Understanding What We've Grown to Be
Encyclopedia
Understanding What We've Grown to Be is the second studio album by We Came as Romans
. It was released on September 13, 2011 through Equal Vision Records
. It debuted and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard
200
the following week, as well as peaking at number 5, 7, and 10 on the Hard Rock, Independent
, and Rock Album charts.
The album's first single, "Mis//Understanding", was available for streaming prior to the album's release, and was released for digital download
on July 5, 2011 along with the title track "Understanding What We've Grown to Be".
"Mis//Understanding" surfaced through Equal Vision' official YouTube
channel. A day later, the title track
was also released for free listening."Mis//Understanding" was released as an official single on iTunes
on July 5, 2011, which included "Understanding What We've Grown To Be" as a bonus track. On July 14, 2011, the album's cover art was released via puzzle on the band's homepage. By August 2011, the record's production was completed and distribution began shortly. On August 22, 2011, the length of each song was announced.
. While still maintaining the band’s overall theme of positivity and brotherhood, the new material takes on a more straightforward approach to life’s struggles and the challenges of growing up."
The lyrics follow a sort of 'dark to light' theme as the album goes on. We, as a band, discovered a lot of negativity in our lifestyle that we hadn't truly realized or noticed in the past and this CD is a lot about dealing with that and coping when things turn out the opposite of how you'd imagined they would."
, 3OH!3
, Panic! At The Disco
). According to guitarist, Joshua Moore, "We actually filmed three music videos. The story you see is actually part one of three. As time goes, we'll release another video and then follow it with the final video. You see this guy running through the woods. There are scenes of him covered in mud, dirt, and grime. He's even running from himself. That's all going on in his mind. He's running away from the darkness that he sees. He's trying to break away and break out from that. It goes along with the lyrics of the song—not understanding a lot of the things that happen and the negativity that seems mindless. There's no reason for it. Towards the end of the song, Dave [Stephens] says, "Don't give up on. Take comfort in me". The song is ultimately about figuring out how to fix things within yourself and be happy. That's where it all starts. More or less, the video is the artistic way of expressing that"
and features the same faceless boy from before. Guitarist/lyricist Joshua Moore and bassist Andrew Glass worked together to come up with the visual concept for the cover and then collaborated with Romano to bring the powerful imagery to life. Moore explains that the idea for the piece was developed long before the album was even completed stating, "We knew going into everything what the direction of the CD was going to be, the whole concept behind it and how we wanted to be portrayed as a band.
Production
We Came as Romans
We Came as Romans is an American rock band from Troy, Michigan. Formed in 2005, the band signed to Equal Vision Records in April 2009 and have released two EPs, Demonstrations and Dreams , and two full-length albums, To Plant a Seed and Understanding What We've Grown to Be...
. It was released on September 13, 2011 through Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision Records is a record label based in Albany, New York, which has a focus in metal or punk-based rock genres. Equal Vision Records was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo ....
. It debuted and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
the following week, as well as peaking at number 5, 7, and 10 on the Hard Rock, Independent
Independent Albums
The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels...
, and Rock Album charts.
The album's first single, "Mis//Understanding", was available for streaming prior to the album's release, and was released for digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on July 5, 2011 along with the title track "Understanding What We've Grown to Be".
Background
Understanding What We've Grown to Be was recorded during two sessions, the first being from February 16 through March 10 2011, and the second being from May 16 through June 23, 2011. On June 22, the first singleYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel. A day later, the title track
Title track
Title track may refer to:*Title track, a recorded song having the same name as the album or movie it comes from*Title Track, a song on the album The Stage Names*Title Track, a song on the album We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes...
was also released for free listening.
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on July 5, 2011, which included "Understanding What We've Grown To Be" as a bonus track. On July 14, 2011, the album's cover art was released via puzzle on the band's homepage. By August 2011, the record's production was completed and distribution began shortly. On August 22, 2011, the length of each song was announced.
Musical style and lyrics
According to Equal Vision, "musically and lyrically, Understanding What We've Grown to Be holds a much darker tone than their previous release, To Plant a SeedTo Plant a Seed
To Plant a Seed is the debut album by We Came as Romans. It was released through Equal Vision Records on November 3, 2009 and was produced by Joey Sturgis. Artwork for the album was done by Paul Romano to which coincides to We Came as Romans' positive message as explained by guitarist Joshua Moore...
. While still maintaining the band’s overall theme of positivity and brotherhood, the new material takes on a more straightforward approach to life’s struggles and the challenges of growing up."
The lyrics follow a sort of 'dark to light' theme as the album goes on. We, as a band, discovered a lot of negativity in our lifestyle that we hadn't truly realized or noticed in the past and this CD is a lot about dealing with that and coping when things turn out the opposite of how you'd imagined they would."
Videos
"Mis//Understanding" was officially released, exclusively by ArtistDirect.com as the album's first music video on November 11, 2011. It is the first of a three part series of music videos for songs off of this album. The videos were filmed in Brooklyn, NY in September, with director Travis Kopach (AFIAFI
AFI, the three letter acronym, may refer to:*AFI , an American alternative rock band**AFI , an album by AFI released in 2004*Air Force Instruction, documented instructions for members of the United States Air Force...
, 3OH!3
3OH!3
3OH!3 is an American electro hop duo from Boulder, Colorado, made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They are best known for their single "Don't Trust Me" from their album Want, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100...
, Panic! At The Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
). According to guitarist, Joshua Moore, "We actually filmed three music videos. The story you see is actually part one of three. As time goes, we'll release another video and then follow it with the final video. You see this guy running through the woods. There are scenes of him covered in mud, dirt, and grime. He's even running from himself. That's all going on in his mind. He's running away from the darkness that he sees. He's trying to break away and break out from that. It goes along with the lyrics of the song—not understanding a lot of the things that happen and the negativity that seems mindless. There's no reason for it. Towards the end of the song, Dave [Stephens] says, "Don't give up on. Take comfort in me". The song is ultimately about figuring out how to fix things within yourself and be happy. That's where it all starts. More or less, the video is the artistic way of expressing that"
Cover
The album's cover painting was done by Paul Romano, who also created the cover of We Came as Romans' debut full-length album, To Plant a SeedTo Plant a Seed
To Plant a Seed is the debut album by We Came as Romans. It was released through Equal Vision Records on November 3, 2009 and was produced by Joey Sturgis. Artwork for the album was done by Paul Romano to which coincides to We Came as Romans' positive message as explained by guitarist Joshua Moore...
and features the same faceless boy from before. Guitarist/lyricist Joshua Moore and bassist Andrew Glass worked together to come up with the visual concept for the cover and then collaborated with Romano to bring the powerful imagery to life. Moore explains that the idea for the piece was developed long before the album was even completed stating, "We knew going into everything what the direction of the CD was going to be, the whole concept behind it and how we wanted to be portrayed as a band.
Track listing
Personnel
We Came as Romans- Eric Choi - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Lou Cotton - rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
- Andrew Glass - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Joshua Moore - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
- Kyle Pavone - keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, clean vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - David Stephens - unclean vocalsScreaming (music)Screaming is a vocal technique that is most popular in subgenres of heavy metal, punk and hard rock, including metalcore, deathcore, post-hardcore, groove metal, black metal, and grindcore...
Production
- Joey SturgisJoey SturgisJoey Sturgis is an American record producer and owner of The Foundation Recording Studio in Connersville, Indiana. Joey Sturgis started recording in 2004. Foundation Recording Studio managed by Rise Records founder Craig Ericson...
- production, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
, programming, keyboards