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The City Harmonic

Track List

2011 Breakout Artist of the Year The City Harmonic barreled its way from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada onto the music scene with Introducing The City Harmonic, an EP featuring “Manifesto,” which soared to No. 5 on iTunes and captivated over a million...

2011 Breakout Artist of the Year The City Harmonic barreled its way from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada onto the music scene with Introducing The City Harmonic, an EP featuring “Manifesto,” which soared to No. 5 on iTunes and captivated over a million viewers on YouTube. Top that with becoming the best selling new artist on Billboard’s Top Current Digital Sales Chart (over 80K downloads), and it’s enough, among life’s crazy distractions, to get your attention. But this band—vocalist/songwriter and pianist Elias Dummer, bassist Eric Fusilier, guitarist Aaron Powell and drummer Josh Vanderlaan— isn’t content to feed the machine or build a fan base so much as to build upon a dream. And not a dream as in a fairy tale. But THE Dream. These four guys grapple with the tension of this world, crafting it into anthems of longing, hope, and love—songs of light for ‘seeing through a glass darkly.’ The City Harmonic makes music that makes you reconsider what you really believe... about yourself, your world and your God. Launching Oct 18th, The City Harmonic’s Kingsway release, I HAVE A DREAM (IT FEELS LIKE HOME), is one of the most anticipated full-length imports in decades. Co-produced by the band with Jared Fox, I HAVE A DREAM (IT FEELS LIKE HOME) is a journey of imagination, cinematic in composition, and, as is signature for the band, a definitive reflection of The City Harmonic’s organic, communal aesthetic. Intelligent, deeply spiritual and intrinsically ‘real life,’ it reveals the poetic art of The City Harmonic, a band bent on living today for the world to come. “This project for us was like a journey through a lot of intertwining things,” Elias Dummer says of the band’s full-length debut. “At its heart is the overarching theme of brokenness and redemption, of light and dark, the unveiling of something bigger and better than ourselves.” The title track and first single, which was written even before the songs on the EP, has always been the lynchpin on which the full-length record would hinge. “The dream, like Martin Luther King’s, is that there is another way,” Elias explains, “that it can be what we say it is, the eventual truth that we will awaken, just as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz awakened from her dream, to find ourselves home at last.” Like a roadmap with only one route, to sum up the journey of faith and mystery that is I HAVE A DREAM (IT FEELS LIKE HOME) would seemingly deprive the listener of the essence of the experience. But from the opening notes, a deliberate quest unfolds. Setting the stage for the project as a whole, with ties to John 17, the piano-pounding “Yours” flies in the face of our consumer-driven society, an anthem of surrender that points toward the tension of living in this world as a Christian, while “Spark” introduces the theme of light, hinting at its transforming power: Could a spark of Your love light the whole Church on fire? When we care for our neighbour more than we care for style? “Being a Christian now is more difficult than it was 200 years ago,” Elias says of the thematic trail. “We face tragedy at every turn because of the way our media and culture operates. The stories of this world have let us down. Politics have let us down. We try to cope with it by becoming apathetic or by hiding in the Christian bubble—some altered version of the American dream where living for Christ leads to personal comfort— even misguided Christian stories can let us down and this is the tension of the world we live in. Christianity isn’t a tool to escape suffering, it’s a lens by which we understand it and the means by which we live through it. Our culture is built on the notion that our spirituality can be compartmentalized but, simply put, the Christian story isn’t. We can go from mountaintop to valley in the span of a day, and in the midst of that valley Christ calls us to love our neighbors, our enemies, just as if we were with them on the mountaintop. Apathy may be a natural result of today’s broken world, but the Christian story is that Christ is redeeming his creation and we have a role to play as the body of Christ.” Inspired by the story of Transfiguration in Matthew 17 and by Martin Luther King’s iconic speech, “Mountaintop” asserts the notion that as ambassadors here, citizens of a Kingdom to come, we are meant to live and love among the ruins. “Jesus talks about countercultural ways of living among the least of these,” Elias continues. “It’s not glamorous. It’s hard work. If we boil it all down to what exists in church, ultimately, we make being a churchgoer a poor substitute for being Jesus in our communities or even engaging our communities at all.” “Some of the most powerful moments where I recognize God’s presence in a real way have been completely outside the church worship context,” adds Eric. ”We’ve had to grow up out of the default cultural Christian mindset of worship, instead responding to wherever you sense God, which truthfully is everywhere.” I HAVE A DREAM builds from “Mountaintop” with “Fell Apart,” “Be Still O My Soul” and “Wake Me Up,” pointing to the reality of God in our dark nights of the soul; the light of his presence when we ache for ‘something real in a world of fake.’ Layer by layer, I HAVE A DREAM (IT FEELS LIKE HOME) builds toward the title track, a soaring, melodic anthem that sings the hope of heaven imprinted on our hearts before the foundation of the world. From the romantic interlude “Le Reve,” meaning ‘the dream,’ each song intertwines with another, painting an irresistible picture of grace at work through us. The City Harmonic’s interpretation of I Corinthians 13, “Love” forms a bridge into “Holy (Wedding Day),” a beautiful ballad about the ultimate redemption, the glorious day to come when faith becomes sight. All that remains, besides the bonus version of “Manifesto,” is the heartfelt “Benediction,” which just might be the perfect farewell for any communal act of worship. Live like you mean it Sing like you’re living for God Whether in full-on pop explosion or in ethereal ballad, the songs of The City Harmonic connect to that missing piece in all of us and give us cause and permission to sing out. Which frankly is part of the band’s DNA. That much will never change for The City Harmonic, the curiously captivating sing-along nature of the music they make. It was, and is always, birthed with community expression in mind. “Music engages us emotionally and intellectually,” says Elias. “There are universal signs of God’s presence in every part of it. ... it’s like a glimpse of something bigger than ourselves, some pervasive and yet otherworldly dream. And if we can somehow spark in people that dream, something they just can't shake, then I hope that will inspire them to sing like every word matters, to live like every day matters, and having tasted heaven, they’ll get on with helping this world feel more like home.”

6/6/2012 - The City Harmonic Launch First USA Headline Tour This Fall

Gathering a “New Artist of the Year” GMA Dove Award nomination in the midst of its 65-city tour with newsboys that wrapped up last month, The City Harmonic immediately launch into the festival season with main stage appearances at major events across the US. Known for its engaging live performances, the band also announces its first national US headline tour in support of its highly acclaimed and first full-length album, I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home).

The headline “I Have A Dream Tour” begins in November and features special guest artist Daniel Bashta, writer of the hit song “Like A Lion (God's Not Dead),” and nationally recognized author/speaker Bob Lenz. The tour also introduces Eric Brandon and will be in partnership with Compassion International and Life Promotions. All the tour dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

While on tour, The City Harmonic is playing its hit singles and new music from I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home), including the title track, a top 15 Billboard National Christian Audience radio hit, “Manifesto,” which is featured as a bonus track on the album, and its current top 25 and climbing single, “Mountaintop.” The fastest-rising song ever for the band on the radio charts, “Mountaintop” is gathering airplay on numerous outlets, including Air-1 Network, WGTS/Washington D.C., WONU/Chicago, SiriusXM, WBVM/Tampa, WTRJ/Jacksonville, WBSN/New Orleans, WAYG/Grand Rapids, WBFJ/Greensboro, KLFF/San Luis Obispo and more.

In addition to being the current radio single, “Mountaintop” will become the band’s third music video following “I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home)” and “Manifesto,” which has been has been viewed on YouTube more than 1,500,000 times (http://www.youtube.com/thecityharmonic). For the new video, most of the production credits will be going to the band’s listeners. Music fans from around the world have taken video of themselves, friends or church groups, etc., singing along with the song and submitted the results through the band’s website (www.thecityharmonic.com/mountaintop). Having received numerous responses to their call for footage, the band is beginning to create the final video now.

One of the best-selling new artists of last year, The City Harmonic, continues to gather international acclaim. Featured on the current cover of Worship Musician, an upcoming cover of Surrender Magazine, and performing acoustic tracks from its new album in a June RELEVANT Podcast, the critics are using adjectives like “fabulous,” “infectious,” “exciting,” “spectacular,” “worshipful,” “captivating,” “creative,” “brilliant” and more to describe I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home). Released Oct. 18, 2011 on Kingsway with EMI CMG Distribution in the USA, the album hit No. 1 on iTunes® in Canada, No. 6 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and never left the Top 4 on the iTunes Christian/Gospel US chart in its debut week at retail. The digital single, “Manifesto,” has also sold well over 100,000 copies and is the only song from a new artist in 2011 to break into the top 10 of the SoundScan Top Current digital singles sales chart.

The City Harmonic, consisting of Elias Dummer, bassist Eric Fusilier, guitarist Aaron Powell and drummer Josh Vanderlaan, wrote, recorded and produced all of the songs for I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home). From the “now but not yet” tension of earthly Christian living heard in much of the album, including the title track and “Mountaintop,” to having hope in the midst of struggle in “Fell Apart” and “Be Still O My Soul,” to dealing with apathy in “Yours” and “Wake Me Up” and living missionally in “Spark” and “Benediction,” the songs take the listener on a poetic journey.

2/23/2012 - The City Harmonic Receives "New Artist Of The Year" Dove Award Nomination

One of the best-selling new artists of 2011, The City Harmonic, continues to gather acclaim following the release of its first full-length album, I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home). Gathering three awards, including “New Artist of the Year,” from the Gospel Music Association Canada Covenant Awards last fall, the Gospel Music Association bestows another “New Artist of the Year” nomination on the band for the 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards, which will take place April 19 at the Fox Theater in Atlanta.

Hearing the news while traveling on the 60-market “God’s Not Dead World Tour” with newsboys that launched Jan 12 and runs through May 5, The City Harmonic front man, Elias Dummer, comments, “We’re so grateful to be out every night making music for and with the Church, and this is another humbling reminder that that means something to people. Many thanks.”

Already known for its engaging live performances, The City Harmonic is playing its hit singles and new music from I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home) while on tour, including the title track, a top 15 Billboard National Christian Audience radio hit, and “Manifesto,” which is featured as a bonus track on the album.

“I was eager to see if they could translate that big, sonic sound from the studio to a live show,” says a ChristianMusicZine.com tour reviewer. “…I was really quite blown away with how impressive these guys were live, with such an aura around them that is hard to find…from the powerful piano notes, to the banging of a ‘ginormous’ drum, to the clip of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous mountain top speech, I don’t think they could have possibly done more…”

In less than a year, The City Harmonic went from being virtually unknown to international acclaim. Released Oct. 18 on Kingsway with EMI CMG Distribution in the USA, I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home) hit No. 1 on iTunes® in Canada, No. 6 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and never left the Top 4 on the iTunes Christian/Gospel US chart in its debut week at retail. The digital single, “Manifesto,” has also sold well over 100,000 copies and is the only song from a new artist in 2011 to break into the top 10 of the SoundScan Top Current digital singles sales chart as it’s companion music video has been viewed on YouTube by over 1,300,000 people (http://www.youtube.com/thecityharmonic).

“Wowing” the critics, who are using adjectives like “fabulous,” “infectious,” “exciting,” “spectacular,” “worshipful,” “captivating,” “creative,” “brilliant” and more to describe the album, I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home) became one of two Christian music entries on Google Music’s 2011 Favorites list and has been named among the best albums of 2011 by Watchgmctv.com staff, senior music and entertainment editors.

“There is nothing in Christian music that sounds like this. So, so incredibly good! In the still-saturated world of worship, this album was a breath of fresh air. There’s a fresh verve and energy in these vertically minded songs, and their obvious passion for God is downright contagious,” says www.watchgmctv.com.

The City Harmonic, consisting of Dummer, bassist Eric Fusilier, guitarist Aaron Powell and drummer Josh Vanderlaan, wrote, recorded and produced all of the songs for I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home). From the “now but not yet” tension of earthly Christian living heard in much of the album, including the title track and “Mountaintop,” to having hope in the midst of struggle in “Fell Apart” and “Be Still O My Soul,” to dealing with apathy in “Yours” and “Wake Me Up” and living missionally in “Spark” and “Benediction,” the songs take the listener on a poetic journey.

12/16/2011 - The City Harmonic's "Manifesto" Tops 100,000 Copies Sold

The best-selling new artist of 2011, The City Harmonic continues to gather acclaim for its first full-length album, I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home). The hit single “Manifesto,” featured as a bonus track on the album, has now sold over 100,000 copies, while the album’s title track is No.16 and climbing on the Billboard National Christian Audience chart. With KLOVE, Air1 and other radio networks playing the song, “I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home)” is also the band’s second video, which has gathered over 35,000 views so far at http://www.youtube.com/thecityharmonic.

Named “New Artist of the Year” by the Gospel Music Association Canada, music fans will be able to hear the band play its hit singles and new music from I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home) on the 60-market “God’s Not Dead World Tour” with newsboys that launches Jan 12 and runs coast-to-coast through May 5. Every week leading up to the launch of this tour, The City Harmonic is giving away 10 pairs of tickets – one pair for each market on the tour – through its Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/thecityharmonic. To enter the drawing, Facebook participants are asked to ‘share the status’ of the giveaway. (For a list of all the tour dates, go to www.thecityharmonic.com.)

While on Facebook, people are also encouraged to ‘like’ The City Harmonic’s page. As a way of saying “thanks” for the ‘likes,’ the band is offering a free download of its hit single, “I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home).”

Hitting No. 1 on iTunes® in Canada, No. 6 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and never leaving the Top 4 on the iTunes Christian/Gospel US chart in its debut week at retail, I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home) was also named among the best albums of 2011 by Watchgmctv.com staff, senior music and entertainment editors. Released Oct. 18 on Kingsway with EMI CMG Distribution in the USA, the album has been “wowing” the critics, who are using adjectives like “fabulous,” “infectious,” “exciting,” “spectacular,” “worshipful,” “captivating,” “creative,” “brilliant” and more to describe it. Here are a few of just the most recent reviews:

“This Ontario-bred [quartet] follows its promising debut EP with a set of songs mixing elements from modern British rock (especially U2 and Keane) with folk and traditional gospel. Frontman Elias Dummer’s crisp, driving keyboards and forceful yet vulnerable vocals set him apart from his peers in worship-oriented Christian rock. With his bandmates, he delivers tunes that range from the anthemic (“Yours,” “Wake Me Up”) to the reflective (“Le Reve,” “Benediction”). “Spark” and “Mountaintop” widen the album’s scope by drawing on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final speech for both themes and language. Reinforcing the songwriting's quality is the band’s sense of dynamics; tracks like “Be Still, O My Soul” and “Holy (Wedding Day)” display orchestral grandeur as they rise from quiet openings to dramatic crescendos. Piano predominates here, though “Love” is built around a wistful acoustic guitar line. A radio edit of The City Harmonic’s breakthrough tune “Manifesto” adds further heft to an album distinguished by fine craftsmanship and fervency.” – iTunes

“The album is worth more than just a casual listen, as the band has gone to great lengths to produce a record of exceptional songwriting, musicality and style. At a time when many albums are mass-produced and stylistically homogenized, The City Harmonic stands apart for their authenticity and art.” – NewReleaseTuesday.com

“I Have a Dream has big songs fit for big venues… a passionate and hopeful album…a sincere rock-worship album that manages to incorporate the sounds of groups like U2, Coldplay, and Arcade Fire in the best kind of way.” – www.thechristianmanifesto.com

“What makes The City Harmonic stand out from among the worship music glut that floods the Christian market is that this band has created art when they recorded their songs.” – Music Spectrum

In less than a year, The City Harmonic went from being virtually unknown to international acclaim. Its hit single, “Manifesto,” has become the only song from a new artist this year that has broken into the top 10 of the SoundScan Top Current digital singles sales chart as its companion music video has been viewed on YouTube by nearly 1,200,000 people (http://www.youtube.com/thecityharmonic). Receiving three Gospel Music Association Canada Covenant Awards this fall, the band is not as interested in finding fans as they are looking for participants in the journey; “getting people in on the act—hearts pounding and feet moving.”

10/18/2011 - The City Harmonic Releases First Full-Length Album Today

9/12/2011 - The City Harmonic Garners Five GMA Canada Covenant Award Nominations

Following the release of its acclaimed “Introducing” EP and in advance of the band’s first full-length album, I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home), releasing Oct. 18, The City Harmonic received an impressive five Covenant Award nominations, including a nod for New Artist of the Year. The Gospel Music Association Canada’s 33rd Annual Covenant Awards ceremony will be held in Calgary, AB October 28. The Covenant Awards honor Canadian gospel music.

In addition to “New Artist,” The City Harmonic received Covenant Awards nominations for Song of the Year, Modern Worship Song of the Year and Recorded Song of the Year for “Manifesto,” as well as Praise and Worship Song of the Year for “My God.” Both songs are featured on Introducing The City Harmonic, while the multi-format hit radio mix of “Manifesto” is also featured as a bonus track for a limited time on I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home). The unifying hit single, “Manifesto,” has sold over 80,000 copies becoming the only song from a new artist this year that has broken into the top 10 of the SoundScan Top Current digital singles sales chart. The companion music video has been viewed on YouTube by over 940,000 people (http://www.youtube.com/thecityharmonic).

The City Harmonic recently completed its second video, the title track from I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home), which will release on YouTube and through multiple broadcast and online outlets this month. The song also becomes the first radio single from the new album that is already gaining national airplay.

The City Harmonic, consisting of front man Elias Dummer, bassist Eric Fusilier, guitarist Aaron Powell and drummer Josh Vanderlaan, wrote and recorded all of the songs for I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home), which was co-produced by the band and Jared Fox. From the “now but not yet” tension of earthly Christian living heard in much of the album, including the title track and “Mountaintop,” to having hope in the midst of struggle in “Fell Apart” and “Be Still O My Soul,” to dealing with apathy in “Yours” and “Wake Me Up” and living missionally in “Spark” and “Benediction,” the songs take the listener on a poetic journey.

In less than a year, The City Harmonic went from being virtually unknown to international acclaim. The success has energized the band’s engaging live performances throughout North America (see fan video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcQpDtgkKBE) while simultaneously gathering thousands of “likes” on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/thecityharmonic) and online endorsements from people like Mac Powell (Third Day), Peter Furler, Matt Redman, Kyle Korver (Chicago Bulls), Seth Smith (Colorado Rockies) and numerous others.

Not as interested in finding fans as they are looking for participants in the journey; “getting people in on the act—hearts pounding and feet moving,” The City Harmonic launches the HELLOSOMEBODY tour with co-headliner Aaron Gillespie Sept. 21 in Phoenix, AZ. In celebration of this tour, The City Harmonic is giving away their brand new single, “I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home),” as a free download via the promotion at www.hellosomebodytour.com. The tour is being sponsored by HELLOSOMEBODY in an effort to continue feeding the hungry around the world. The City Harmonic’s full itinerary can be found at www.thecityharmonic.com.