Relient K

Relient K is one of my favorite bands. Here is where you can find lots of information about them.

Here's a little table of contents for the page:

Band History
Singles/lesser knowns
Discography
Links

*Normally I would have a band members' biography, but Relient K band members bios are hard to come by and I can't arrange an interveiw.

Band History

Relient K consists of Brian Pittman (bassest), Matt Thiessen (vocals, guitar, piano), Matt Hoopes (guitar, background vocals), David Douglas (drums, background vocals). Thiessen joined up with friends Brian Pittman and Matt Hoopes to start Relient K. The boys wrote some songs that were under the influence of bands such as Mxpx, Ghoti Hook, Five Iron Frensy, and Slick Shoes. In January of 1998, with the addition of drummer Todd Frascone, Relient K started playing shows. One month later, as a favor, producer Mark Lee Townsend recorded "All Work and No Play" (Relient K's first demo) for $200. While on tour with DC Talk, Mark played the demo for DC Talk member and owner of Gotee Records, Toby Mckeehan. Toby heard some raw promise in the demo, and eventually signed Relient K to the Gotee roster. Trying to put a universal spin on very personal feelings and beliefs is at the core of great songwriting. Relient K is a potent young band that has captured those elusive elements on its brilliant Gotee Records debut. The four members hail from Canton, Ohio. Relient K released their self-titled album in 2000 on the Gotee Records. A large backer of the group was dc Talk's Toby Mac, Gotee's founder. Relient K's first album was distinctly pop punk. Their songs were hummable and memorable for their pop-culture references and catchy guitars. In 2001, the band released their second album. The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek. This album launched both Relient K and their sound to a whole new level. This album kept everything great about the first album, and imporved on the weeknesses. There were still plenty of pop-culture references and hummable lyrics to be found on this album, which is evident in the hit single "Sadie Hawkins Dance." This album had improved vocals, lyrics, and music. In 2003, Relient K released their third album: Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do. It had four different covers of different colors, each depicting a car in some kind of wreck. This album felt half an octave lower than all their previous ones, but this seemed to be the album that put Relient K into the spotlight. Best Buy agreed to sell this album. Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do combined the soft, meaningful songs of The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek and threw in fast-paced songs with deep lyrics. Later that year, they released a bonus disk call Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand, which took Christmas songs to the Relient K style. It contained Christmas songs and some Christmas songs written by Matt Thiessen. In late 2004, the group released their long-expected fourth album: Mmhmm. This album has many characteristics similar to those found in emo. Pop-culture references were even less specific than on their third album, if not nonexistent. The album was significantly more on the serious side with very few of the silly songs the band was known for. It also was much more piano-driven in parts. After they released Mmhmm, Brian Pittman left the band to start a career in Landscaping.