That said…Meese is a band just now getting its share of the spotlight with a musical blend of guitar-driven rock, electronic programming and piano pop. They released their first national recording Broadcast on Atlantic Records this past summer, and have been touring to promote it. They’ve had a few things go their way in getting this far–including being friends with The Fray (who ironically used to open shows for Patrick Meese’s previous band before hitting it big) and getting some major plugs from local radio stations here. And they got a huge boost last summer when the author of the Twilight books, Stephanie Meyer, discovered the band playing her favorite song was Meese, and made a big deal about it.
Actually, Meese’s relationship with The Fray (and other local bands) is of particular interest to me, because I see a pretty cool sense of community happening with the local musicians here. A lot of these guys and girls have played together, not just on the same stages, but swapping musicians between bands. I’ve talked to a few other bands and artists, and they tell me that the tendency is to affirm and support one another, rather than compete. The Fray opens for Patrick Meese’s band; then The Fray gets signed; then they invite Meese to open for them! I love stuff like that, and it’s that kind of openness and support that breeds creativity. And I think it’s part of why Denver is becoming a musical force to be reckoned with.
I like Meese’s melodies and their sound, and I think the single “Next In Line” is very catchy.
YouTube won’t let me embed it, but I’ve put a link below to one version of the video, and you can also sample the record below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZuQ6FCZNZI
