A Band of Brothers

During the late 90's there was a period of the boy band revival. Boy bands are groups of four to five handsome looking guys that exhibit talents in singing and dancing. The populars ones like the Backstreet Boys, N' Sync and 98 degrees were hitting the mainstream music scene, selling millions of albums and selling out concert venues all over the world in front of thousands of screaming girls. But despite their talent and popularity, they were often the subject of criticism and skepticism. Boy bands were even looked down upon as artists, thinking that they are all about their good looks instead of the music. However, one particular group stood out among the rest. Instead of following the traditional boy band trend, they established their own identity and made music their own way. I would not consider them a "boy band" (that would be too disrespectful), but rather as a "band of brothers".


Brothers Scott Moffatt and triplets Bob, Dave and Clint Moffatt, born in Canada discovered their talent in music at a very young age. They began their music careers as a country music group and released two albums. As the boys grew their talent has grown and they began to play musical instruments. Later, they dropped country music from their reportiare and began playing pop rock music. In 1998, they recorded their major album debut, Chapter I: A New Beginning. It has garnered commercial success and launched the boys onto the international stage playing all over the world. However, due to the success of the boy band phenomena during this time, The Moffatts experienced criticism and comparisons to other boy bands. As a result, the brothers felt they were not taken seriously as musician. In 2000, after the success of their debut album wind down, the band of brothers returned to the studio to record a follow up to Chapter I. It was that the band decided to take their sound the next level in order for them to be taken seriously as musicians. The Moffatts met up with Bob Rock in Maui to record their next record. In the months past, the band spent their time honing and perfecting their craft. Instead of the pop rock vibe they were known for from their previous record, the band's sound on this record is a more polished and refined alternative rock sound. After months of recordng, Submodalities was finally made. Little did they know, this album would also be their last one.

Immediately upon listening to the first track, "Just Another Phase", it is obvious that this is not the same band from their younger days. The vibe of the record is different and the sound ensue an energy that is different from their previous record. It represented the band's maturity and their evolution as a band. The energy from the "Just Another Phase" did not stop there and continued throughout the duration of the album. Songs like "California" and "I Don't Want You To Want Me" showcases the band's dynamic side and kicks their sound up a notch. This brings the energy they bring as a band to a whole new level. Now, although The Moffatts are sound more polished and edgy, they still have a few ballads up their sleeves. "Always In My Heart" and "Who Do You Love" are amazing tracks and show that the brothers are not afraid to show their romantic side. My personal favorite song on the record is "Antifreeze and Aeroplanes". The song was about the effects of drugs and the dangers of using them (the term "antifreeze" and "airplanes" were nicknames for coccaine and marijuana). This shows the depth and maturity in their lyrics and that they are not afraid to sing about matters other than love. "Life On Mars" is a very interesting track. For one, the song is about, well, living on Mars. Two, it features a sequence of somone "misplaying" music on a piano. Pretty strange, but nevertheless, the song is great and shows another side to the musical stylings of The Moffatts. The last song, "Spy" is an absolute wonder for it shows The Moffatts incorporating experimental rock as well as adding a wide array of distortion and effects. The track is about technically six minutes long, but if you are patient and continue to listen (the track is actually clocks in at 24 minutes), it contains a hidden track. Want to know what it is? Give "Spy" a listen.

"Antifreeze & Aeroplanes" by The Moffatts by Future Phonograph

Although the band created a stellar album and was well received, the hype of mainstream music and the comparisons to boy bands finally got to them. It was then that after 11 years of playing music together that the brothers have decided to call it quits. It was very unfortunate because they have called it quits before they have reached their true potential. Submodalities not only showcased the band's new found rock sound, but it represented a monumental step in their musical evolution. Who knows where their sound would have taken them if only they stayed together just little longer? What would the next record in their catalog would sound like? Nobody knows. But whatever the case may be, Submodalities still remains one of my favorite albums of all time. It may not have received the same success as their previous album, but maybe The Moffatts would have finally gotten what they were seeking this whole time: the recognition and respect they deserved as musicians.