Ever-changing and always unpredictable, Showbread has spent more than a decade rowing against the current of music industry standards and expectations at a time when other acts are just trying to stay afloat. After ten years of international touring and four genre-hopping releases with indie giant Tooth & Nail records, Showbread made a tremendous shift (even for them) by partnering with the non-profit organization Come&Live! to release their ultimate musical departure Who Can Know It? in 2010, free of charge. So how does an often overlooked and hopelessly controversial act like Showbread follow up their own antics? The answer seems obvious: With an elaborately detailed, science fiction, glam-punk concept record.

Cancer, Showbread's latest studio outing, like Ziggy Stardust or The Wall before it, follows the story of a downtrodden and rebellious rock icon of a protagonist as he attempts to use a punk rock band to lead a revolt against inter-dimensional fascists called "The Principalities" in a not-so-distant American future. In the grand tradition of rock opera, Cancer skillfully runs the gamut of angst, aggression, irony and tragedy. Listeners will follow cryptic liner notes, expansive artwork and provocative lyrics across the detailed terrain of the album's fictional universe—which will ultimately crescendo with the release of a feature film in 2013.

Relentlessly ambitious, Showbread seem to have found in Cancer the perfect storm to accommodate their unusual tendencies. Musically, the record seamlessly blends every style previously explored in Showbread's lengthy discography, building narrative tension with raucous punk rock energy. Cancer resonates long after listening with hooks and catchy sing-along anthems and will have you dusting off the ol' library card to dig deeper into the philosophical, political and theological themes explored in each track.

Equal parts Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd and George Orwell, Cancer will prove to be a creative high-mark difficult for Showbread to top in terms of scale, zeal and sheer listenability. As the album rolls out, you'll find your fist in the air, and a chorus on your lips. Fight the cancer!

Showbread's Cancer is now available as a gift from Come&Live! and can be downloaded here.

The past few years of the music industry have seen a rather vast emergence of independent music. Behind the decisions of the largely increasing independent artists lies a very empowering, vital tool; Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a site that allows artists to raise support for new albums, music videos, transportation, etc., and with each tier of donation, the fan can get a unique reward in return. In most cases, with new albums that need funding, Kickstarter serves as a pre-order platform, with rewards ranging from advanced downloads to autographed posters and limited edition, one of a kind merch. Using Kickstarter does come with a risk however: it is an all or nothing cause, meaning if the band doesn't raise their specified goal by a specific date, the artist doesn't make a penny, and those who pledged are not charged. Right now, a collection of band's that we've covered, and a few we haven't, are in the process of running Kickstarters, and they are in need of all the support they can get.

Showbread - Cancer: Everyone's favorite raw rockers are in the process of writing their upcoming album Cancer, and are raising money to release the album as a 100% free album download through Come&Live!, along with a feature film to accompany the release.

The Glorious Unseen - Lovesick: After a brief hiatus, indie worship band The Glorious Unseen will be recording and releasing their first new album in three years, without their former label, BEC Recordings. The album is titled Lovesick and has a tentative September 2012 release.

The OC Supertones - New Album: Like their other ska counterparts Five Iron Frenzy and The Insyderz, who reunited and used Kickstarter over the past year, The OC Supertones are taking a try at it, and are in the process of funding their first new album in seven years. Also, the band have released a new single titled "On The Downbeat," which can currently be downloaded for free at Noisetrade.

The Current - New Colors: One of the first bands we covered at CRR years ago were a great alternative rock band by the name of A Current Affair. Now, the band are back, simply named The Current, and are trying to reach their goal to release a new EP, with a new musical direction, named New Colors.

Silverline - New Album: Some may know Silverline from their high energy singles that have graced rock radio over the past three years, but the band are finally heading into the studio to record their first full length effort, after a series of EPs.

Spoken - New Album: Spoken are starting a new chapter of their career, with an apparent new direction, still fronted by Matt Baird. This will be their first new release in quite some time, and in only a day, the band have already raised over 60% of their needed goal.

Abandon Kansas have just posted their brand new music video for the song "Like It Or Not," which was filmed by In The Boat Productions (members of Showbread), which can be viewed below. The song comes off of the band's album which released back in March, Ad Astra Per Aspera, which is in stores and online now via Gotee Records.

Come&Live! only have a little under a day left to raise support for their fall missions trip/tour to Europe, with Showbread and Holding Onto Hope.  They still need to raise a substantial amount of money to reach their goal, and you can join them in prayer, or support them financially if you feel called. They are raising support through IndieGoGo, a site set up like Kickstarter, and for more info on the project, or to donate, you can go here.

SHOWBREAD’S JOSH DIES RELEASES THE JOKE THAT WE PLAY ON THE WORLD - A SHOWBREAD MEMOIR

SHOWBREAD DEBUTS FIRST MUSIC VIDEO OFFWHO CAN KNOW IT? "YOU'RE LIKE A TAXI"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-rED13JSb8

Artist: Showbread
Album: Who Can Know It?
Release Date: 11/16/10
Label: Come&Live!

Anticipation is the biggest word that came in play when thinking about the new album from Showbread. Since seeing them live earlier this summer, I have been very interested in getting their new album, and when I finally got it about a week ago, I couldn't have been more happier. On first play of Who Can Know It?, I must say that I was surprised and caught a bit off guard with their sudden change in sound. I knew there would be no screaming this time around, but fuzzy guitars, vocal harmonies and Josh Dies singing much softer than usual were all strangers to me, when concerning their genre of raw rock. It wasn't until a few more listens that I fully began to grasp the musical landscape that Who Can Know It? brings with it.

Pounding drums greet the listener to start off the opening "A Man With A Hammer." Certainly an ideal choice to start the album with, the song talks of God's love that ransoms everyone. The wittily titled "I Never Liked Anyone And I'm Afraid Of People" is full of driving, fluid guitars that are accompanied by thumping bass undertones that take their place on many sections of the record. "Dear Music" slows down the album a bit and is flavored with some nice keys and guitars, starting with a computerized voice that states "It's four o'clock," and ends with a minute of worship, with only the words "He is wonderful." To follow the worship feel is "Deliverance," more of a simplistic song with a self-explanatory title, regarding the lyrics.

A dreary feel is brought to Who Can Know It? on "The Prison Comes Undone," with its winding guitars and synths that are new to Showbread's sound. The following "Hydra" starts off with a single guitar, but builds up into a classic sounding Showbread tune, minus the screaming and craziness. The edgy rocker "Myth Of A Christian Nation" serves as somewhat of a protest, fit into the shortest track on the album, immediately transitioning right into "You're Like A Taxi." "You're Like A Taxi" starts with crashing drums, layered by synths that don't sound too far away from the intro of "Shepard, No Sheep," and talks about Jesus conquering death's dominion over those that follow Him. The hauntingly beautiful "Time To Go" takes its place as somewhat of a piano-driven ballad that contain some of the best lyrics I have heard from the band. The epic closer (that is in fact 11 and a half minutes long), "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things," takes on many different sounds throughout the song, from interesting electronic clicks in the beginning, progressing through to a darker rock sound, and then closing piano-laden. The most interesting closer I have heard in a while if I do say so myself.

Rating: 9/10 The anticipation has paid off for Showbread's new album, Who Can Know It?. The album is full of a bit more mellow, but beautiful, raw rock that fans have come to love, minus the craziness and screaming heard on past albums. The album thrives lyrically as well, with some of the best lyrics that vocalist Josh Dies has penned for the band. One of the best albums, if not the best, that Showbread has released to date, it comes as no surprise that Who Can Know It? will stand as one of the best albums to come out of this big year of music.

Tracklisting:

1. A Man With A Hammer
2. I Never Liked Anyone And I'm Afraid Of People
3. Dear Music
4. Deliverance
5. The Prison Comes Undone
6. Hydra
7. Myth Of A Christian Nation
8. You're Like A Taxi
9. Time To Go
10. The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things

(Download Here)

With the release of Showbread's new album Who Can Know It? on Come&Live!, Josh Dies, vocalist of Showbread, shares his insights on each track of the album. I highly recommend that you check out the album now for free here.

A Man With A Hammer: I thought it would be great to just write a traditional worship song about how big the love Jesus has for his people is. When I sat down to write the first verse, it described a man killing his wife and kids with a hammer. Then I was writing about a woman who aborts her baby so that it won't interfere with her career and a man who rapes a woman who refuses to show him affection. It was all so tremendously dark and bleak, and this amazing light shines on all these grotesque circumstances when we celebrate the fact that for each of these "bad" individuals, the love of Jesus is as strong and beautiful and as all encompassing even in the midst of these terrible things they do, as it is for any other person. It's wonderful to just sing about God's love being great, but when we actually examine how big it is and how deep it runs even for the kind of people we aren't willing to love ourselves, we start to scratch the surface on how wonderful that love truly is.

I Never Liked Anyone And I'm Afraid Of People: The title of this song is not of my own design; those are not my words. The song was inspired by the novel Imperial Bedrooms, which I certainly would not recommend to young or easily offended readers. The novel tells the story of a sort of vacant individual living this streamlined Hollywood lifestyle. Throughout the story, the character is just perpetually descending into his own capacity for amoral behavior until he becomes something of a monster. I thought that it was a very compelling exploration of any person's evil potential and the tangle of sin. So the character in the song has reached this point where he's examining how far he's traveled in the wrong direction and wondering who he is.

Dear Music: As the title implies, it's a letter to music in general. For the last nine years I've been a full-time writing, recording and touring musician and during that time I lost my love for the world of music. This creates an inner-conflict for someone who feels called to be a musician. I believe in what Showbread does, I love the music we make, but as soon as we take it out into the world of the industry or the music community I feel lost and out of place. My refuge lies in the calling I've been given and to whom it comes from and why. So this bitter sounding letter takes a turn and becomes a hymn of worship.

Deliverance: It's a kind of worship/protest song. We didn't want to just rail against the traditional, American political church ideas without saying why. So "Deliverance" isn't just a few verses of complaints, it celebrates a better way after raising the objections. There is a lot of grief expressed with the way we behave as Christians and at the same time the rejoicing that we will be delivered from these shortcomings.

The Prison Comes Undone: I wrote the song after some petty argument I was having with my wife. I went to be alone and speak with God about my frustration and felt this burden of being myself and being subject to my imperfections that affect others. So the song became a sort of apology based on that experience, but on a larger scale a candid and somber statement about being unhappy with oneself and open with it.

Hydra: "Hydra" was written for an estranged friend who got close to a girl and then slowly slipped away. There was a lot of bitterness and unresolved feelings there until they were stifled by the realization of my own imperfections. That's why the song quickly abandons its accusations; "You're like a man that has two heads and I have three or four." Even though this aggravating circumstance has cost us our friendship, I myself am constantly at fault for my own shortcomings, what makes yours any worse than mine? The song ends with a reference to Peter and a hopeful note of rectification for both parties. We might be screwing everything up, but nothing is beyond hope.

Myth Of A Christian Nation: The title was inspired by Greg Boyd's excellent book of the same name. It's pretty self-explanatory: a very explicit rant against the idea that America is "God's kingdom" or that the nation is noble and admirable as opposed to just another fallen worldly kingdom. Our idea of freedom has nothing to do with any nation. Jesus' call to love and die for our enemies is in no way exemplified by a ruthless powerhouse that stands for blowing your enemies away, and we've come to resent the false connection of America to Christ that confuses people the world over.

You're Like A Taxi: It's a song about dying. The work that Jesus accomplished on the cross has stripped death of His dominion and demoted him to little more than a taxi driver taking the deceased from point A to point B. To me, that's a beautiful thing to be celebrated, not an occasion for grief and remorse.

Time To Go: This is a very simple and basic love letter to Jesus in the same vein as a husband who might write to his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary. "After all these years you're still the one that I thought You would be."

The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things: The last and longest song on the record is a story set up in several chapters. The story describes someone raised with a flimsy understanding of faith, God and the bible. Eventually this person grows older and begins to struggle with the ideas they once took for granted and then frustration and anger both set in.When this person takes their misgivings to the religious community, they're condemned for asking the questions in the first place and they decide to separate themselves completely from that world. Years go by and there's this lingering unanswered question and presence being felt and this person finds that they've come to the end of the road, no longer content to have no answers. They reexamine their ideas of Jesus for the first time in a completely different way, separated completely from the religious world and met on a personal level they finally begin to uncover the beginnings of real truth. It was important that, musically, the song appropriately takes the listener through each chapter in this individual's life and when we finally begin to climax to that epiphany we resist the urge to just open it up into an outright worship song, because that person isn't there yet. They've only just begun to grasp the truth: their own worth in the eyes of Jesus, and that, in and of itself, is a beautiful thing.