Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

JFH Indie Review

JFH Indie Music Spotlight Review

Names Without Numbers

Names Without Numbers
Greatest Hits 2021 - 2023

Street Date: October 13, 2023
Style: Rock / Alternative
Buy It: SmallStepRecords.com



Names Without Numbers is a band that has plenty of years to its name, but started making a splash again with the 2019 album, Silos & Smokestacks. The past few years have seen a handful of new singles from the band, which culminated in signing to Small Step Records for their latest release, humorously titled Greatest Hits 2021 - 2023.

In 2023, the band seems to be a bit more alt rock-based. While Silos was definitely an alt rock album, it felt like the band was accessing more of their pop/emo side. And that's certainly the present here, as well, with tracks like the piano-y "You Do the Talking" and "The Ghosts That Haunt These Halls," which features some cool, pulsing bass lines and well-placed horns. These songs bear some resemblance to early '00s Watashi Wa and Mae, which also works to complement the weightier lyrical topics ("But it's too late I can't go back at all / and my mistakes became ghosts that haunt these halls / the landscape's gray here where your story ends / forever cold here where you took your last breath").

While NWN surely excels in the poppier rock sound, I can't help but get a little more excited hearing the band crank it up and go full rock mode. "Winter Wars," for instance, is an energetic opener with driving guitars that is quick and to-the-point while leaving me wanting more. It's also grade-A satire and takes it to corporate America ("Oh it's hard being us / we're so tired of fighting with the unions, they are not humans / so many mouths left to deprive / corruption justified as fair in our eyes / and our hearts are as black as the night / you have no option but to just comply / it's on you that we'll capitalize"). "Empire On Fire" gets a little heavier to close out the EP. The song also features Matt Baird of the band Spoken, who really shines in the bridge, bringing his intense screams into the mix. Admittedly, it's almost a little out-of-place as the only screaming on the EP, but the six songs are diverse enough, and the song itself does a great job of leading up to the bridge, so it really works for me.

For those who have been following the band for at least the last couple of years, you're only really getting one new song here, as the other five have been released as sporadic singles since 2021 (hence the title). But the order of the tracks was arranged well, and the EP flows quite nicely from start to finish (not to mention both beginning and ending with two of the strongest tracks). I'm glad to see that Names Without Numbers is back, and I'm hoping that signing to a new label will lead to more new tunes in the near future. For now, you can't go wrong with Greatest Hits 2021 - 2023!

- Review date: 10/11/23, written by Scott Fryberger of Jesusfreakhideout.com



(JFH Sponsor Spot)

Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase!

 

JFH Indie Spotlight Review . Record Label: Indie Vision Music
. Album length: 6 tracks
. Street Date: October 13, 2023
. Buy It: SmallStepRecords.com

  1. Winter Wars (2:43)
  2. You Do the Talking (4:08)
  3. The Ghosts That Haunt These Halls (past) (3:34)
  4. Florida (present) (3:28)
  5. Everything Ends (future) (3:26)
  6. Empire On Fire (feat. Matt Baird) (3:35)

 

 

 

go to main Indie review page
go to Indie Review Index

 

                 
Purchase Original Art Prints, Drawings, Buttons, Stickers, Bookmarks and more from JFH's own John DiBiase!

Search JFH




This Thursday, September 12, 2024
ALBUMS
Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors Strangers No More Volume Two [Tone Tree]

SINGLES
Wilder Woods Hide Anymore / Devil In My Eyes - Double Single [Dualtone]

This Friday, September 13, 2024
ALBUMS
Yolanda Adams Sunny Days [Epic]
Alert312 The Lord Is (Our Evening) Beauty [Reimagined] [Streetlights]
Childlike CiCi It's Time - EP [Capitol CMG]
Amy Grant and Vince Gill When I Think of Christmas [MCA Nashville]
Travis Cottrell Hymnal: One (independent)
Hulvey Cry [Reach]
iNTELLECT Revolution [Polished Arrow Music]
Lofi Sunday Where the Sun Sets [Reach Records]
Mark Lowry There Is Hope [Gaither]
Passion Kids Worship Sing Praise [SixSteps/Capitol]
Stryper When We Were Kings [Frontiers]
Unspoken IV [Centricity]
Taelor Gray & Peace 586 Let the Church Say Amen (independent)
Tim Timberlake, Greg Cox, Kenneth Whalum MOVING MOMENTS, VOL. 1 - EP [Tribl]
Luke Wareham Christ is Lord - EP (independent)
Darlene Zschech Testament (EP 2) [Integrity]

SINGLES
’68 Intergalactic - Single [Pure Noise Records]
Altarheart Save Our Souls - Single (independent)
Ashes Remain Don't Let Go - Single [BEC]
August Burns Red Exhumed - Single (independent)
Luke Barbosa Kiss & Pray - Single (independent)
Kayla Berry Who You Are To Me - Single (independent)
The Blamed Pride Kills / Best Friend - Single (independent)
Chad Bushnell Imperfect Prayer - Single (independent)
Chad Cory, Zacardi Cortez My First Love - Single [DREAM]
Chainstay Take the Caseyville Exit - Single [Small Step Records]
Church of the City Who is Like You - Single (independent)
Colorvault & Alex Taylor Maybe Maybe Maybe - Single (independent)
Daniel Hardin & Lane Marie Triple Crown - Single (independent)
Paul Demer If The Lord Had Not Been On Our Side (Psalm 124) - Single (independent)
Earth Groans Bones of Winter - Single (independent)
Ryan Ellis Holy Place - Single [Provident]
Glae Lizard - Single [Broken Curfew Records]
The Gray Havens The Magic - Single [Blue Flower]
homage revelation song - Single [Integrity]
ICF Worship Lobe den Herrn (Seele sing) - Single [Integrity]
Ic3rd GOD FIRST (ft. Mission & DeandreGODsaves) - Single [Syntax]
John Mark Pantana & Lovkn Never Felt This Before - Single (independent)
The Kingsmen The Judgement - Single [Horizon]
Sarah Kroger Galaxies - Single [Integrity]
Tenielle Neda King of Grace (feat. Joshua Leventhal) - Single (independent)
Blessing Offor Jordans - Single [Capitol CMG]
The Rocket Summer Way Out - Single (independent)
Sidewalk Prophets Unbelievable - Single [Curb]
Sixpence None the Richer Julia - Single [Flatiron]
Sleeping At Last Heal - Single (independent)
TAKE Heaven or Hell - Single [Resuscitation Records]
Tigerwine Wax Magnetic - Single (independent)
TKE3 SALVATION - Single (independent)
Tunnel Rats Tell It - Single (independent)
Megan Woods The Truth (Strings Version) - Single [Fair Trade]
Zippy & OnBeatMusic Who Am I? - Single [Syntax]

VINYL
Stryper When We Were Kings Vinyl [Frontiers]

DVD
Mark Lowry There Is Hope [Gaither]

Next Friday, September 20, 2024
ALBUMS
Alex Henry Foster A Measure Of Shape And Sounds [Hopeful Tragedy]
Homeplate Thanks For Visiting - EP [Small Step]
Perpetual Legacy Teodrama [En Hakkore]
The Rocket Summer The Early Years - 25 Year Anniversary Edition (independent)

SINGLES
Sam Bowman Oh Wonder - Single [DREAM]
Good Weather Forecast & Elijah Thomas Can't Get Enough - Single [DREAM]



For all release dates, click here!
 



Check out the new album from Taylor Holland Armstrong!



Listen to the new Album From Millennial Reign!

Check out depositphotos for royalty free images