Last year at about this time, Joseph Pope III and his friends were huddled around a radio in their Baker neighborhood practice space listening attentively to a faint AM signal.
In an odd meeting of musician and music press, Pope and his bandmates in Born in the Flood were tuned into Radio 1190’s all-locals program, “Local Shakedown,” listening to the journalists who regularly covered them. With the help of the show’s host Pat Collins, Post writers and critics counted down the year’s best local bands as determined by The Denver Post’s 2006 Underground Music Poll.
As the results got into the top five with no mention of Born in the Flood – a Denver rock band that draws comparisons to Coldplay, the Beatles, Elbow, U2 and the Fiery Furnaces – Pope, Nathaniel Rateliff, Matt Fox and Mike Hall got antsy. But then they heard what they were hoping for: Born in the Flood had come in third, right behind the Hot IQs and 2006 winner Munly and the Lee Lewis Harlots.
During this year’s annual countdown of the poll’s Top 20, held Friday on the Boulder college radio station, the four guys in Born in the Flood had to wait until the bitter – or in their case, sweet – end to hear their band’s name.
Fresh off the release of its first full-length record, “If This Thing Should Spill,” Born in the Flood is the No.1 band in the seventh annual Denver Post Underground Music Poll. More than 100 bloggers, band managers, bartenders, talent buyers, journalists, record-store clerks, doormen, photographers, label owners and rock fans voted in this year’s poll.
“I’m happy and surprised,” singer-guitarist-pianist Rateliff said. “I like what we do, and I really believe in it.”
Capping off the rock quartet’s biggest year to date, the group is playing numerous high-profile shows in the coming week. The band is opening for hometown boys the Fray at tonight’s sold-out Red Rocks show. And it’s headlining The Post’s Underground Music Showcase on Saturday, playing two shows at the Hi-Dive, one of them all-ages. Tickets are still available for that show (hint, hint).
No overnight success
It’s been a gradual road for Born in the Flood, one that started amid Rateliff and Pope’s modest upbringing in Hermann, Mo. After Rateliff and Pope moved here, they connected with drummer Hall and guitarist Fox, and something clicked. The members have been playing together since 2002, and they released a well-received EP, “The Fear That We May Not Be,” in 2005 – the band’s first breakout year.
Born in the Flood’s second breakout year is, well, right now. “If This Thing Should Spill” is exactly what Born needed to capture the momentum that had been building since the EP. Released in February, the full-length CD landed at a well-attended release show at the Gothic Theatre, a gig with one of the most impressive light and sound shows in recent memory.
It also set the stage for bigger shows to come, including three Red Rocks appearances this summer if you include opening for “Back to the Future” at Film on the Rocks, the Fray gig and a show later this fall at the Monolith Festival. Being voted the No.1 band out of 313 is the whipped cream on top, and a deal with a major label could very well be the cherry.
But you have to wonder how much of this would have happened without the record. The Post’s review of the CD in February called Rateliff “one of Denver’s great rock vocal talents, and his explosive voice alone is reason enough to be excited about this record. But the sonics provided by Joseph Pope III, Mike Hall and Matt Fox make for tuneful songs that demand repeat listens.”
“The record has definitely changed my own expectations of myself,” said Fox. “Now that it’s recorded and out there, I want to be as prepared as I can to play these songs. Some of them are meant to be played just as they are on the record, and others are played with us making stuff up along the way. But for me, I just want to make sure that I’m always being honest to the record.”
Hall lost a friend during the making of the record – a friend who always admired Hall for his local successes and mainstream potential.
“I realized through that, playing is a gift,” said Hall. “And now, every time I play, I keep that in the back of my mind.”
Big sound
Hearing Born in the Flood play live, you could be excused if the first thing that came to mind was the arena rock of U2 or Coldplay. But the band members, and their fans, see the songs as deeper and more complex, referencing loss, lives ended and almost lost with a poetic aplomb.
There’s so much inspiration, in fact, that Rateliff’s years-old solo pop-folk-acoustic project, the Wheel, has been thriving, and Pope has started playing solo and in other groups, including Dust on the Breakers. Hall has played with Bela Karoli and others, and Fox has done soundtrack work. But the players’ musical work, both together and apart, always comes back to their own experiences.
Being diagnosed with testicular cancer was a horrifying experience for Pope, but beating it was one of life’s triumphant moments. Right up there in the terrifying realm, Pope says, was his first public solo show, at the Moveable Feast festival in May.
“I had rehearsed once, and I was completely terrified,” Pope said. “We drew straws to see who played first, and Nate was first with the Wheel, and I was second.”
Pope’s set was all the buzz the following week, and he is looking to play more in that capacity. But none of the Born side projects has evolved to the point of the Wheel, which has gained so much momentum the past two years that it reached a No.15 ranking in this year’s Underground Music Poll.
“There’s a potential in this man that we respect,” Pope said, his arm resting on Rateliff’s neck. “Seeing the way people are drawn to the Wheel could be intimidating to us. But it’s not. We’re hoping that when a label hears both Born in the Flood and the Wheel that they’ll be doubly impressed.”
Admits Rateliff, “The style of the Wheel is actually closer to my heart than rock ‘n’ roll.”
While that may be true, his emotion is authentic no matter the vehicle – only right now, more people are connecting with Born in the Flood’s polished sounds than with any other band in Colorado. Given the vibrant health of the local music scene, that’s saying a lot.
“Everyone in Denver is actually really fortunate,” said Rateliff. “There are so many talented people here making music, and nobody’s trying to outdo anybody necessarily – we’re all just trying to keep up with each other.”
Pop music critic Ricardo Baca can be reached at 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com.
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The Voters
Jenny A, manager, Hi-Dive
Alf, DJ, KTCL
Ricardo Baca, pop music critic, The Denver Post
Josh Baker, Monolith Festival
Michelle Baldwin, Burlesque As It Was
Erin Barnes, editor, Donnybrook Writing Academy
John Baxter, booker, Larimer Lounge
Doug Beam, photographer, Westword
Michael Behrenhausen, Denver Newspaper Agency
Danny Birch, Radio Vagabond
Jonathan Bitz, editor, Syntax
Mark Bliesener, manager,
Karen Boodman, Oriental Theatre
Patrick Brannen, graphic artist
John Burr, owner, Walnut Room
Jeff Campbell, co-owner, Three Kings Tavern
Scott Campbell, co-owner, Larimer Lounge/booker, AEG Live
Linda Ruth Carter, invited citizen’s panel
Cory Casciato, writer, Westword
Sarah Cass, photographer,
ChuckCoffey, Not Bad World Industries
Pat Collins, music director, Radio 1190
Stephen Copeland, band manager
Nichole Covington, Gothic Theatre
Bart Dahl,manager, Madison House Inc.
Katrin Davis, invited citizen’s panel
Ben Desoto, booker, hi-dive/co-owner, Public Service Records
Kelli Douglas,writer,
Amber Eagle, invited citizen’s panel
Julio Enriquez, editor, Cause=Time blog
Eryc Eyl, writer, Westword
Brian Eyster, marketing rep, Planet Bluegrass
Matt Fecher, Monolith Festival
Robert Ferbrache, owner/engineer, Absinthe Studios
Bryan Feuchtinger, owner/engineer, Uneven Studio
Sarah Finger, Fox Theatre
James Freeman, invited citizen’s panel
Tim Garvey, manager, Twist & Shout/co-owner, Public Service Records
Lisa Gedgaudas, marketing rep, and the Monolith Festival
Nathan Gross, invited citizen’s panel
Brian Johnson, editor, Marquee Magazine
Judy Jones,
Anne Hack, manager, Bluebird/Ogden Theatres
Mark Hansen, invited citizen’s panel
JonahHart,
Ian Hlatky, owner/engineer,Colorado Sound/bartender, Hi-Dive
James Irvine, booker, Larimer Lounge
Tyler Jacobson, DJ, Lipgloss
Elana Ashanti Jefferson, features reporter, The Denver Post
Chris K., host, “The Colorado Sound,” KRFC 88.9 FM, Fort Collins
Kat Valentine King, columnist,The Denver Post
Cory Knight, invited citizen’s panel
Molly Kreck, invited citizen’s panel
Allison Labarge, co-owner, Hi-Dive
Scott LaBarbera, owner, Oriental Theatre
Matt Labarge, co-owner, Hi-Dive
Adam Lancaster, co-owner, Morning After Records
Rhett Lee,booker,S oiled Dove Underground
Sarah Levin, Walnut Room/The Letter R Productions
Julie Lizak, invited citizen’s panel
Chris Maynard,booker, Soiled Dove Underground
Bill McConnell, invited citizen’s panel
Cole Mersich, bartender, Bluebird Theatre
Dave Meyer, invited citizen’s panel
Hoyt Meyer, invited citizen’s panel
John Moore,UMS founder, The Denver Post
Andrew Murphy, owner, Smooch Records
Joe Murphy,online editor, The Denver Post
Shauna Murray, publicist, Fox Theatre
Dave Nellis, invited citizen’s panel
Jim Norris,co-owner, Three Kings Tavern
Andrew Novick, invited citizen’s panel
Barry Osborne, librarian, The Denver Post
David R. Perez, Three Kings Tavern
Katherine Peterson, Local Shakedown host, Radio 1190
Kirk Peterson, booker, Boulder Theatre
Jessica Peistrup, booker, Gothic Theatre
Matt Petraglia, invited citizen’s panel
Sean Porter, co-owner/web guru,
Alice Reamy, invited citizen’s panel
Erin Roberts, program director, KBUT community radio
Samantha Sacher, program director, Radio 1190
Rose Sanchez, invited citizen’s panel
Laurie Scavo, photographer, The Denver Post/28deep.com
Steven Schalk, owner, Gothic Theatre
Matt Schild, editor,
Cassie Schoon, writer, The Onion AV Club
Megan Sforzini, marketing rep, Universal Music Distribution
Nicole Simpson, bartender, Old Curtis Street Tavern
Jon Solomon, clubs editor, Westword
Loren Speer, bartender, Larimer Lounge
Don Strasburg, booker, AEG Live Rocky Mountains
Alan Stewart, invited citizen’s panel
Kathleen St. John, reporter, The Denver Post and The Onion AV Club
Pamela Strong, invited citizen’s panel
Andy Stonehouse, freelance writer, The Denver Post
Jennifer Sung, invited citizen’s panel
Cliff Thompson, writer, Donnybrook Writing Academy
Rafael Vera, owner/artist,
Conor Walker, promotions director, Radio 1190
John Wenzel, arts reporter, The Denver Post
Jme White, invited citizen’s panel
Xandy Whitesel, Hi-Dive
Adam Zimmerli, booker, Benders Tavern
Note: Any voter with any apparent band conflict was not allowed to vote for that band.
Ineligible bands
Each year, the Post panel arbitrarily eliminates certain bands from consideration because their popularity precludes them from underground rock consideration, their style can fit under no reasonable definition of “underground,” or because they have left the state or gone dormant in the past year. Also, all previous winners are ineligible.
PREVIOUS WINNERS:
Sixteen Horsepower (2001)
DeVotchKa (2002)
Planes Mistaken for Stars (2003)
Dressy Bessy (2004)
Matson Jones (2005)
Munly & the Lee Lewis Harlots (2006)
TOO POPULAR/NOT UNDERGROUND:
Chris Daniels and the Kings
Carol Frazier
Drop Dead, Gorgeous
The Fray
Jello Biafra
Jill Stevenson
Love.45
Matthew Moon
Meese
Neil Haverstick
Nina Storey
Opie Gone Bad
Otis Taylor
Photo Atlas
Ron Miles Trio
Sally Taylor
Sherrie Jackson
Single File
String Cheese Incident
Subdudes
Vaux
Wendy Woo
Yonder Mountain String Band
Yo, Flaco!
BANDS THAT ARE OUT OF HERE
Drag the River
Hot House
Mannequin Makeout
The Maybellines
My Calculus Beats Your Algebra
The Orangu-Tones
Pacific Pride
Palisades
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club
And many others, sadly
“Underground” defined
It’s defined here as local bands that are most deserving of more mainstream recognition. While all genres of music were eligible, voters were asked to consider the connotation of the word “underground” in their deliberations.
