Coxswain Insignia
Genre Alternative Band Created 3/29/2009 Fan Base 21 Total Sales 72
Formed by high school friends and fellow members of many adolescent garage bands in the Fall of 2006, Coxswain Insignia has only just begun to make a name for themselves. But, no doubt, with their smooth melodic sound, they'll soon be a household name.
A collaboration of members from ex garage groups Subway Station, and Subjugator in the suburban town of Gaithersburg, Maryland, Coxswain Insignia began to take themselves seriously after a 2 year period of "cover songs, and self discovery". Ironically named front man Brad Singer admits that being in bands "Was just something we really did as a way to kill time, and meet girls in school. It was never something we really thought we'd be doing for the rest of our lives." But, after becoming sick of holding down 9-to-5 jobs, Singer and his band mates realized that there was something more to be had in music. "It just hit me one day that no matter what I did, I always wound up coming back to playing music, and...I just finally realized 'maybe this is something I should start trying to pursue more seriously'," says Singer. Once just your average dive bar band playing covers of everything from Journey to Peter Gabriel, Coxswain Insignia began to form their own identity and slowly started introducing original songs into their setlist.
Within the year, Coxswain had gone from cover band to full fledged alt-rock act which started a small following from around Maryland. Songs like "Black Sunrise", and "Locked Doors" would become show staples, and would make their way onto the band's self produced demo c-d that they sold themselves at shows. The demo found its way into the hands of Lion Camp Records head Max Greene who personally flew down to a gig in Coxswain's hometown of Gaithersburg. Forty minutes later Greene was backstage with a contract ready for Singer and the rest to sign. A few months later the band found themselves being flown out to North Hollywood, California to write and record their first album in NRG Studios, with Jim Westgate taking on the role of producer.
Coxswain's debut album, "Out in the Ocean", quickly gained the band a significant following. Singer's haunting lyrics coupled with the band's ability to create some of the most ethereal, yet driving music sent copies of the album flying off the shelves.
For their sophomore album, "Normal Nightmare", Coxswain decided to try their hand at what they dubbed a pseudo-concept album. "It's not really a concept album because concept albums generally follow a storyline," explains Singer. "The songs on this album are all based on the same concept, which is nightmares, but they aren't related. Each song is its own story." The album performed fairly well, and produced the hit "Son of a Gun, Daughter of a Knife", but failed to hit the target as well as their debut.
The band's third, and second most successful album, "Home At The Edge", continued their experimentation with the idea of concept albums. This time releasing a full fledged concept album. Following the story of a young man who loses his way, stumbling into a dark and dreary underworld, before eventually finding a guiding light at the end of his journey, "Home At The Edge" has been compared to legendary concept albums such as "Dark Side of the Moon", or "The Wall". The album boasts only a mere five tracks, but a run time of 56 heart wrenching minutes.
Coxswain Insignia's latest release, "Orrery", takes a step back into familiar territory, and away from concepts. "Orrery" reminds listeners of the bands debut, "Out in the Ocean", without seeming rehashed. The album is fresh, and standout tracks like "Staring at the Sun" and "Private Fire" are enough to keep the album on repeat. Sadly, the album didn't fair as well as the band would have hoped. The album's mediocre performance has left some Coxswain fans wondering if the band has what it takes to pull off another hit. Only time will tell.
Brad Singer - vocals/guita
Corey Philips - drums
Michael James - guitar
Jason Daniels - bass
News
Coxswain Insignia are ready to return to more simple times with their latest release, "Orrery". Taking a break from the idea of yet another concept album, "Orrery" will focus more on making great songs for the sake of making great songs and not just to paint another part of the bigger picture.
All of you Coxswain fans won't have to wait much longer to get your fix because "Orrery" will officially be in stores on 2/23/10. Mark it on your calendars and be first in line to pick up your copy!
Things have been relatively quiet around the Coxswain Insignia camp since the release of their last record, the heart wrenching concept album "Home at the Edge". But rumors are spreading and whispers are being heard about Coxswain's return to the studio to record their latest album. Brief words from members of the band have told us that the album, currently titled "Orrery", will be comprised of "really great songs" and "not so much of the concept stuff this time around". Release date coming soon
Coxswain Insignia is gearing up for the release of their latest album titled "Home At The Edge" which will be their first concept album. Some may argue that their second album "Normal Nightmare" was a concept album, but to that frontman Brad Singer says "'Normal Nightmare' was more of a pseudo-concept album. It wasn't telling a story about one main person, it was just about nightmares and how they intertwined. 'H.A.T.E.' will focus on one man."
"Home At The Edge" will drop 9/1/09.
Albums / EPs
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Orrery
Date Released: 2/23/2010
Tracks: 11 After a brief foray into the world of concept albums with "Normal Nightmare" and "Home at the Edge", Coxswain Insignia return with a more traditional album. "Orrery" feels more like Coxswain's debut album "Out in the Ocean", which is sure to please fans who may be yearning for something more simple. Each track on "Orrery" tells a story of its own, but without being part of a larger story like their previous two albums. Tracks like "Staring at the Sun" are sure to be instant hits with CI fans. |
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Home At The Edge
Date Released: 9/2/2009
Tracks: 5 In the grand tradition of "The Wall" and "Tommy" comes Coxswain Insignia's "Home At The Edge", a concept album that will break your heart and strum its strings all at once. The album follows a young man's fall from grace and descent into utter nothingness and near madness before seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. A mere five tracks that spans almost an hour of incredibly intricate and emotional music. A tear jerking masterpiece that is a must have for any Coxswain or concept album fan. |
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Black Sunrise(single)*German import
Date Released: 7/20/2009
Tracks: 3 German import of Coxswain Insignia's "Black Sunrise" from their first album "Out in the Ocean". This e.p. was released exclusively in Germany, very hard to come by in the U.S., and features an unreleased track titled "Through Hell". |
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The Hands That Wouldn't Come Clean(single)
Date Released: 7/4/2009
Tracks: 3 Imagine waking up and finding your hands caked with dirt and dried blood. You have no idea how it got there or who/what/where it's from. No matter how hard you try it refuses to be scrubbed off, and everywhere you go everyone looks at you with judging eyes. They know what you've done, but you don't even know what you've done yourself. Such is the nightmare behind the second single from Coxswain Insignia's "Normal Nightmare". Also featuring "Lovely Gloves" and "Scared Of It All". |
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Son of a Gun, Daughter of a Knife(single)
Date Released: 6/18/2009
Tracks: 3 A boy with a gun, a girl with a knife. Which one are you more afraid of? Which one do you trust? Is it better to be shot in the back or stabbed in the back? It's the lesser of two evils on the first single from Coxswain Insignia's "Normal Nightmare". What to do, where to turn, who to trust? It's decisions like this that we face every day, but never to such an extreme as this. Also featuring "Goodbye Universe" and "Hello Hysteria" from "Normal Nightmare". |
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Normal Nightmare
Date Released: 6/3/2009
Tracks: 12 Coxswain Insignia's sophomore album "Normal Nightmare" is far and beyond where they originally set off on their debut album "Out in the Ocean", they've sailed somewhere else completely. Coxswain really puts their use of haunting melodies to work on this album, where each song unfolds like a dream you're trying to tear yourself out of, but can't let go. It's a musical nightmare you won't want to wake up from with Brad Singer's voice telling you it's safe, but his lyrics telling you to run. |
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Green Grass Grows(single)
Date Released: 5/3/2009
Tracks: 3 "Green Grass Grows" single from Coxswain Insignia's debut album "Out in the Ocean". |
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So To Speak(single)
Date Released: 4/28/2009
Tracks: 4 Coxswain Insignia's first single from their debut album "Out in the Ocean" featuring b-sides from the album. |
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Out In The Ocean
Date Released: 3/30/2009
Tracks: 12 Haunting, rhythmic, uplifting; Out In The Ocean feels like just the tip of the iceberg for Coxswain Insignia. The ethereal but driving melodies combined with the soul searching lyrics and soft voice of front man Brad Singer make this album a complex array of human emotion. Tracks like the album opener "Black Sunrise" and "Tastes Sour" are heavy and deep without overdoing it, like a slow chugging train that never quite reaches the station. While tracks like "Dreamstate" are ghostly yet beautiful. |
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