enginedown
Band Members:
Keeley Davis: vocals, guitar
Jonathan Fuller: guitar, vocals
Jason Wood: bass, vocals
Cornbread Compton: drums
Discography:
”Self-Titled” | CD/LP | Lookout Records/Lovitt Records | 2004 – 
”Demure” | CD/LP | Lovitt Records | 2002 –
”A Sign of Breath” | EP | Day After Records | 2001 -
”To Bury Within the Sound” | CD/LP | Lovitt Records | 2000 –
”Under the Pretense of Present Tense | CD/LP | Lovitt Records | 1998 –
What they say:
“Groove-oriented emprise brushed with shades of Drive Like Jehu and grounded in a rocking emo sensibility” begins to characterize Engine Down’s musical demeanor. The Richmond quartet met in Harrisonburg, VA, before embarking on their eastward migration to the Virginian capital. Comprised of former Sleepytime Trio, the Weak Link Breaks, and Bughummer members, Engine Down debuted at a murder mystery flick. They first released a self-titled 7″ through Lovitt in 1998, their full-length Under the Pretense of Present Tense following later that year. After that, the band — comprised of Jonathan Fuller (guitar/vocals), Jason Wood (bass/vocals), Keeley Davis (vocals/guitar) and Cornbread Compton (drums) — put out 2000’s To Bury Within the Sound and 2001’s A Sign of Breath EP, touring with such acts as Four Hundred Years, Speedwell, and Three Penny Opera. Also in 2001 came their third album, the moodier Demure. By way of their recordings and live performances, Engine Down nurtured a bevy of adoring fans that helped them chart in CMJ’s Top 20 for eight weeks. Engine Down was keen of rhythms in six-eight time, not hesitating to augment their bass, drum, guitar, and vocal setup with such instruments as the cello, vibraphone, and piano. Even without the addition of these acoustic instruments, Engine Down’s core sound — its propulsive triplet-ridden beats, weighty bass lines, pugnacious guitar salvos, and languorous vocals — made the band worth seeking out. By 2004, Engine Down had jumped from Lovitt to Lookout Records to release their fourth disk, Enginedown. The band toured Europe in early 2005 before announcing that they would be breaking up (amicably) later that year. Following a fall U.S. farewell tour supported by Bella Lea and Des Ark, the members of Engine Down went their separate ways. ~ John Vallier, All Music Guide
official website:
enginedown.com
Engine Down’s self-titled album is probably my favorite hard rock album of all time. A little over three years after first hearing it, I’m still blown away, and I don’t see that changing. Perhaps the most honest and flattering thing I could say about it is that, as a musician, it’s the kind of album I wish I could say I’d written. It is a rock masterpiece – one I hope listeners continue to discover even with the band defunct. I got into Engine Down, and that album, just in time to catch a show on the band’s farewell tour (the Chapel Hill show – I was living in Greensboro, N.C. at the time), and thank God for that. There are plenty of bands I love that broke up before I had a chance to see them live; I’m so glad that wasn’t the case with E.D.
Demure is awesome!! It is one of those albums that I can listen to over and over again and not get tried of it. Thats when you can tell it’s one of your favorites. Then again, all the albums are really great as well. Thank you for all the great music over the years.
i hope everyone at some point in their life comes across music that affects them as much as engine down has affected me. this band has changed my outlook on love, life, music, and much more. this is not a bad thing.
every release was amazing in it’s own right, always built upon strengths the band had since inception: great songs, solid musicianship, and thought provoking lyricism. i can’t name a favorite release, but hopefully my indecision will inspire whomever reads this to seek out the entire catalog. it’s worth it to go through chronologically and hear the growth for oneself. regrettably, i was only able to make it out to two shows, their last in southern california, but those proved to be among my top concert experiences before or since.
i’ll close this with a thanks to cornbread, jason, jonathan, and keeley. for the music and the feeling behind it, i am eternally grateful.
best band EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRR. period.