Grade: A
Along with attending classes at Ball State, members of The Wayside have worked to record their debut album "Easily Abused," and the end result shows this group has talent.
There is something familiar about the tracks on this album, but at the same time The Wayside clearly has a sound all its own.
All songs are written by the band members, but they perform no cover songs.
In that sense, there is originality, but there are moments on the album when vocalist Nate Wade sounds a little like Brad Arnold, the lead singer from the group Three Doors Down. One of these times is in the track "That Day," a song written and recorded on Sept. 11 in response to the terrorist attacks.
This song only has 15 lines of lyrics even though it is almost five minutes long, but those lyrics show the emotional pain and sadness of the event that inspired it.
The lines, "Now that the smoke is gone/ I have to learn to carry on/ I'll bring you back within my song/ back from that day/ that day you went away," gives a mournful yet hopeful view of what the future holds.
"How To Die" sounds a little like a Stone Temple Pilots' tune, and is a song full of energy because of its quick tempo and "tell-it-like-it-is" lyrics.
"I can tell you what I feel/ 'cause I'll be standing by your side/ bake me down and watch me peel/ and you can teach me how to die," is a verse in the song showing the poetic and lyric ability of The Wayside.
The Wayside is proof local bands are not just about playing a few occasional parties and possibly making a record.
"Easily Abused" is available at Karma near the Muncie Mall for $10 and is worth the investment.
Three Ball State architecture students started The Wayside about a year ago and added two friends to the group a few months later.
Now Kelly Shields, Nate Logston, Nate Wade, all Ball State students, and two other friends Greg Weisheit and Matt Federico make up The Wayside. They play occasionally in the Village and have also produced "Easily Abused."
Another important issue with the band is not to pattern any other group, and they find it easy to keep variety in the music because of various musical preferences from all of the band members.
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