"The Official" Secondhand Serenade Thread

[Soot and Stars]

Secondhand Serenade

I was initially bothered by this project by John Vesely as he came after, Dashboard Confessional, and cribbed a lot of Dashboards creators traits. Both are one man acoustic troubadours that have grown to incorporate deeper layers into their music a they've moved on. Both have band names to set them apart from other singer songwriters. Both make great ballads. The difference to me is that while I prefer Dashboard they are two different beast in some positive way. Dashboard brings a youthful energy to his songs while he quickly strums and a dose of angst in the next. While Dashboard makes some amazing ballads Second Serenade is more of the sweet melodic route and is by technical proficiency the better vocalist. I prefer Dashboards range from soft whispering tones to frenzied belting doses of emotion but Second Serenade has the better makeup to be a more accessible melodic balladeer. Acoustic fits Dashboard better while a piano or strings fits Secondhand Serenade. If you are curious to see what I mean here is the Dashboard thread:

http://www.classicrockforums.com/forum/f20/official-dashboard-confessional-thread-9212/

So now that that necessary comparison/matchup was made I'm making this thread because I have the new album which makes three I own from this artist. I'll go through all three but just got the new one which I'm already impressed with today but warrants more listens before discussion. So for now, here's the debut album I bought from Secondhand Serenade:

Awake
(honestly this is almost a Dashboard replica but after this he branched out more)


My favorite tracks are:

Your Call


Awake


End
(a nice acoustic lullaby)


More to come!

 

[Fisha]

I don't have much to say about second hand serenade, not a particular fan of their music. I've got to say though in my mind I always call them hand grenade serenade. I don't have any connection which I'm making or anything I just think it would have been a better name.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Oh hey, I know this band. I remember them first catching my eye through the music video for the song "Fall For You" because there was a lot of time spent on the toilet and I thought that was hilarious to see in a heartfelt ballad.

I do really like that song though.

 

[Soot and Stars]

The second album by Secondhand Serenade was a lot better for me as it stood on it's own better and one I have more of a connection too. The album is:

The biggest connection I have to a song on here is the single Cosmic had previously mentioned "Fall For You"! I have very little positive to draw from my last relationship, my second and last relationship, but this song had a strong connection at one time because it came at a time when I thought I could turn things around and wanted to as well. Overall, it's a beautiful song and deserved it'***** status:

Fall For You


Stay Close Don't Go


Suppose


Your Call
(this was a song on "Awake" but a better version was made for this album)

 

[METALPRIEST]

You know Awake and Fall For You are two pretty good ballads...will explore some more.