I dunno guys, I just really like this band.

A picture of Brandon at the release concert for
the "&" EP

I don't even know where to start, this post is gonna be a tough one. The Moth & The Flame is one of my favorite bands ever, and I've been following them for so long, I think I'll just start at the beginning.

I started listening to TM&TF about two and a half years ago, I was introduced to their music through the radio station that's owned and operated by the high school I attended. I quickly took a liking to their music and made plans to get to one of their concerts as soon as I could. I was 16 when I first saw them live and last weekend I saw them for the tenth time, this was the last time I would be able to see them before I leave for 2 years to New England doing service for my church.

The first time I saw them I was only able to stay for the first two to three songs of their set (I wouldn't want to be late for curfew), the one that hit me the most is titled Maker. I bought their CD and I remember driving home listening to their album and just sobbing, the music coming through the speakers in my car really meant something, and it was this experience that started the revolution in my musical taste. Before TM&TF all I listened to was cheesy pop music and dubstep (as much as I hate to admit that).

Me and some friends with Brandon after the release of the & EP

All I wanted to listen to for the next month was that self titled album I had bought at their concert, and I made sure to listen to it on my CD walkman to  keep with the idealism that they had about that first album. They only released that album as a physical copy because they considered the artwork to be a first track of sorts, I had never heard of anyone doing anything like that before. I really liked the thought of that and it's what inspired me to start my collection of CD's and vinyl rather than just buying digital copies of everything online. I still have the same copy I bought years ago and I still listen to it often.

During my Junior year of high school they released their "&" EP, and the singer, Brandon Robbins, wanted to do a radio interview on my high school station. My friend Jake and I were the lucky DJ's who got to speak with Brandon for about an hour and we got to exclusively preview the track Winsome about a week before the EP was released. I remember that interview so vividly and I remember how much time Jake and I put into coming up with the questions we were going to ask when we had the chance. The interview went well and when the EP was finally released it was all I listened to for what seems like weeks. I still love the EP, I'm actually listening to it as I write this.

Brandon and I after speaking with him after Saturday's concert

Most recently, the band signed onto Elektra records and they're hard at work on a new album. I've heard some of the songs that are going to be on the new album and they're fantastic! When I spoke to Brandon after their show on Saturday, he told me that the band is constantly looking for a balance between a catchier sound that will appeal to a greater audience, and sticking to the integrity of their older music that really means something, and in my humble opinion they've done a great job finding the balance. I love their new music and can't wait to see them go places.

I feel really connected to this band, reason being I've been following their progress so closely for so long. There will always be a special place in my heart for their music and many times when I'm listening to that first self titled album I react the same way I did when I first listened to it. I end up sobbing in the lamplight in the corner of my room. The first time I saw the TM&TF live was the first time I really felt what I was listening to.

The music this band makes has really grown to become a part of me and has helped me through a lot of hard times. I dare say that if it wasn't for TM&TF I would still be listening to sub par pop music and dubstep. I owe a lot to this band and I hope one day to be able to repay them for all their music has done for me. Do yourselves a favor and give them a listen. I'm not sure if their self title is still available, but if it is, GO BUY A COPY ASAP, it'll change your life. If not, listen to the EP, it'll change your life too.


Cheers,
    Michael