Music
Press
If you like your music straight-up pop-punk in-your-face Jesus, you're gonna want to pick up Three Cord Wonder's "The Jesus Rock Show." Especially if you're younger.
A band made up of former youth workers, they like to have fun; and they want you to have a good time, too. With a sly mix of wit and challenge, they call listeners up to higher ground, seeing their music only as “a vehicle for the message.” And the message is definitely, unapologetically Christ. Three Cord Wonder, wildly popular in the Midwest, is your youth group or summer camp’s dream team, with their simply-crafted anthemic songs and straight-up Biblical worldview. Geared toward teens, “tweens,” and young adults, think early Green Day or a cleaned-up Blink 182...
Let your youth group experience “The Jesus Rock Show” to shake things up, in the good way, with Three Cord Wonder.
Full review available at:
http://christianmusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/three_cord_wonder__jesus_rock_show - Kevan Breitinger - Christian Music Suite 101
The music is very catchy and will soon be a favorite for pop punk fans. The album kicks in with "Who I Am Today (Take a Look)" with catchy hooks of pop punk flare and an up tempo appeal that you can't help but bounce your leg too. "The Jesus Rock Show" was a stand out that is sure to get the fans jumping through the roof. The band shows some modern vibes on "Why Don't You Tell Me." It is a melodic track with a great and powerful chorus. That trend of maturity holds into the next track with a great acoustic number.
Even though it is well outside my normal genre, I really did find myself liking several of the tracks on this album.
Overall, this is a solid album from Three Cord Wonder.
Full Review:
http://www.wisemenpromotions.com/reviews/reviews/threechord.htm - Wise Men Promotions
Rating: 9/10 - Whilst bands like Eleventyseven, Stellar Kart, Hawk Nelson and Relient K all plough a similar jaunty pop punk furrow, Three Cord Wonder serve up similar fare with their tight catchy songs. To these ears, the main difference seems to be that this band are convinced that the best way to achieve their goals is to write songs that are uncompromising in their message and their desire to reach inside the hearts of their core audience. And it works. There are plenty of highlights. I particularly like "Why Don't You Tell Me" which sees the protagonist reaching out to a kid who doesn't want to open up about the real issues in their life. Other songs express the band's brutal honesty when it comes to relationships, faith and life and it's refreshing to hear such clear messages and ministry. The pivotal song for me is the title track which questions the validity of Christian rock concerts where none of the bands minister and all from the perspective of an audience member who needs help but doesn't get anything from the show. "Was Jesus even there?" they sing. And it's such a surprising poignant question that I hit repeat play for half an hour as the song sinks in. Three Cord Wonder are serious about ministry, write thought provoking songs and dress them up in an edgy pop punk sound.
Full review available at:
http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/products/Three_Cord_Wonder/The_Jesus_Rock_Show/22157/ - Cross Rhythms - Mike Rimmer
This trio from the Mile High city offers simple but infectious pop punk tunes that inspire teens and praise the Lord with honest lyrics. - Jason Best - Godcore
“An Interview with Joe from Three Cord Wonder”
1.How long have you guys known each other and how long have you been together as a band? Where are you from?
Ben, the drummer, and I have known each other since he was born. Our dad brought my mother and him home from the hospital when I was four years old. He’s always been my “business partner” ever since. From planning toilet-paper raids and firework launches, to serving in the worship teams at church together and going to concerts, it makes sense that we’re doing full-time ministry in the band, together. Josh has been a good friend of ours for a few years. He was in a great band from Denver called ATF. They retired the band last summer (2005) and he joined up with us shortly after. Josh is such an asset to the band and such a great fit. We’re having the time of our lives!
2.What bands did you guys listen to growing up and which ones influenced you the most?
I’m sad to say that I don’t think we listened to a lot of good stuff growing up. It was good in the sense that it was well done, but pretty bad in the sense that the bands were not so good, lyrically speaking. But one group I’m proud to say that we’ve been heavily influenced by is the great Audio Adrenaline (who are retiring this year). Probably more than any other artist, they’ve had the greatest overall impact on everything to do with the band; sound, lyrics, style, performance. I, especially, have always been a fan and followed their music since hearing “Big House” when I was in middle school.
3.What would you like the listener to gain or get out of listening to a Three Cord Wonder CD?
At the very least, I hope that someone listening to us would get a sense of the presence of God. We don’t write and play music without purpose. We do this because God loves us and compels us to share that love with others. 1 Corinthians 9:16 is a great verse we can relate to. The Apostle Paul says “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” That’s how we feel. And because of that drive, we hope that people will sense more than just the presence of God. I hope that through the various songs, maybe through our performances, perhaps reading about us, that people will hear the Good News of Jesus Christ… that we’ve been separated from God because of our sins [the wrong things we do, say, and think] but that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins, that He came back to life to prove this to be true, and that we can be restored to relationship with God right now if we are willing to believe and to put our trust in Jesus Christ to bring that restoration. Some songs are more clear about this than others. But taken as a whole, the entire album presents the Gospel. So, ultimately, I hope people get the Good News out of the music.
4.Let everyone know about your upcoming CD. How is everything coming along with the record? Does the CD have a title?
Thanks for asking. The upcoming CD is in its earliest stages presently. We’re in a combination of writing and pre-production for the album right now. I think we’ve sent in 6 or 7 songs (we’re shooting for 10-12 tracks) that the producer is developing further. As such, we don’t have a title for the record yet. We’re pleased with the progress so far. We’re scheduled to record in Florida in May with a tentative release schedule somewhere around July/August.
5.Do any of the events going on in the world today such as the war with Iraq or other subject matter come into play when you are writing your lyrics or do you mainly focus on man’s relationship with God?
I think on some level current events do have an affect. We’re living in scarier times than ever before. Just the idea that a terrorist who hates our country (the USA) could feasibly sneak through our border, plant a nuke anywhere, and be willing to defend it with his or her life until it killed thousands of our people… that brings a lot of fear. While that’s a sad prospect on the one hand, it also provides a great opportunity to share the hope found in having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The idea that we can have an amazing after-life worshipping God and living in pure joy for all eternity… that’s a pretty cool deal… especially when we realize that Jesus Christ paid for that and we don’t have to do anything to earn it, all we have to do is receive it. So while world events don’t really affect our lyrics directly, they do affect how we deliver the message as a whole. People are seeking an eternal answer to this very temporary and mortal life. Jesus is the answer and He honors us to be the ones to give that answer.
6.How would you guys describe your music? What bands influenced your sound?
As I said earlier, Audio Adrenaline has had the biggest influence on our sound. I think when you listen to us, you hear elements - Christian Xtreme
Well I am going to start off by saying that this is CD is in my top 10 now. THese guys are great, they have a punk rock sound that keeps you singing to every song. Every song sounds great and has a positive message to go with it. "The Jesus Rock Show", this song makes you think what is the real idea behind todays Christian bands, is is money or to save someone? Awesome song. Every song has a great sound and great vocals. I really love their saying "So if you get nothing else from this recording, we hope that you get Jesus. In fact sharing His Love was the only real reason we starting doing this." That tells me why these guys are doing it and that they are doing it for a reason! I can honestly say that every song is a good song!
www.myspace.com/hermesbooking - Mike@HermesBooking
Discography
The Jesus Rock Show - Speak Records (October 24, 2006)
The Show Is Over - Independent Release (2005)
Photos
Bio
Well known in the Rockies for some of the catchiest melodies, rock-solid and Christ-centered lyrics, and unexpected, spontaneous performances laced with side-splitting humor and life-changing messages, Three Cord Wonder is the band you wouldn’t expect could survive in the music industry, let alone survive it for the last six years. But in fact, they thrive on their God-given ability to defy convention, avoid the image trap, and blur genre… all with a refreshing humility.
You won’t catch them in the green room celebrating their most recent “victory” or “accomplishment.” You’ll more than likely find them with a group of kids sharing funny stories from the road, praying with a hurting person, crawling under the stage helping the techs fix technical problems, or assisting the local crew with setup and teardown. If you do find them in the green room, they’re probably offering assistance or encouragement to the promoter, concert staff, or the other acts. If you can’t find them at all, they are most likely talking to their wives on the phone. And at some point before every concert, they will gather to spend time in prayer together and to share from Scripture. It all adds up to one very important observation: These aren’t rock-stars. These are traveling youth pastors, and the fans are their youth group.
Now after seven years of honing their craft through consistent touring, hard work, connecting with students and youth pastors, and the development of a strong fan base, Three Cord Wonder is making their national debut with industry new-comer, Speak Records. “The Jesus Rock Show,” Three Cord Wonder’s first album with Speak Records released on October 24, 2006. And where most music available to teens and young adults is cynical, hopeless, and self-centered, “The Jesus Rock Show” is God-centered and the perfect blend of encouragement and challenge.
"This album is a youth pastor’s dream come true," says Thomas Lester, President of Speak Records and former youth group volunteer. “It really is. Every song has something they can pull from, teach from, use as examples.”
“All of us have been in youth ministry as volunteers or paid staff at some point in our lives,” Joe reveals. “My wife is in full time youth ministry at our church. Rarely has time gone by in the last seven years that hasn’t seen us serving in youth ministry in some capacity, being a part of teen culture, and working directly with middle school and high school students. I think the reason why this album is being hailed as a “youth pastor’s dream come true” is because, in fact, God inspired some youth pastors to write this album.”
(In fact, three of the additional writers credited with various songs on the album are youth pastors or volunteer youth staff at their local churches).
Three Cord Wonder is poised to make an impact beyond music sales and touring. This is a group committed to their mission to expand the Kingdom of God… one person at a time.
Items of Note:
- Performed over 500 times throughout the Rockies, Plains, and Midwest.
- Opened for many of the top names in Christian Music including, of note, Audio Adrenaline, Hawk Nelson, Thousand Foot Krutch, Sanctus Real, Pillar, Skillet, and countless others.
- More than 300,000 song plays and over 30,000 fans on MySpace and PureVolume, and still growing.
- Has been honored as the “#1 Most Requested Artist” on 94.7FM KRKS “The Invasion” (Denver, CO) for six years in a row (2000-2005), setting a record for longest run at number one, and edging out top artists like Switchfoot, Relient K, P.O.D., and the who’s who of Christian Rock.
- New Album, "The Jesus Rock Show," released October 24, 2006 on new Christian label, Speak Records.
Links
