CD Review: Green River Ordinance’s Way Back Home

by Kathryn Palagonia

Green River Ordinance is:

A band that can write a story in five songs. A band that can bring the listener into a surreal experience. A band that can make lyrics deeper than being about a stupid ex-girlfriend, that in the end turns out to be a love story.

Green River Ordinance's 2007 release, <i>Way Back Home</i>.

Green River Ordinance's 2007 release, Way Back Home.

In their 2007 release of Way Back Home, Green River Ordinance starts off the journey with "Here We Are." On first thought this is just a love song asking for a girl to take a leap. But on second thought, the lyrics possess some quality, that if intentional or not, make a statement about the music industry. A statement that GRO will not change the way they make music just to be, and I quote, “big stars.”

"Sleep It Off" acts as an interlude of getting from taking a leap to asking for forgiveness in "Come On." "Come On" is the song that I would want a guy to play for me if he ever screwed up.

Upcoming shows:

Thursday, July 12, 2007, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Central Market
Friday, Sept. 28, 2007, 9 p.m. at The Aardvark
Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007, 8 p.m. at House of Blues
Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2007, 8 p.m. at House of Blues
Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007, 9 p.m. at 8.0 Restaurant and Bar
Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, 9 p.m. at Public House
Sunday, Dec. 9, 2007, 8 p.m. at House of Blues
Friday, Dec. 14, 2007, 8 p.m. at The Door
Saturday, April 12, 2008, 8 p.m. at House of Blues
Friday, April 25, 2008, 7:30 p.m. at Hailey's
Saturday, May 3, 2008, 9 p.m. at The Aardvark
Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008, 8 p.m. at Granada Theater
Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, 9 p.m. at The Aardvark
Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008, 9 p.m. at The Aardvark
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008, 9 p.m. at The Aardvark
Friday, March 27, 2009, 10 p.m. at The Aardvark
Saturday, March 28, 2009, 8 p.m. at House of Blues
Friday, May 8, 2009, 5 p.m. to midnight at Addison Circle Park

"19" serves as a song to look back on the past 19 years of life. The dull and monotonous years that went down the drain did serve one purpose, to bring these two lovers together.

Finally, "Beauty of Letting Go" culminates all the feelings of the previous songs into one explosion of images expressed in lyric. GRO does a good job of building and building the song, not only with the lyrics but also with the drive of the drums.

Lead vocalist, Josh Jenkins, has a voice that’s incredibly easy on the ears. One of those voices you could listen to for hours on end, like Chris Martin of Coldplay or Jon Foreman of Switchfoot.

Influences of Third Eye Blind and Goo Goo Dolls are easy to find throughout the five songs. This is definitely a CD that will be staying in my car and on my playlist, because it is more than just a group of guys wanting to make music; it is a group of guys who know how to make music.