Brave Saint Saturn
Encyclopedia
Brave Saint Saturn is a Christian rock
band formed in Denver, Colorado
in 1999. The band is a side-project of former members of Five Iron Frenzy
started by Reese Roper
. The band calls their music style "astro-rock," although Reese has stated that this "doesn't mean anything." The trilogy of albums are meant to artfully represent early life, adversity, and death.
was signed, they were called Astronaut. As a result, "Astronaut Versions" of several early Brave Saint Saturn songs exist. The "Astronaut Version" of "Two-Twenty-Nine" is available on the compilation Manna 2 Go (fifty280 records). An otherwise unreleased Astronaut song, "Albatross," is also available on Green Manna (fifty280 records)
Brave Saint Saturn often uses the vastness of space as a metaphor for loneliness and isolation. With this in mind, the band used NASA
recordings and electronic samples on their first two albums. One of the biggest influences on the band's sound was the Electric Light Orchestra
album Time
. Reese has said that because of this band he has tried to include more strings and orchestral sounds into the group's music.
Some reviewers consider Brave Saint Saturn as a generally more serious band than the often light-hearted Five Iron Frenzy
. As the former leader of Five Iron Frenzy, Roper often found the band too straightforwardly fun for expressing feelings of loneliness and abandonment. BS2 is the platform for the more depressed and sad lyrics which Roper has written. When speaking of the band, Roper states that, "I've tried to show the redemption and peace of God through tragic things. I think overall the lyrics are about … hope."
The third of the "Saturn 5 trilogy", Anti-Meridian, was released on 15 September 2008. The physical album is only available through the band's website store, but digital copies were made available at various online stores for digital distribution
.
Roper has stated that the band originally planned to make a story arc that would go across three albums, but the band is in talks to create more music in the future beyond their first three albums. There are plans for an album of b-sides, rarities, and redone songs titled Add-Infinitum.
The Saturn 5 Trilogy tells the story of a fictional NASA "Saturn 5 Mission," where the crew of the spacecraft "Gloria" is sent to map the rings of Saturn
. While in orbit around Saturn's
moon, Titan
, the Gloria suffers a crippling disaster that leaves the craft stranded in geosynchronous orbit
on the dark side of the moon. The crew is cut off from radio contact with Earth and the light of the sun
, and both the crew and their families fear they are lost forever.
The final album of the trilogy, Anti-Meridian, chronicles the return of the crew of the U.S.S. Gloria in an escape pod called the "Starling." "Lieutenant Hoerig" saves the mission at the cost of his own life. The rest of the crew returns to Earth in one of the Starling's escape pods. Several of the songs deal with the crew's thoughts and remembrances in the aftermath of their safe return.
The Saturn 5 Trilogy uses the loss and subsequent rescue of the crew as a metaphor for several Christian
themes including death
, resurrection
, redemption
, and self-sacrifice.
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band formed in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
in 1999. The band is a side-project of former members of Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy is a Christian ska band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1995 and disbanded in 2003. The band announced they were recording new material on November 22, 2011....
started by Reese Roper
Reese Roper
Michael Reese Roper is an independent filmmaker and the former lead singer and chief song writer of the third-wave ska band Five Iron Frenzy. After Five Iron Frenzy disbanded in 2003, Reese released a single album using the moniker Roper. He is also part of the band Brave Saint Saturn, who released...
. The band calls their music style "astro-rock," although Reese has stated that this "doesn't mean anything." The trilogy of albums are meant to artfully represent early life, adversity, and death.
Background
Before the bandMusical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
was signed, they were called Astronaut. As a result, "Astronaut Versions" of several early Brave Saint Saturn songs exist. The "Astronaut Version" of "Two-Twenty-Nine" is available on the compilation Manna 2 Go (fifty280 records). An otherwise unreleased Astronaut song, "Albatross," is also available on Green Manna (fifty280 records)
Brave Saint Saturn often uses the vastness of space as a metaphor for loneliness and isolation. With this in mind, the band used NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
recordings and electronic samples on their first two albums. One of the biggest influences on the band's sound was the Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
album Time
Time (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Time is a concept album by Electric Light Orchestra released in 1981 through Jet Records. The album tells the story, through its songs and lyrics, about a man from the 1980's finding himself in the year 2095 and trying to come to terms with being unable to return and adjusting to his new...
. Reese has said that because of this band he has tried to include more strings and orchestral sounds into the group's music.
Some reviewers consider Brave Saint Saturn as a generally more serious band than the often light-hearted Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy is a Christian ska band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1995 and disbanded in 2003. The band announced they were recording new material on November 22, 2011....
. As the former leader of Five Iron Frenzy, Roper often found the band too straightforwardly fun for expressing feelings of loneliness and abandonment. BS2 is the platform for the more depressed and sad lyrics which Roper has written. When speaking of the band, Roper states that, "I've tried to show the redemption and peace of God through tragic things. I think overall the lyrics are about … hope."
The third of the "Saturn 5 trilogy", Anti-Meridian, was released on 15 September 2008. The physical album is only available through the band's website store, but digital copies were made available at various online stores for digital distribution
Digital distribution
Online distribution, digital distribution, or electronic software distribution is the practice of delivering content without the use of physical media, typically by downloading via the internet directly to a consumer's device. Online distribution bypasses conventional physical distribution media,...
.
Roper has stated that the band originally planned to make a story arc that would go across three albums, but the band is in talks to create more music in the future beyond their first three albums. There are plans for an album of b-sides, rarities, and redone songs titled Add-Infinitum.
Saturn 5 Trilogy
Brave Saint Saturn published their first three albums as "The Saturn 5 Trilogy".The Saturn 5 Trilogy tells the story of a fictional NASA "Saturn 5 Mission," where the crew of the spacecraft "Gloria" is sent to map the rings of Saturn
Rings of Saturn
The rings of Saturn are the most extensive planetary ring system of any planet in the Solar System. They consist of countless small particles, ranging in size from micrometres to metres, that form clumps that in turn orbit about Saturn...
. While in orbit around Saturn's
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
moon, Titan
Titan (moon)
Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
, the Gloria suffers a crippling disaster that leaves the craft stranded in geosynchronous orbit
Geosynchronous orbit
A geosynchronous orbit is an orbit around the Earth with an orbital period that matches the Earth's sidereal rotation period...
on the dark side of the moon. The crew is cut off from radio contact with Earth and the light of the sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
, and both the crew and their families fear they are lost forever.
The final album of the trilogy, Anti-Meridian, chronicles the return of the crew of the U.S.S. Gloria in an escape pod called the "Starling." "Lieutenant Hoerig" saves the mission at the cost of his own life. The rest of the crew returns to Earth in one of the Starling's escape pods. Several of the songs deal with the crew's thoughts and remembrances in the aftermath of their safe return.
The Saturn 5 Trilogy uses the loss and subsequent rescue of the crew as a metaphor for several Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
themes including death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
, redemption
Redemption (theology)
Redemption is a concept common to several theologies. It is generally associated with the efforts of people within a faith to overcome their shortcomings and achieve the moral positions exemplified in their faith.- In Buddhism :...
, and self-sacrifice.
Members
- Reese RoperReese RoperMichael Reese Roper is an independent filmmaker and the former lead singer and chief song writer of the third-wave ska band Five Iron Frenzy. After Five Iron Frenzy disbanded in 2003, Reese released a single album using the moniker Roper. He is also part of the band Brave Saint Saturn, who released...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Keith HoerigKeith HoerigKeith Hoerig is best known as the bass guitarist for Five Iron Frenzy and Brave Saint Saturn. He later assisted former band-mate Reese Roper with booking his new band, Roper....
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Andrew VerdecchioAndrew VerdecchioAndrew Dean Verdecchio or Andy Verdecchio is best known as the drummer of Christian band Five Iron Frenzy. Chaka was the stage name he had at that time. He also has played with Brave Saint Saturn and Yellow Second...
(2003–present) – drums - Dennis CulpDennis CulpDennis Culp is an American trombonist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with the bands Brave Saint Saturn and the now defunct Five Iron Frenzy. He currently resides in New Jersey with his wife Melinda, and has released one solo album, Ascents, under the name Dennis Bayne...
– background vocals, bass, guitar
Discography
| Year | Title | Record Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | So Far from Home So Far from Home So Far from Home is the first installment in a space-themed trilogy released by Christian rock band Brave Saint Saturn. This release contains less elements of the trilogy's plot that was developed in the two subsequent albums, opting for a more general feeling of darkness and loneliness... |
Five Minute Walk |
| 2003 | The Light of Things Hoped For The Light of Things Hoped For The Light of Things Hoped For is the second album by Christian rock band Brave Saint Saturn, released in 2003 .The album is described as "astro-rock" and tells a story dealing with many personal struggles of the band members... |
Tooth & Nail Tooth & Nail Records Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today... |
| 2008 | Anti-Meridian | Department of Biophysics |
External links
- Brave Saint Saturn official site
- Pure Volume
- MySpace
- The Officially Unofficial Web Site
- Tooth & Nail Records
- Interview Jesus Freak HideoutJesus Freak HideoutJesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
- Radio Interview with Reese Roper, 10-16-2008