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downhere
Track List
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He speaks quietly, but when Jason Germain, co-lead singer and guitarist of Canadian band Downhere talks about their new album, Ending Is Beginning, he might as well be singing to the skies.
“First of all, we’re not... |
 He speaks quietly, but when Jason Germain, co-lead singer and guitarist of Canadian band Downhere talks about their new album, Ending Is Beginning, he might as well be singing to the skies.
“First of all, we’re not ending as a band, not by any stretch,” Germain points out, laughing. “But the title does reflect the idea of coming to the end of yourself, of letting what you can’t change be and letting God make His strength known in our weakness. Those things that we all experience, things that don’t seem to run true, He often uses to achieve His ultimate aims for us. God uses us in our weakness. He is closest to us when we most need him. We want to capture that idea in the work we’re doing now, so Ending Is Beginning in many ways reflects of where we are as a band.”
“Where they are as a band” has changed through this group’s emergence from Canada’s alt-rock scene on the wings of their Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year and two subsequent Juno Awards for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year and Best Gospel Album, Canadian Gospel Music Association Covenant Awards for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year and Dove Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year.
The change manifests itself well in a dozen ways on this album alone, from the garage-rock guitar that kicks off “Bleed for This Love” to the challenge – “follow the star to a place unexpected” – posed on the final track, “How Many Kings.”
“The journey to finding the right songs for Ending Is Beginning seemed to be one that was a little longer and more difficult for some reason,” explains bassist Glenn Lavender. “Part of that was a really busy schedule leading up to recording which doesn't allow much time for writing. However with the end result, I really feel like many of the songs reflect things we as a band and individually have been going through and that makes it feel like more of a project that is ‘ours’. We've also taken some chances with the music. We have explored some different sounds and styles and had a lot of fun doing it.”
Yet every note played and every word sung on Ending Is Beginning seeks unity with listeners who have found comfort and inspiration in what downhere has offered on disc and onstage over these past seven years, while also welcoming new listeners to this epic musical journey.
From private thoughts to the most glorious vistas imaginable, Ending Is Beginning is in the end a conversation, in which Germain and Marc Martel speak candidly about how they’re handling their struggles of life while also preparing for the triumph promised by their faith.
“With our previous album Wide-Eyed And Mystified, I think we found our sonic stride," says co-lead vocalist and lead guitarist, Martel. “With Ending Is Beginning, we’re building on what we’ve discovered we really are. We’ve found the balance between Jason and me as lead singers.”
“But we’ve also changed in ways to reflect how the world is changing and how that relates to faith,” adds Germain. “Ending Is Beginning is probably the most positive record we’ve ever recorded. It’s almost epic in its statement of hope. But that message is set against a backdrop of despair. There comes a point in anyone’s life when you realize that some of our wounds aren’t going to heal. Some of our problems won’t go away. There are always going to be temptations. I mean, hope has always been at the core of who we are, but it’s taken on a more complex form.”
To illustrate, Germain looks back to “Breathing In,” from their self-titled debut album in 2001. “‘Death is no conflict for those who belong,’” he quotes. “It’s this idea that everything is going to be okay. I still believe that’s true, but as you move through life and draw closer to death, the message becomes more serious – and, at the same time, more beautiful and even more hopeful.”
Another quote from “Hope is Rising” on End Is Beginning, measures this difference: “I’ve lost all my earthly optimism, but it’s going to be alright, that the good will win this fight. Somewhere between youth and disappointments, the dream became despair, the love became a lie. Just now I’ve reached the end of my line. Just now I’m too tired to keep on trying. But hope is rising – it’s a sunrise for the end.”
To mirror this point, the melody climbs on the chorus, lifting the listener toward the mysteries represented by the title. So it is through all of Ending Is Beginning, whose title encapsulates the essence of all that Downhere strives to communicate on each electrifying track.
And so, where their preceding album, Wide-Eyed and Mystified was to a great extent the product of deliberate introspection and reflection, Ending Is Beginning rose from the band’s engagement with its professional and personal lives. Its songs were written during short breaks between tours or just before going into the studio. As a result, the energy of their shows courses through each track; urgency and immediacy infuse the craft of their composition and the candor or their lyric. This is music sprung as much from the presence of life as from the imminence of salvation. Joining Downhere at the production helm for this landmark project were veteran producers, Mark Hiemermann (DC Talk, MWS) and Stephen Gause.
That makes Ending Is Beginning, in Germain’s phrase, “a soundtrack for authentic Christian living. We try and take the truth we know from the Word, apply it to our lives, and create prayers, almost liturgies, which people can sing along to in their own pursuits.”
“We wanted to make an important record,” Martel emphasizes. “You get the sense in the world right now that maybe something really big is going to happen soon, that maybe the way of life we enjoy isn’t going to last much longer. We had that in mind as we wrote; we want to write songs that have meaning, no matter how things are going.”
“So when we wrote ‘Cathedral Made of People,’ the idea was to create a song that’s going to have meaning for people in even the hardest situations,” Germain adds, noting another standout track from Ending Is Beginning.
Martel picks up the thought, leaning forward. “That’s why we changed the last verse. We first wrote, ‘If they throw you in prison, what will you do?’ But ‘if’ just wasn’t strong enough, so it became ‘When they throw you in prison, what will you do, and they hate you for the things you know are true?’”
“Even in ‘Hope is Rising,’ we bounced around the idea of saying, ‘just when I reach the end of my line,’” Germain continues. “But that wasn’t strong enough, so we said instead, ‘Just now I reach the end of my line.’”
The two co-writers and lead singers, whose friendship and collaboration dates back to their days as college roommates, are speaking now enthusiastically, each reflecting the other’s commitment as well as the entire band’s resolution to take downhere to a higher level in especially challenging times. Clearly they’ve been tempered by time, yet their resolution as believers, like their commitment to each other and to their mission, only endures and grows with time. And that sentiment is echoed by the band’s drummer, Jeremy Thiessen.
"It's been nearly nine years since downhere was born back in Canada,” reflects Thiessen. “The music industry has seen some pretty significant changes and challenges in that amount of time and so have we. But the one constant in our story is the sense of calling. Were it not for a deep conviction in each of us that this is the mission the Lord has for us in this season of our lives, I doubt very much that downhere would still exist today. It is out of this conviction that we find the strength and determination to press on, pursuing excellence in all that we do until we feel this chapter is done."
Ending Is Beginning is about that too – the glory of God first and foremost, but also about how time opens more paths toward what God promises to the faithful, each treasure along the way richer than the next.
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10/27/2009 - Downhere Sweeps 2009 Covenant Awards from GMA Canada
The critically-acclaimed pop/rock band, Downhere, took home an impressive NINE 2009 Covenant Awards during the 31st Gospel Music Association Canada show Friday night in Calgary, Alberta. Downhere ranked as the highest award winner this year after receiving eleven nominations and took home awards in the following categories:
Artist of the Year
Album of the Year (Ending is Beginning)
Song of the Year (Here I Am)
Recorded Song of the Year (Here I Am)
Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year (Ending Is Beginning)
Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year (Here I Am)
Rock Song of the Year (My Last Amen)
Seasonal Song of the Year (How Many Kings)
Inspirational Song of the Year (The Beggar Who Gave Alms)
"Wow! We never would have thought that we would get eleven nominations, much less win nine awards,” says Marc Martel of Downhere. “It is overwhelming to feel the support we are getting from our fans and friends in Canada and our hearts are overflowing from the kindness shown to us. We love going back to Canada to perform for the home crowds and this awards show us that the feeling is mutual. So, in the immortal words of Sally Field, 'They like us, they really like us!'"
Downhere is once again receiving critical acclaim with their first holiday project, How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas that released October 6, 2009. Early reviews include; JesusFreakHideout.com – “….this is still one of the more solid Christmas releases we've seen from a Christian artist,” NewReleaseTuesday.com – “Downhere’s first ever holiday collection which retains much of the bands classic elements, but also stretches to previously uncharted realms,” Soul-Audio.com – “It easily ranks among great Christmas albums, like Jars Of Clay’s Christmas Songs. The group will also be featured on GospelMusicChannel.com’s “Christmas of Compassion campaign, CCM Magazine, TitleTrakk.com, CBA Retailers + Resources, Christian Retailing, Dallas Morning News, to name a few. And again this year, Downhere will be part of Centricity Music’s Bethlehem Skyline Tour that will also feature labelmates, Jason Gray and Lanae’ Hale.
Downhere has had a successful year at radio, retail and media with their GMAC winning album, Ending Is Beginning, which debuted on the Christian Contemporary Album Chart at #17 and was heralded as one of the Best Christian Albums of 2008 by ChristianMusicToday.com. The GMAC winning song, “Here I Am” and “Hope Is Rising” peaked at #5 and #17 on the AC charts. GMAC winners, “My Last Amen” peaked at #5 on the CHR charts and “How Many Kings” hit the top 5 on the AC charts in late 2008.
Downhere has also been a previous winner with the GMA Canada Covenant Awards in 2002 for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year. In April 2009, Downhere won their third JUNO Award for Ending Is Beginning, in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year category and won a GMA Dove Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year in 2003.
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8/31/2009 - Downhere Honored as Top Nominee with Eleven 2009 Covenenant Award Nominations
Nashville, TN (August 31, 2009) ----- The critically-acclaimed pop/rock band, Downhere, was honored with ELEVEN 2009 Covenant Award nominations from the Gospel Music Association Canada, which makes the group the highest ranking nominee of the year. The 31st Annual Covenant Awards will be handed out October 23, 2009 in Calgary Alberta, Canada, as the finale of GMA Canada Week. Downhere’s outstanding number of nominations are:
Album of the Year
Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
Recorded Song of the Year
Song of the Year
Seasonal Song of the Year – “How Many Kings”
Rock Song of the Year – “My Last Amen”
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year – “Ending Is Beginning”
Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year – “Here I Am”
Modern Worship Song of the Year – “Live For You”
Inspirational Song of the Year – “The Beggar Who Gives Alms”
(All songs nominated were written by Marc Martel and Jason Germaine)
"We're honored to be recognized in our home country, and excited that we're a part of the music that is coming out of Canada,” says Downhere. “We're looking forward to being a part of the CGMA week festivities. This is an album we feel the Lord has given us and it's a blessing to see it resonate with so many people."
Downhere’s recognition from GMA Canada’s membership comes on the heels of a very successful year with radio, retail and media. The nominated songs, “Here I Am” and “Hope Is Rising” peaked at #5 and #17 on the AC charts, “My Last Amen” peaked at #5 on the CHR charts and “How Many Kings” hit the top 5 on the AC charts in late 2008. Nominated CD, Ending Is Beginning, debuted on the Christian Contemporary Album Chart at #17 and was heralded as one of the Best Christian Albums of 2008 by ChristianMusicToday.com.
Downhere has also been a previous winner with the GMA Canada Covenant Awards in 2002 for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year. In April 2009, Downhere won their third JUNO Award for Ending Is Beginning, in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year category and won a GMA Dove Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year in 2003.
Downhere is poised to release their first holiday project October 6, 2009, How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas, which features timeless classics of the season done in the popular Downhere style. And again this year, Downhere will be part of Centricity Music’s Bethlehem Skyline Tour that will also feature labelmates, Jason Gray and Lanae’ Hale.
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7/29/2009 - Downhere to Release First Full-Length Holiday CD
Downhere, one of Christian music’s premiere rock bands, is scheduled to release their first full-length holiday album, How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas, October 6, 2009. The new project was produced by Downhere and will be distributed by Word Distribution.
The idea to record their first Christmas CD grew over the years for Downhere as they performed several holiday concerts in their hometown of Franklin, TN, beginning in 2001. (Glenn Lavender is the only band member who still resides in Canada). Then the thought grew to fruition with the success of the single, “How Many Kings,” which went to #4 on the Christian AC charts in 2007, followed by the Bethlehem Skyline tour last year with their labelmates on Centricity Music.
How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas features the timeless classics of the Yuletide season that are recorded with the Downhere style. “Basically we made a giant list of Christmas songs and narrowed them down to our top choices, realizing that every one of them was at least a hundred years old,” says lead singer, Marc Martel. “We all really resonate with a love for good lyrics, the classic ones that are going to last, so we do a lot of really old Christmas carols. However, we also tried to make the old stuff sound new.”
How Many Kings: Songs For Christmas kicks-off with “How Many Kings” and flows into Christmas standards such as “God res Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Silent Night,” “What Child Is This,” and “We Wish You A Merry A Christmas,” to name a few. The songs are a mixture of fun and religious tunes but the majority of songs resonate with the true meaning of the season.
“We didn’t want to pack a whole Christmas record with ‘Jingle Bells,’ ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ or anything that was considered all that fluffy,” explains drummer Jeremy Thiessen. “We were very selective in wanting to pick songs that actually said something than simply ‘it’s Christmas let’s party!’ We’re just trying to get people to pay attention and unplug from all of the running around.”
During their illustrious ten-year career, Downhere has garnered GMA Award nominations for New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and a GMA Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year. The group has also won three JUNO Awards for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year in 2009 (Ending Is Beginning), 2008 (Wide-Eyed & Mystified) and for their self-titled debut in 2002. Downhere received GMA Canada Awards in 2002 for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year. Fans and radio continue to keep their singles at the top of the charts with “Here I Am” and “Hope Is Rising” peaking at #5 and #17 on the AC charts, while “My Last Amen” peaked at #5 on the CHR charts. And media accolades heralded Ending Is Beginning as one of their finest projects, which included such Christian outlets as ChristianMusicToday.com, JesusFreakHideout.com, Beliefnet, and Christian Single.
For more information on Downhere please visit their website, www.downhere.com or www.myspace.com/downhere.
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4/2/2009 - Canadian Group, Downhere, Wins Third Juno Award for the Critically Acclaimed CD Ending is Beginning
Nashville, TN (April 2, 2009) ----- Christian music’s premiere rock band, Downhere, has been honored with their third JUNO Award for their critically acclaimed CD, Ending Is Beginning, in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year category. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced the winners at the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards Saturday, March 28th in Vancouver, British Columbia. Downhere’s two previous JUNO Awards, were for Wide-Eyed and Mystified in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year in 2007 and in 2002, Best Gospel Album for their self-titled debut.
"We're extremely honored to have won our third JUNO award,” says band member, Jason Germain. “It is so special to us to win such a prestigious award in our home country, and we hope this record is able to reach even more people because of it!"
The group has also enjoyed great radio success in conjunction with the new album, as the current singles, “My Last Amen,” is #11 on Radio & Records’ CHR Monitored chart and “Hope Is Rising,” is #20 on the R&R AC Indicator chart. The debut single, “Here I Am,” peaked at #5 on the AC charts. “How Many Kings” that was added as a bonus track on Ending Is Beginning, hit the top 5 on the AC charts in late 2008.
Downhere released Ending Is Beginning September 2008 and immediately it was heralded as one of their finest pieces of work. ChristianMusicToday.com and Beliefnet listed the project as one of the top albums of last year with Christian Single saying, “Downhere’s latest effort proves to be another exceptional album pairing the perfectly blended vocals of Jason Germain and Marc Martel over the band’s atmospheric instrumentation and extremely intelligent songwriting.” JesusFreakHideout.com chimes in, “If you find yourself listening to the radio and thinking about how stale so much of Christian pop-rock has become, then Ending is Beginning is definitely a record you want to pick up. It's a little hard to come away disappointed from this one.”
Downhere emerged from Canada’s alt-rock scene and immediately connected with U.S. fans with their breakout debut in 2001. Then came industry recognition with GMA Award nominations for New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and a GMA Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year. Besides the JUNO nominations and awards, Downhere received GMA Canada Awards for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year.
Downhere is currently in the studio recording their first Christmas CD that will be available in all CBA retail stores this fall. For more updates on Downhere please visit, www.downhere.com or www.centricitymusic.com.
Centricity Music is an independent recording and publishing company based in Bellevue, Washington and Nashville, Tennessee. The company’s mission is to nurture the gifts and expand the influence of Christian artists around the world. Centricity Music’s artist roster includes Jaime Jamgochian, Downhere, Circleslide, Jason Gray, Daniel Kirkley, Lanae’ Hale, Andrew Peterson and High Valley.
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2/6/2009 - Canadian Group, Downhere, Gets Juno Nomination for the Critically Acclaimed CD Ending is Beginning
Nashville, TN (February 6, 2009) ----- Christian music’s premiere rock band, Downhere, has received their fourth JUNO Award nomination for their critically acclaimed CD, Ending Is Beginning, in the Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year category. The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced the nominees February 3rd at a press conference in Toronto. The winners will be announced at the JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards Saturday, March 28th in Vancouver, British Columbia. Downhere has won two previous JUNO Awards, one for Wide-Eyed and Mystified for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album Of The Year in 2007 and in 2002, won in Best Gospel Album for their self-titled debut.
“We're honored and humbled to be nominated for another Juno award,” says Jason Germain of Downhere. “It's really encouraging for us to be recognized in our home country for the art we create."
Downhere released Ending Is Beginning September 2008 and immediately it was heralded as one of their finest pieces of work. ChristianMusicToday.com and Beliefnet listed the project as one of the top albums of last year with Christian Single saying, “Downhere’s latest effort proves to be another exceptional album pairing the perfectly blended vocals of Jason Germain and Marc Martel over the band’s atmospheric instrumentation and extremely intelligent songwriting.” JesusFreakHideout.com chimes in, “If you find yourself listening to the radio and thinking about how stale so much of Christian pop-rock has become, then Ending is Beginning is definitely a record you want to pick up. It's a little hard to come away disappointed from this one.”
The group has also enjoyed great radio success in conjunction with the new album. The debut single, “Here I am” peaked at #5 on the AC charts and the follow up singles, “Hope Is Rising” and the high energy “My Last Amen” will go for adds at AC and CHR respectively on February 13th. “How Many Kings” that was added as a bonus track on Ending Is Beginning, hit the top 5 on the AC charts in late 2008.
Downhere emerged from Canada’s alt-rock scene and immediately connected with U.S. fans with their breakout debut in 2001. Then came industry recognition with GMA Award nominations for New Artist of the Year, Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year and a GMA Award for Modern Rock Recorded Song of the Year. Besides the JUNO nominations and awards, Downhere received GMA Canada Awards for Rock Album of the Year and Rock Song of the Year.
Downhere completed their “Ending Is Beginning” Tour with the Michael Gungor Band in November and for more upcoming tour dates please visit, www.downhere.com or www.centricitymusic.com.
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