Edgewater 'We're Not Robots' album

When an executive at its previous record company told Edgewater it needed to change its sound because “rock is dead,” the band walked away. “We will be what we want to be,” says a steadfast Matt Moseman. “We’re a rock band! We’re not circus monkeys on a chain. Fame and glory isn’t what we’re after. This is our life. We have to be able to say ‘yes’ to ‘Is this going to make me feel proud of what I do?’”

Rock lives once more on the aptly titled We’re Not Robots… (Forevergreen Records), released June 2006. From the innovative “Caught In The Moment” with its cheerleader refrain to the anthemic “Get It Right” and in-your-face “Rock Is Dead,” We’re Not Robots… is a powerful statement of defiance for a band that refuses to compromise.

“Wind-Up Records gave us an opportunity, fueled the fire and taught us a lot,” says Moseman. “We just ended up on different pages. Now I can’t wait to see what our future holds. We’re going to keep creating, changing and hopefully gaining fans. We’re going to make a difference with our music but also have fun with what we do. When it’s not fun, it’s just another job. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you can sell 20 million albums and still not be happy.”

Dallas-based Edgewater had gained national notice with 2004’s South Of Sideways, whose “Eyes Wired Shut” was also a lead single from the gold-certified soundtrack album to The Punisher. The band then toured the country with gold/platinum artists Three Days Grace, Finger Eleven, Seether, and Default, winning new fans wherever it played. Micah Creel describes the band’s music as “modern melodic rock. Like water in a river it can have depth and be calm but it also can get rough.” Switching musical gears on the follow-up album to become more “alternative” was not an alternative for Edgewater. In 2005, citing creative differences, the band agreed to part ways with Wind-Up.

In 1997, singer-songwriter Moseman formed Edgewater, named for a street he lived on, as a four-piece. A year later, guitarist Creel and drummer Rees, who had played together in high school, joined. Guitarist Justin Middleton came on board in 1999, creating a dual guitar attack. That summer, the band locally released its debut disc, Self-Titled, and began headlining in the Dallas area. 2001’s Lifter brought wider regional touring as the band opened for artists drawing several hundred fans to venues and won local radio support.

In 2003, Ricky Wolking, formerly of the acclaimed band The Nixons, replaced the original bassist. Later that year, with an assist from Creed’s Marc Tremonti, Edgewater signed to Wind-Up, best known for acts such as Creed, Evanescence, and Drowning Pool. Edgewater joined a growing list of Dallas rock heroes stretching from Pantera and The Toadies to Drowning Pool. “We’ve earned respect,” says Middleton. “It’s cool and weird but there are bands here who do Edgewater covers.”

South Of Sideways represented a musical scrapbook of the band’s experiences over the years. We’re Not Robots… marks the first album the members wrote as an album and the first with all five members from start to finish. Perhaps surprising for a truly indie album, We’re Not Robots… was constructed with patience. Along with extensive pre-production, the album was eight months in the recording. “We spent time with each song,” says Moseman, “did two or three at a time and mixed them before moving on to the next songs. There was no manager telling us what to do, no outside influences. We had complete freedom, no holds barred. The album is less diverse than South Of Sideways but it’s also tighter. You can feel where this band is today.”

From crazy time signatures and aggressive vocals on top of rock melodies, from thinking outside the box and searching for notes that are more than simply straightforward to lyrics that pack more than a punch, Edgewater is indeed different.

“We’re just trying to find that something new we can be proud of,” says Moseman. “We are not robots--and rock is not dead.”

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Edgewater - We're Not Robots