Album Notes

Philadelphia-based Constant Recourse combines elements of rock and electronic styles with thoughtful and well-crafted lyrics, melodies, and harmonies to form a balanced Rock/Pop sound. The band’s music has been compared with the harmonious but punchy sounds of Ben Folds and the rock sound of Switchfoot. Formed in early 2006, Constant Recourse includes Ben Mell, guitar and lead vocals; Matt Gore, keyboard; Luke Patterson, drums; Zack Groff, electric guitar; and Jessica Mell, vocals.

The members of the band, excluding Jessica, met and decided to form Constant Recourse while playing together in their church’s praise team. Ben, who had originally met Jessica in high school, reconnected with her while they were in college. He invited her to join the band in the summer of 2006. In March 2008, Ben and Jessica married. The age range among the five members spans 10 years. The youngest member, Zack, is 18 and attending Temple University; while the oldest member of the band is Matt at 28, who teaches piano and attends Westminster Theological Seminary. Embracing this variety, the band uses it to their advantage to appeal to a wide audience.

Constant Recourse has been very active in its two years of existence. In May 2006, the band was selected in the nationwide Band With A Mission Competition and showcased at Nashville’s Rocketown. The band then released its first album, Something Brighter, in July 2006 and played shows locally through the fall to promote it. The following year, Constant Recourse participated in the 2007 Emergenza International Music Competition and finished in 5th place among the 180 participating bands in the Philadelphia area. Immediately following Emergenza, the band played venues in the summer 2007 Extreme Tour, which took them as far West as New Mexico.

As for the future, Constant Recourse is planning for the release of their second album, REMAIN, which will be released in March 2009. In anticipation of the release, the band is booking and playing many local venues where they preview many songs off of the upcoming album. Recently, one new song, “Nothing to Live For,” was featured on a special edition compilation album called “Philly Rockers For Life” featuring 25 local Philadelphia bands.

SOMETHING BRIGHTER is an insightful album of original songs written, produced and recorded by Ben Mell at Manoa's Studio just west of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Constant Recourse has been compared with the harmonious sounds of Ben Folds the electronic edge of the Mutemath and the early vocal work of Switchfoot. Something Brighter was released in July 2006 on the band's own independent record label Forget Artificial Records. The essence of the record hinges on looking for something/someone worth depending on.

The first four tracks from Something Brighter Soak, When I Walk Alone, Heal and Insecurity explore the belief that there are some things a person can know for certain. There is truth that comes from outside ourselves. "I've got a false sense of insecurity" is a lyric that describes the unwarranted insecurities we sometimes embrace as fact. The title track "Something Brighter" reflects on the good in life and fights against the despair that seems inherent in living from one day to the next. The songs begin to focus on honest, complex questions that are not to be answered with hastily offered cliches, but mulled over with the weightiness due them. "How can you say", for example, addresses the frustrating question of why good people suffer. "I know I can't answer your questions," it says, "but I question too. And this peace I know passes what I know". Finally, the album ends with "One more love song", a song highlighting that while love songs can indeed be tired and trite, their worth is regained as long as they are real and heartfelt. "This song's been overdone and overplayed and it seems a waste of time to some but... I am your song."