The moment I heard Aaron Gillespie from Underoath was doing a side project, it became one of my most anticipated albums to listen to this year. Aaron's new project, The Almost, is releasing its debut album, Southern Weather, through the first ever joint deal with Tooth and Nail and Virgin Records. Anticipation has built for the last several months from hearing the super catchy, extremely refreshing single, "Say This Sooner" (even though it's gone through several title changes since then), along with several demos online. I think anyone who loves the melodies Underoath has had to offer since their breakthrough album, They're Only Chasing Safety, has felt the same. Stand out tracks on Southern Weather include "Say This Sooner," "Amazing, Because It Is!" and "Dirty and Left Out."

There isn't a bad song in the bunch, even if there are some spots where you could take it or leave it. In some ways, it's not quite everything I expected it to be, thinking it might be back to more like the vibe, melodies, and hooks you hear in Underoath's "A Boy Brushed Red, Living In Black and White" and "Reinventing Your Exit," just without the screaming. The Almost isn't exactly like that, but that's probably not what Gillespie was going for. Regardless, Southern Weather is definitely a refreshing, honest, and great album well worth purchasing.

- Review date: 4/3/07, written by Trey Pearson of Everyday Sunday, for Jesusfreakhideout.com