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Dispatch and Of A Revolution: Not Your Average Jam Bands

by Matt Seagull

College jam rock is very easy to come by today. Ask around, and the general consensus would be that the best band in this genre is Dave Matthews Band. However, there are two bands that are making a name for themselves by word of mouth. Those two bands are Dispatch and Of A Revolution (O.A.R.)

Dispatch consists of three front men: Brad Corrigan, Pete Heimbold and Chad Urmston. All three sing vocals and play guitar. Corrigan (or "Braddigan," as he sometimes likes to be called) plays the drums and harmonica. Heimbold and Urmston both play bass and percussion as well. The group originated out of Massachusetts and has been lighting up the East Coast with concerts and albums that can only be bought off their web site. However, Dispatch is extremely popular for a band that has not been seen on MTV yet.

One of the main reasons why Dispatch has been so successful is because their songs include many influences from other bands and genres of music. "Bats in the Belfry" has a heavy ska influence with an upbeat, trumpet-laced rhythm. The band then presents a Sublime-like, reggae/ska sound on "Open Up." "Railway" includes a Dave Matthews-style saxophone solo. The three singers also bounce lyrics off each other on the song, which is reminiscent of the Beastie Boys, who they cover on "Root Down."

The band also brings influences from other cultures in their songs. "Questioned Apocalypse" features an acoustic guitar solo that sounds like a Mexican mariachi band. The tune of "Whirlwind" has a strong Indian influence, and sounds very similar to "Mysterious Ways" by U2. Finally, the beginning part of "Elias" features an African chant, sung to the tune of beating bongos.

For those who haven't heard Dispatch, it is recommended that they pick up their second album, "Bang Bang." It is one of those albums that can be heard from start to finish without skipping any tracks. "Bang Bang" covers all aspects of Dispatch: from hard rock, upbeat songs like "Mission," "Here We Go" and "Railway," to acoustic gems, such as the popular "General," "Two Coins" and the closer, "Out Loud." If there is any one song off the album that listeners may be disappointed with, it would be "Drive," but even that is good enough not to warrant a skip-over. "Bang Bang" represents everything that is Dispatch, and should not be missed by anyone.

The band's first album, "Silent Steeples," shows a more serious side of the group. While "Bang Bang" was catchy from start to finish, the second album focuses more of the musical aspect of the group. A good example of their different style is "Walk With You," which features a flute solo before the song actually begins. Full instrumentals are also included, and songs aren't as upbeat as they were on "Bang Bang." Nevertheless, listeners will find an instant connection to "Flying Horses," the best song on the album. The song is filled with an extremely catchy acoustic guitar and harmonica tune, and features Dispatch's trademark tempo changes in mid-song.

"Four Day Trials" contains live versions of "Mission" and "Here We Go," plus the Beastie's cover. These three songs and "What Do You Wanna Be" are the only reasons to buy this album, but are good enough to warrant a purchase.

"Who Are We Living For," the band's most recent studio album, is definitely not for the casual Dispatch fan. Only the opening song, "Open Up," and a couple others are easy to hum along to. Many of the upbeat jam songs seen on "Bang Bang" are missing on this album. Nevertheless, tried and true Dispatch fans will surely be pleased with this offering, as well as the others.

A lot of bands have the curse of sounding great live, but lacking that certain energy in their studio work. Dispatch does not have this problem, as their songs have so much raw energy in them, it sounds as if they're being performed live. However, there is nothing like attending a Dispatch concert, and the band has captured some of that energy in a double-CD live release, "Gut The Van." Casual Dispatch fans should also think about picking this album up as well, as it has some more upbeat versions of songs like "Out Loud."

So while college students are waiting for the next string of Dave Matthews concerts, or the new album, it is recommended that they give Dispatch a try, and order "Bang Bang" and "Gut The Van" from their website, www.dispatchmusic.com. They will not be disappointed. Dispatch will be performing at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on April 6.

The band Of A Revolution (O.A.R.) came together in high school in the DC area. Their first CD, "The Wanderer" gave them a local fan base around the DC area, and was spreading along the East Coast before they even graduated high school.

O.A.R. brings a different style to the table. Their style is mostly good-time folk that could be heard in a pub on a late Friday night. Most of their songs have an upbeat, happy feel in lyrics and tone. The lyrics are simple; the band talks about drinking, road trips and poker games. The songs "take the listener on a journey through the eyes of a wandering soul," according to their web site, www.ofarevolution.com. Their music is full of percussion and guitar strumming, taking on a ska/rock/folk sound.

Despite this, there is one problem with O.A.R.'s music. Many of the songs are extremely repetitive. Most of their songs sound exactly the same. They also say the same lyrics in every song, such as "Walking for a thousand years" and "About an hour ago." They also keep singing "La La, Ay-ho" in many of their songs, just in a different pattern. The music is almost identical in every song; the stories are just different.

Listening to one of their albums, it would be very easy to forget the title for each song, because they all sound similar. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because their style is a good enough formula to work for all of their songs, but it would be nice to see some diversity in their songs, like in Dispatch's, where you can tell one song from another.

O.A.R.'s opus has to be the eight-minute "Crazy Game of Poker," which is like two songs in one. Four minutes into the song, the tempo changes and it sounds like an entirely different song. Both parts of the song are extremely well done. It is one of those songs that if it is played at a party, those who know it will get into a sing-along. It's definitely the best song O.A.R. has ever written, and is worth buying their album, "Wanderer," which is a good pick-up for new listeners. Other songs that are diverse enough to stand on their own, and are worth checking out are "King of the Thing," "City On Down" and "Night Shift."
So while you're waiting for Dave to go on tour this spring, or the new album to come out, check out Dispatch and O.A.R. They offer different experiences, but will both make a lasting impression on the jam rock genre.