After almost three years, an independent EP that sold 1,000 units, and a tour in which they opened up for PAX217; Number One Gun releases their first national recording Celebrate Mistakes on Floodgate/Salvage Records. The band is comprised of Jeff Schneeweis (lead vocals/guitar), Ben Tietz (guitar/vocals), Trevor Sellers (bass), and Jordan Mallory (drums); Number One Gun is, by definition, an emo/punk rock band. At first glance, they resemble Further Seems Forever, but after multiple listens, their sound can be compared with the most accuracy to Too Bad Eugene (They possess the same melodic screams as both of the aforementioned bands). They have a bit of a Hangnail-twinge as well in the musical department.

The album is really all about the title, Celebrate Mistakes. "Really it's all about humbling yourself, realizing our humanity," Schneeweis explains on www.FloodgateRecords.com. "When you make mistakes, you just have to face it, learn from it and get on with life. God has given us the resources to deal with any situation we are put in. He gives us hope, and a way out. That's really what the album is all about."

The album starts with, appropriately, "The Starting Line" which talks about trying to do things on your own and failing miserably everytime. "It always added up to be your fall to your mistakes/You want it to be His voice that calls your name." The song ends with Schneeweis repetitiously chanting "I just wanted to get this started." A fitting end, seeing as almost all of the eleven tracks on the disc deal with making mistakes.

The title track asks the question, "Was it attraction or just a fraction of your time/Was it a moment just to show that you're alive." The band wants to celebrate their mistakes, but realizes that worrying about them all the time has taken them far away. The song then ends with the final thought to "take what's inside and make up your mind/Just to make sure you're right."

Other songs on the disc deal with love, though it is never really specified whether they're talking about God or another love in their life. On "This Is All We Know," they speak of a love so wonderful they "need more." Another includes "Invest in You," which states "Amazingly, you (You?) bring to me new life." "On and On" is a straight-up love song which can as much easily be interpreted as a song to a love in a band member's life rather than God.

Though His name is never mentioned on the disc, God is essential to everything Number One Gun writes. They're constantly leaning on Him in times of struggle, and they know He is the only way to achieve success. Ironically, Number One Gun is anything but a mistake. They're nothing you haven't heard musically, and lyrically there isn't too much depth, but somehow there's something different about this band. If you're into bands like Hangnail, Further Seems Forever, and Too Bad Eugene; you'll feel right at home with Number One Gun's Celebrate Mistakes. Others may find the same charm in them that I do, or they may just find their sound too common to really stand out from the rest. Nevertheless, Celebrate Mistakes is a great start for Number One Gun, and they will be very interesting to watch in the future as they mature and grow.

- Review date: 8/7/03, written by Josh Taylor