Undercover

Okay, who can tell me about this band?
I understand they started as something of a punk rock outfit, but later changed their sound.

Anyone familiar with them?

I'm familiar with their "latter sound". Their early stuff was punk, but very bold with their lyrical stance. When the CD "Balance of Power" came out, their lyrics became a bit more poetic, but the message was there. The music, however, took a more metallic sound that was just dark. While not sounding like Randy Rose, the music just had a similar feel to it. Their last CD "Devotion" was even more poetic, and they added some alternative flair to their sound.

I love those two discs. I probably should try to track down some of their punk stuff.

I had their first three albums. Very good stuff.

The S/T and "God Rules" were pretty decent punk. Nothing mind-blowing, but if you are into the early punk sound, you'll like them.

"Boys and Girls... Renounce the World" was a much better album, IMO. It retained the punk floavor, but was a bit more polished
and a bit toned down. Three Nails and their version of Holy Holy Holy still stand out in my mind.

They had an album after that that I had a few songs recorded (my sister had it). I think they were called Wait A Minute and Tears in Your Eyes. TIYE was a flat out SMOKING punk song. One of the best ever done by a Christian band, IMO.

ahhh my first Christian punk experience after leaving the secular scene in the 80s... loved 'em them and love 'em now. I'm more a fan of their early stuff (if you liked Black Flag). I picked up cassettes of Vol.1 and 2 (not the Anthologies) back in '89 cuz they were real cheap... and totally loved their heart for Jesus. Clear, understandable, singable lyrics. But not a sound for everyone, it's acquired for most people.

Here's a pretty good fan page for info
http://undercover.medelle.com/index.html

Favs- God Rules, 3 days 3 nails, Holy holy holy, Talk to God, Excuse us, Wait a minute

Let me search if I can find some samples to listen how this band sounds.

apologetixfreak wrote:

(if you liked Black Flag)

No kidding? The same band that did Balance of Power sounded like Rollins and the boys???

Balance of Power is NOTHING like their early stuff.... 2 totally different sounds
Hey Michael, lemme know when you get your CDs K?

Anyone interested in hearing samples... got DSL ? I'd be happy to send you sample clips of a couple different songs from their early stuff... so you can taste them.
Just PM me your e-mail.

Lighter than Black Flag, but in the same vein.


And my memory was faulty, Wait a Minute was off of God Rules, not Branded (thanks for the link, AF). The troulble is, I can't remember which other song I did record from Branded. Getting old, I suppose.

If you go to the Blasbeats site they have a sample from the Balance of Power album. I dig that working man's melodic metal/hard rock kind of sound, but I have to admit to never really being a fan of the 80's punk scene (Black Flag, 7 Seconds, etc). I was looking to pick up a copy of one of their albums, but had heard that they started out as a punk band.

Undercover has a good sound.
You really can hear it's an older band.
But does that make any sense?
The lyrics are great and the boldness of the lyrics doesn't change.
This band has released a lot of CDs.

It turns out the wikipedia has some info on the band.

You can check it out at the link below

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undercover_%28band%29

Very cool, I didn't even think of Wikipedia ! Good info !

apologetixfreak wrote:

Very cool, I didn't even think of Wikipedia ! Good info !

I was surprised to find that as well. I thought for sure it must be a different band called "Undercover" but Wikipedia has quite a bit of info on several Christian bands. They have pages, and pages of stuff for Rez.

It's great that Christian music is finally getting some honor that it's deserved through the years. I hear so many say that Christian music is a little "less" than it's secular counterpart... and I say PooPoo to that ! I believe many have greater artists, talent and position than the "worlds" music.

Anyways, off my soapbox....

I'm gonna check out the Rez stuff....

apologetixfreak wrote:

I hear so many say that Christian music is a little "less" than it's secular counterpart... and I say PooPoo to that ! I believe many have greater artists, talent and position than the "worlds" music.

I agree completely.



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Okay I just listened to Undercover's "Branded" album in my car this morning on the way to work. I can see some punk rock influence to this album, but the keys are way too dominate for it to classify as a punk album. Don't get me wrong this is far from a new-wave sounding album, it still has plenty of muscle to qualify as rock. I would almost have to say this release has more in common with the Cure or mid-era Mad at the World, then it does with The Ramones, or The Clash. (actually a faster more agressive version of the Cure might not be a bad example of their sound on this album).

The album is rather moody and melancholy (much like MATW's "Through the Forest" album, only Undercover did it half a decade earlier), and I can almost see the beginnings of the Gothic rock movement in some of these songs. At times the singer has that opretic sound (much like Eric Clayton from Savior Machine).

All in all a really good album. I can see why Apologetixfreak digs these guys, good songwriting and quality musicianship. (ok go ahead and critique my critque).

Do I dare ask if this album was ever even released on cd?


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I haven't heard "Branded".

I'm a bigger fan of their early pop-punk, fun, non-moody and non-melancholy days.

Check my website this evening and I'll get some early stuff on there for ya'all to taste.

http://www.freewebs.com/apologetixfreak/

Staybrite wrote:

Quote :

But I have to admit to never really being a fan of the 80's punk scene (Black Flag, 7 Seconds, etc.)

Ouch, you even included the best punk band around in that quote. Hence my username.

Lemme know when ya'all have listened to the samples so I can take them off my homepage.
Oky doky ?

Quote :

I can see some punk rock influence to this album, but the keys are way too dominate for it to classify as a punk album.

I agree, which is why I only recorded Tears in Your Eyes and some other unknown song from it. The rest did not thrill me.

But if you like TIYE, then definitely check out the earlier albums.

7thSecond wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

Quote :

But I have to admit to never really being a fan of the 80's punk scene (Black Flag, 7 Seconds, etc.)

Ouch, you even included the best punk band around in that quote. Hence my username.

Sorry just not a big fan of punk music, I did think 7 Seconds cover of Nena's 99 Luftballoons was kinda cool, but I just couldn't get into the whole scene. I did play bass in a punk band in Highschool for a few practice gigs just to help out a friend.

I checked out the samples on your sit apfreak, and yes they definitely did start out with an old school punk sound. One of the tracks even had a little of the California surf-punk flair to it.

Every once in a while it's nice to listen to fun, bouncy, happy music... and take a break from dark, angry, aggressive, growly stuff... ya know ?

Least that's how I look at it.