The Color Spectrum is the cumulative title of a project by The Dear Hunter

The Dear Hunter

The Dear Hunter is an indie rock band originating in Providence, Rhode Island. It began as a side project of Casey Crescenzo, formerly of post-hardcore band The Receiving End of Sirens...

 consisting of a series of nine EPs of which each reflects an individual color of the visible color spectrum (namely Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet and White). This project was envisioned by frontman Casey Crescenzo

Casey Crescenzo

Casey Crescenzo is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, most notably for the bands The Dear Hunter and The Receiving End of Sirens...

 as a way to interpret the colors of the spectrum via music, and is in no way related to the Act I-VI storyline, the band's main project. It was released on June 14, 2011.

Background and recording

The Dear Hunter had mentioned the idea of The Color Spectrum project as early as 2007, but didn't actively start working on it until after the release of Act III: Life and Death. The Dear Hunter officially announced they were recording The Color Spectrum on July 1, 2010. They launched a new website, tdhcolors.com, for updating fans with the recording process of the album.

The Dear Hunter recorded the nine EPs at various studios across the country and collaborating with different artists and producers to help give each EP a unique feel. Casey produced the Black, Yellow, Blue, and Indigo EPs at his home. Andy Hull

Andy Hull

Andy Hull is an American singer, guitarist and song writer for the indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. He also has a side project Right Away, Great Captain, as well as co-founder of a side project with friend and folk musician Kevin Devine by the name of Bad Books.Hull was born in Atlanta, Georgia...

 (Manchester Orchestra

Manchester orchestra

Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...

) co-produced the Red EP at Favorite Gentlemen. Mike Watts co-produced the White and Violet EPs at Vudu Studios. Mike Poorman (formerly of Hot Rod Circuit

Hot Rod Circuit

Hot Rod Circuit is an American emo band from New Haven, Connecticut established in 1997.-Early years:The band was originally known as Antidote under which they released the album Mr. Glenboski, which won the group the award of Best Unsigned Band of 1998 by Musician Magazine...

) co-produced the Orange and Green EPs at Strangeways Studio.

Manchester Orchestra helped with songs on the Red EP. Brendan Brown (formerly in The Receiving End of Sirens

The Receiving End of Sirens

The Receiving End of Sirens is a rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2003.-Overview:The band played on the 2005 Warped Tour and has toured with such acts as Gatsbys American Dream, A Wilhelm Scream, 30 Seconds to Mars, Funeral for a Friend, Saves the Day, Senses Fail, Thrice, and New...

 with Casey) played bass guitar on the Orange EP. Jessy Ribordy (Falling Up) played mandolin on the Green EP. The Naive Thieves helped with songs on the Yellow and Blue EPs.

On April 7, 2011, Casey announced via Twitter that The Color Spectrum was finished.

Promotion and release

On April 14, 2011, the band released a free MP3 download of "Deny It All" from the Red EP on their website. On April 26, Alternative Press debuted a lyric video for "This Body" from the Black EP, created by Casey. On May 4, the band posted a "Making of The Orange EP" video. On May 20, Spin Magazine put "Lost But Not All Gone" from the White EP up for streaming on their website. On May 23, Consequence of Sound debuted a lyric video for "She's Always Singing" from the Yellow EP, also created by Casey. On June 9, the band released a live video of them playing the song "We've Got A Score To Settle" from the Red EP.

On the June 9, the band posted seven new tracks from the Spectrum on their PureVolume page. The tracks featured were: "We've Got A Score To Settle" from the Red EP, "Echo" from the Orange EP, "Misplaced Devotion" from the Yellow EP, "Crow and Cackle" from the Green EP, "The Collapse of the Great Tide Cliffs" from the Blue EP, "Progress" from the Indigo EP, and "Too Late" from the Violet EP.

The Color Spectrum was released in two formats. The complete collection features all 36 tracks, and is available as a vinyl box set and as a digital download. The standard collection features 11 tracks (one track from each of the nine EPs, as well as an additional track from the Green and White EPs), and is available as a CD, vinyl, and as a digital download. The Dear Hunter began selling the 11-track standard edition CD at live shows in mid-to-late May, and it leaked to the internet by late May.

The Color Spectrum (Complete Collection) was released on compact disc November 8th, 2011. This release features a four disc collection (all nine separate EPs spread across three discs and a making of DVD) with a 52 page booklet. A limited wooden box collector's edition was also released which features all nine EPs, 2-hour DVD, 52 Page booklet, and an exclusive linoleum woodblock hand pulled print, numbered, and signed by Casey Crescenzo and designer Cameron Thorne.

Standard release track listing

1. "Filth and Squalor" (Black) - 4:01
2. "Deny it All" (Red) - 3:34
3. "But There’s Wolves?" (Orange) - 4:04
4. "She’s Always Singing" (Yellow) - 2:40
5. "Things That Hide Away" (Green) - 3:24
6. "The Canopy" (Green) - 3:52
7. "Trapdoor" (Blue) - 3:54
8. "What Time Taught Us" (Indigo) - 4:07
9. "Lillian" (Violet) - 4:07
10. "Home" (White) - 3:55
11. "Fall and Flee" (White) - 4:07

Black EP

1. "Never Forgive, Never Forget" - 4:41
2. "Filth and Squalor" - 4:01
3. "Take More Than You Need" - 4:30
4. "This Body" - 4:47

Red EP

1. "I Couldn't Do It Alone" - 3:29
2. "A Curse of Cynicism" - 3:11
3. "Deny It All" - 3:34
4. "We've Got a Score to Settle" - 3:45

Orange EP

1. "Echo" - 4:06
2. "Stuck On a Wire Out On a Fence" - 3:08
3. "A Sea of Solid Earth" - 4:41
4. "But There's Wolves?" - 4:06

Yellow EP

1. "She's Always Singing" - 2:40
2. "The Dead Don't Starve" - 4:57
3. "A Sua Voz" - 3:20
4. "Misplaced Devotion" - 3:46

Green EP

1. "Things That Hide Away" - 3:24
2. "The Canopy" - 3:52
3. "Crow and Cackle" - 5:42
4. "The Inheritance" - 3:25

Blue EP

1. "Tripping in Triplets" - 3:52
2. "Trapdoor" - 3:54
3. "What You Said" - 5:04
4. "The Collapse of the Great Tide Cliffs" - 5:33

Indigo EP

1. "What Time Taught Us" - 4:07
2. "Mandala" - 4:55
3. "Progress" - 3:35
4. "Therma" - 2:41

White EP

1. "Home" - 3:55
2. "Fall and Flee" - 4:05
3. "No God" - 3:49
4. "Lost But Not All Gone" - 3:58

External links

• The Color Spectrum review on Prog Sphere
• The Color Spectrum (Complete Collection) review on Sputnikmusic