House of Heroes: Suburba

I truly hope you didn't miss the $2.99 deal, because that might be the music deal of the year. If you don't know these fellows, then know that you are a few clicks away from a magnificent array of melody, emotion, and darn good rock music. If you like the Beatles, Relient K, pop/punk, pop/rock, or just good rock in general, you're going to love these fellows. And if you love VOCAL HARMONIES, you will be swept away. They proved this on their last album, and they prove it here again. Tim Skipper's vocals alone would make him a rock legend, but with his friends singing behind him just as beautifully, he soars past everything else I've heard in rock, past and present. "God Save the Foolish Kings" sets this in stone; it's the best song on the album, hands down. "So Far Away" has a vocalizing at the beginning that might melt your heart. Tim and Jared Rigsby's guitars make astounding riffs and melodies; again, you'll see this on "God Save", along with "Independence Day For A Petty Thief". AJ Babcock's bass rocks socks, especially on "Elevator". Colin Rigsby's drums keeps everything on a toe-tappin' beat. Songwriting is top-notch; "Independence Day" and "Love is For the Middle Class" tell some magnificent stories... and then there's "God Save". That's the third time I've mentioned that song, and for good reason. But don't let that stop you from enjoying the rest. I don't want to spoil much more. This is a band you will delight in, if you haven't heard them before. And if you have, this is NOT "The End Is Not The End", but it is amazing in its own way; we've moved from war and deep questions to passion and Americana. And it sounds delightful.

I got hooked on House of Heroes with the album "The End Is Not The End", it had excellent lyrics and was just an overall great album. I love how this band really knows who they are as musicians and delivers every time. As to be expected from this group, this new album brings a lot of rock with very powerful lyrics that will put a smile on your face. The production of Suburba is as close to perfect as is physically possible: the drums are punchy, the guitars are driven without losing clarity, the vocals are crisp and clear and the background instrumentation and effects are non-obtrusive while layering the sound. Simply put, the music is tight and the vocals ROCK. I love playing this album loud! Buy this album, you won't be disappointed.

I just bought this album a couple days ago and have been very pleasantly surprised by the variety of music. Great vocals, very catchy & non-cliche lyrics, plus great musicianship = great music! While the whole album is very strong, my favorite tracks are Elevator, Relentless, Love Is For The Middle Class, Constant, So Far Away, Galveston & God Save The Foolish Kings. Each song is very different, but the great vocals & sound shine through. House Of Heroes is definitely a band that makes anything but 'cookie-cutter' music. I am now looking into some of their earlier stuff in hopes of finding some more great tunes! Thanks to Amazon for introducing it at $2.99 -- at the current $5.99 it is still a steal!

Let me just begin the review by saying Suburba is a good cd. Overall (10/12) tracks are well done and either really good for singing along or just toe-tapping. One of the things that really sets House of Heroes apart from other bands is that all their members sing and they all play instruments. This is rare. Even among Christian artists this is not par for the course. Music has been steadily declining in recent years with sound bites and beat loops being seen as substitutes for actual music. From secular to religious. Pop to underground it's been getting worse. There are a few bands I still follow that put effort into their CDs and MP3s and House of Heroes, with Suburba, continues to be one of them. Having heard of House of Heroes with their "Say No More" cd I've always enjoyed their songs when I come across them. My first CD from them was "The End is Not The End" and in my opinion, to date, remains their strongest CD. I feel it really defined them as a band worth paying attention to. Nevertheless I only recently bought Suburba having been in a tight spot, financially. The tracks themselves are solid. Even the ones I'm not drawn to. 1) "Restless" feels kind of like "Journey Into Space". Not the beat or lyrics but the delivery of it. It's a pretty simple message about a guy who's love struck and spends most of his time dreaming of a girl while the rest of the world moves by. 2) "Elevator" is definitely more up-beat than the intro track. Not sure about the message. Sounds like it's about pursuing that ever illusive dream of making it. 3)"Love is for the Middle Class" is an excellent track. One of the best on the CD in my opinion. Pretty self explanatory as far as message. It's fun, upbeat and reflective on the idea of Love conquering all; asking if that's true with a chorus that sings out, "If all I had was love, would I still be lovely? If all I gave was love, would you give up on me?" 4) "So Far Away" is pure gold. About the journey through life and how it is not easy; admitting that some times you just keep trudging even when you don't see why. But asking even if you knew beforehand how hard things can be would you keep going? It's a great song that they released an awesome video for, documenting their progress through the years of being a group of musicians. 5) "God Save the Foolish Kings" along with "Love is for the Middle Class" is the best track on the CD. Message wise it bears hints of "In the Valley of the Dying Sun." Albeit in a more domestic context. And House of Heroes had label mate (Gotee) Stephanie Smith(?) on this track and she helps bring this song into a form like a conversation between two people arguing over the actions of 1. 6) "Salt in the Sea" slows things down but not in a bad way. Pleasant to listen to and (I feel) carries a message about giving up our dreams when faced with something better. 7)"Independence Day for a Petty Thief" is an interesting track. Fun to listen to but feels like half of a story. Check it out in conjunction with the next track. 8) "Somebody Knows" a rather passive track which seems to be the second half of the story from "Independence Day for a Petty Thief" without actually referencing that one. It's not particularly adventurous until the boys start singing, "I want the Truth" which makes an "Ok" track into a "Great" one. 9) "Disappear" the one track that could actually be described as dark on Suburba. It almost sounds like a warning against pursuit of the "American Dream". A house a pair of kids, a dog, a normal job; these are portrayed in a very different light. The Suburba (or rather Suburban) life is appealing because it's safe. And while there's nothing wrong with that it holds a danger for us. It consumes our years, our imagination, even our dreams. In the end the Dream of living becomes the anesthesia to living. 10) "She Might Mighty" fun track with a humorous chorus of the song's title. Kind of a symphony of all those ideas that fly through your head when you're with that one person (in this case that one girl) and how she just transcends the realm of reality. 11) "Constant" is a good cd about the steadiness of God. A bit more personal to the Christian who learns to rely on God for everything, even in the midst of all that goes on and within us. Our desires and the world's end up being so fickle. 12) "Burn Me Down" feels like a continuation with "Constant" theme. It's not a bad song but not really my kind of track. Difficult to sing along to. Has a good message of needing to step aside and let God take control and do his work. All in all it's a good CD and I recommend it for anyone familiar with House of Heroes. If you're just hearing of them (I don't blame you, they're a relatively unknown gem in a musical world bereft of talent) I would recommend "The End is Not the End" first then this CD.

Well I honestly cannot stop listening to this album. And when I am not listening to it, the songs are stuck in my head, haha! Not everyone would agree with me (depending on the style of music you like), but I believe Tim has one of the most beautiful voices to listen to over and over. I have been waiting for this album for a long time and so glad it is finally here. It has it all....love, loss, praise, forgiveness, hope, and fun. And it is appropriate for the entire family. Its more mature than the old albums, but thank goodness for artists that actually have the ability to grow!!! Not only does this band offer great music, but they are great people as well! I have known them for years and they appreciate all their fans. So if you like their music, show your support by buying this album (and check out the others if you haven't already)! And they currently have a fantastic music video for "God Save the Foolish Kings" on their website.

This is Richard's wife. :) I listened to most of this album on [...] the other day so could not wait for my pre-order - plus the 2.99 price was sweet! HoH is just the perfect rock/pop band and Tim Skipper has THE BEST voice out there, bar none. Dude could sing ANYTHING and make it sound incredible. The lyrics are amazing, literate, and thought-provoking (as usual - just listen to "The End is not The End), and the music... well... tight, explosive at times, caressing at others, soaring background vocals. Tim, Colin, AJ, Jared, and the rest - FANTASTIC.

I didn't think HOH could top The End is Not the End. They have. Quite simply, this is one of the catchiest, most pristine, and most beautiful albums I have ever heard. If I had to pick a favorite song I would have to go with Constant (inspired by Penny and Desmond for those LOST lovers out there) or Love is for the Middle Class (Very catchy, and fun to sing along to) Quite honestly, there's not a single song I would skip on this entire album. I'm just glad I got it in CD, digital, and vinyl form! I can listen to it anywhere I want and as often as I want, which is quite often!!!

If you're a fan of House of Heroes you won't be disappointed with this release. Suburba is on par or better than their previous albums. If you've never heard of House of Heroes before you'll be disappointed you didn't find them sooner. Suburba is an excellent addition to an already classic discography. This album is one of the most well produced to ever hit the shelfs. The song writing, musicianship, lyrics, and vocals are all absolutely amazing. Don't miss out on this album!