Glassnote Records. It was produced by Aaron Johnson at Candyland Studios in Denver, Colorado, the same studio used by The Fray to record both of their albums... |
| August 12, 2010 | Stand Tall | Jonas Sees in Color Jonas Sees in Color (album) Jonas Sees in Color is the debut album by American rock band Jonas Sees in Color, released on September 29, 2009 by Glassnote Records. It was produced by Aaron Johnson at Candyland Studios in Denver, Colorado, the same studio used by The Fray to record both of their albums... |
External links
- Official website at MySpace Music
- Jonas Sees in Color at PureVolumePureVolumePureVolume was the first independently run website of its type, allowing for the upload and stream of music files. It was created in 2003 by Jennifer Welch , in conjunction with the Unborn Media team; Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao; all from the University of...