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It's easy to see a new Number One Gun disc on the shelf and say “Wait… didn't they…?” Well, it's
true. They did. But even a couple of years after Tooth & Nail approached front-man Jeff Schneeweis about continuing his
solo career under the moniker of his former band, it's still easy to get confused. I, myself, was one of Number One Gun's
biggest fans back in '03, and even I forget sometimes.
Here we are again, Schneeweis being the only active member of Number One Gun for a second go around- this time,
titled To the Secrets and Knowledge, which is technically the band's fourth national release. Not much has
changed since we last heard from him on The North Pole Project a year ago. It's still emo-flavored pop/rock;
but there is an eternal quality to the way Schneeweis writes music, that harkens back to the glory days of Tooth & Nail,
and such acts Further Seems Forever and The Juliana Theory, as well as Jimmy Eat World.
This release finds Schneeweis getting a little creative experimentally, on such tracks as “Noises” and, to some
degree, “White Lies.” Honestly, these tracks are only slightly successful. Number One Gun shines as a “catch us if you
can,” emo-driven rock act.
The Secrets and Knowledge is nothing you haven't heard before, but for old school fans of Number One Gun
that have followed them since the Floodgate Records days, their fourth release is an emo/rock treat that will take you
back to years passed. Just skip that last track.
- Review date: 1/23/10, written by Josh Taylor of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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Number One Gun has had a brief but rocky history, finally culminating in the band transitioning into a solo act
of frontman Jeff Schneeweis. Fortunately, the music is still coming. To The Secrets and Knowledge is a
solid indie rock album with a little bit of spunk and an appropriate amount of sensitivity. The album hits its
high points on the tracks that truly display Schneeweis's vocal abilities, especially the perky "Noises"
and the beautiful, atmospheric "White Lies." Unfortunately, there's a minimum of solid original material.
The album is only ten tracks total, and the number of complete original songs is reduced to eight.
"Look To Pass" is a boring, unnecessary instrumental that accomplishes nothing, and the album ends with a
satisfying but unspectacular cover of Journey's classic "Don't Stop Believing." It seems more effort could
have gone into writing original tracks and putting out a more complete album. All things considered,
To The Secrets... is a satisfactory album that hovers right above average.
- 1/24/10, Tim Estabrooks of Jesusfreakhideout.com
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Record Label: Tooth & Nail Records
