Justin McRoberts
Encyclopedia
Justin McRoberts is an independent singer-songwriter from the San Francisco Bay area
. McRoberts released two albums with 5 Minute Walk
before the label disbanded in 2001. Since then he has independently released four studio albums, a live album, and five EP
's. He tours year round.
. During this time he wrote songs without industry support In 1998 he was signed to 5 Minute Walk Records. His debut album Reason for Living (1999), was written primarily about his experiences with Young Life. The following year, he released Father (2000) which deals with the darkness surrounding the May 1998 suicide of his father. McRoberts comments that the theme of the album is "letting God fill in the space" created by personal loss.
During this time, McRoberts toured nationally with artists such as Five Iron Frenzy
, The W's
, Caedmon's Call
, Jennifer Knapp
, and others, and made appearances at the Cornerstone Festival
. Since leaving 5 Minute Walk in 2000 McRoberts has continued to produce records independently. According to McRoberts, the manner in which his label had supported his work, primarily through heavy touring, set him up to continue his career as an independent artist after the collapse of the label. Through his work he has continued to support and promote community outreach programs such as Young life.
His next work, Trust (2002) was the first full length album he had released as an independent artist. Aimed primarily at the non-church going crowd, the album touches on the stories of those disenchanted with American Christianity. McRoberts says, "My hope is to inspire believers to understand those who do not recognize God in their world."
Next came Intersections (2003), dealing with the opportunities that intersections in life provide for change. McRoberts says, "Much of the album's content deals with renewing the way I see the world around me; learning to recognize the eternal value in every moment, every relationship, every song, trying to cut through the utilitarian perspective I am so used to bringing to my everyday." McRoberts released Live At Grove City (2004) the following year.
In October 2005, McRoberts released Grace Must Wound. The album deals primarily with the desire for life to be easy, focusing on the Flannery O'Connor
quote and title of the album, Grace Must Wound, telling us that pain is essential to a Christian's spiritual journey.
McRoberts released'Deconstruction' in the Spring of '08. "We really wanted to limit the instrumentation to what was essential; let the songs breathe on their own." The record's feel supports its theme in limiting or even tearing down what is superfluous in order to more intimately engage in what is real.
In 2010, Justin released "Through Songs I Was First Undone," a collection of song covers of songs that have touched his life. His next project, called "CMY(K)" will be a series of three EP's being released in July, September, and November. These EP's will be written and recorded in similar fashion to the Untitled EP.
McRoberts is also credited with various parts on other's albums, notably including Five Iron Frenzy
's All the Hype That Money Can Buy
, Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo
, The End Is Near
, and The End Is Here, Brave Saint Saturn
's The Light of Things Hoped For
, and Roper
's Brace Yourself for the Mediocre
.
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. McRoberts released two albums with 5 Minute Walk
5 Minute Walk
5 Minute Walk is an independent record label founded by Frank Tate in April, 1995. Their operations were based in Concord, California in the back offices of "The Screem", a live alternate music club operated by Tate. They only carried Christian bandsDryve: Yeah, that was like the first thing...
before the label disbanded in 2001. Since then he has independently released four studio albums, a live album, and five EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
's. He tours year round.
Early career
Before his career as a singer-songwriter, McRoberts spent four years on staff with Young LifeYoung Life
YoungLife is a worldwide, non-profit, Evangelical Christian organization. YoungLife consists of many branches of ministry , but most commonly the name "YoungLife" refers to the outreach arm of the organization directed toward high school students...
. During this time he wrote songs without industry support In 1998 he was signed to 5 Minute Walk Records. His debut album Reason for Living (1999), was written primarily about his experiences with Young Life. The following year, he released Father (2000) which deals with the darkness surrounding the May 1998 suicide of his father. McRoberts comments that the theme of the album is "letting God fill in the space" created by personal loss.
During this time, McRoberts toured nationally with artists such as Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy is a Christian ska band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1995 and disbanded in 2003. The band announced they were recording new material on November 22, 2011....
, The W's
The W's
The W's were a Christian ska/swing band, formed in Corvallis, Oregon in 1996. Success came quickly to the band and their first album, Fourth from the Last, was a sleeper hit unexpectedly having had the strongest debut of any Christian album to date for its distributor. They toured the United...
, Caedmon's Call
Caedmon's Call
Caedmon's Call is a Contemporary Christian band which fuses traditional folk with world music and alternative rock. They are composed of Cliff Young , Danielle Young , Derek Webb , Andrew Osenga , Garett Buell , Jeff Miller , Todd Bragg , and...
, Jennifer Knapp
Jennifer Knapp
Jennifer Lynn Knapp is an American-Australian folk rock, and formerly contemporary Christian musician. She is best known for her first single "Undo Me" from her debut album Kansas , and the song "A Little More" from her Grammy Award-nominated album Lay It Down . The Way I Am , was also nominated...
, and others, and made appearances at the Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
. Since leaving 5 Minute Walk in 2000 McRoberts has continued to produce records independently. According to McRoberts, the manner in which his label had supported his work, primarily through heavy touring, set him up to continue his career as an independent artist after the collapse of the label. Through his work he has continued to support and promote community outreach programs such as Young life.
Independent albums
In 2001, McRoberts released his first independent work, The Untitled EP (2001), a collection of devotional songs. McRoberts purposely left the recording nearly entirely unedited, writing that, "The simplicity of the recording is intended to highlight the human side of faith, wherein life is not often refined." It is perhaps this stripped-down approach to music that he is best known for. In concert, he often appears on stage with only his guitar and no backup support.His next work, Trust (2002) was the first full length album he had released as an independent artist. Aimed primarily at the non-church going crowd, the album touches on the stories of those disenchanted with American Christianity. McRoberts says, "My hope is to inspire believers to understand those who do not recognize God in their world."
Next came Intersections (2003), dealing with the opportunities that intersections in life provide for change. McRoberts says, "Much of the album's content deals with renewing the way I see the world around me; learning to recognize the eternal value in every moment, every relationship, every song, trying to cut through the utilitarian perspective I am so used to bringing to my everyday." McRoberts released Live At Grove City (2004) the following year.
In October 2005, McRoberts released Grace Must Wound. The album deals primarily with the desire for life to be easy, focusing on the Flannery O'Connor
Flannery O'Connor
Mary Flannery O'Connor was an American novelist, short-story writer and essayist. An important voice in American literature, O'Connor wrote two novels and 32 short stories, as well as a number of reviews and commentaries...
quote and title of the album, Grace Must Wound, telling us that pain is essential to a Christian's spiritual journey.
McRoberts released'Deconstruction' in the Spring of '08. "We really wanted to limit the instrumentation to what was essential; let the songs breathe on their own." The record's feel supports its theme in limiting or even tearing down what is superfluous in order to more intimately engage in what is real.
In 2010, Justin released "Through Songs I Was First Undone," a collection of song covers of songs that have touched his life. His next project, called "CMY(K)" will be a series of three EP's being released in July, September, and November. These EP's will be written and recorded in similar fashion to the Untitled EP.
Discography
- 1999: Reason For Living
- 2000: Father
- 2001: Untitled EP
- 2002: Trust
- 2003: Intersections
- 2004: Live From Grove City
- 2005: Grace Must Wound...
- 2006: Christmas Songs EP
- 2007: Amazing Grace EP
- 2008: Deconstruction
- 2010: It Is Through Songs I Was First Undone
- 2011: CMY(K) (A series of three EP's)
McRoberts is also credited with various parts on other's albums, notably including Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy is a Christian ska band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1995 and disbanded in 2003. The band announced they were recording new material on November 22, 2011....
's All the Hype That Money Can Buy
All the Hype That Money Can Buy
All the Hype That Money Can Buy, Five Iron Frenzy's third full-length studio album, released April 25, 2000, on Five Minute Walk, under their SaraBellum imprint, with distribution from Warner Bros. Records. It is musically their most diverse album, binding elements of salsa, Calypso music, and...
, Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo
Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo
Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo is the fourth full-length studio album of the band Five Iron Frenzy. It was released November 20, 2001 on Five Minute Walk records....
, The End Is Near
The End Is Near (Five Iron Frenzy album)
The End is Near is the fifth and purported final studio album by Five Iron Frenzy, self-released on June 18, 2003. The album was later widely re-released as a part of double album titled The End is Here by Five Minute Walk Records on April 20, 2004...
, and The End Is Here, Brave Saint Saturn
Brave Saint Saturn
Brave Saint Saturn is a Christian rock band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1999. The band is a side-project of former members of Five Iron Frenzy started by Reese Roper...
's The Light of Things Hoped For
The Light of Things Hoped For
The Light of Things Hoped For is the second album by Christian rock band Brave Saint Saturn, released in 2003 .The album is described as "astro-rock" and tells a story dealing with many personal struggles of the band members...
, and Roper
Roper (band)
Roper was a Christian pop-punk band formed in Denver, Colorado. The band consisted of Reese Roper on lead vocals, Jonathan Byrnside on lead guitar, Jonathan Till on bass, Matt Emmett on rhythm guitar, and Nick White on drums.-Background :Guerilla RodeoGuerilla Rodeo was a short-lived project...
's Brace Yourself for the Mediocre
Brace Yourself for the Mediocre
Brace Yourself for the Mediocre is the only album of the band Roper, released October 19, 2004. It was put together by lead singer Reese Roper before he had put the rest of the band together. The album has a pop punk sound, although HM comments that it "has much more in common with the raw side...
.
External links
- Official Site
- Justin McRoberts @ Myspace
- Justin McRoberts @ Pure Volume
- Justin McRoberts' Official FaceBook Page
- 2000 Interview at Jesus Freak HideoutJesus Freak HideoutJesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
- 2000 Interview @ The Phantom Tollbooth
- 2003 Interview
- Biography circa 2002
- Biography circa 2004