User:Spencefos/Jonas Sees in Color

Jonas Sees in Color is an American rock band from Greensboro, North Carolina composed of members Ryan Downing, Jonathan Albright, Michael Deming, John Chester, Jonathan David Owens, and Meagan Beth Plummer. The band's debut, self-titled album, Jonas Sees in Color, was released on September 29th, 2010 on Glassnote Records.

The band's name is a reference to the book The Giver by Lois Lowry.

Formation and Influences
The name Jonas Sees In Color is a reference to Lois Lowry's 1993 Newberry Award winning novel The Giver. Singer Ryan Downing explains, "Our name is basically a metaphor. In The Giver, the main character (Jonas) lives in a black and white world. When he is chosen to take on the responsibility of the hopes, thoughts, and feelings of his entire village, he finally begins to see in color. One of the most important goals of our music is to create a connection with the listener by accurately connecting the stories and ideas contained in our music in a way that allows the listener to take and interpret the songs as their own." Downing, Albright, Deming, and Chester began writing music together in the summer of 2005 and the band's line-up was solidified in 2007 with the addition of Owens and Plummer. They cite The Beatles, The Black Crowes, Band of Horses, Kings of Leon, My Morning Jacket and Otis Redding as musical influences, as well as literature such as The Giver, The Catcher in the Rye, and works by Japanese modernist Haruki Murakami  Frontman Ryan Downing also cites Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones as inspiration. .

"Avalanche" EP (2007-2009)
The band's rowdy, high-energy live performances attracted the attention of North Carolina indie label Right Hook Records. “Avalanche”, the first EP, quickly sold out of the 1,000 copies pressed and attracted the attention of numerous other record labels, among them Daniel Glass and Glassnote Records.

Signing to Glassnote and Debut (2009)
After meeting with the band and experiencing the live show, Daniel Glass signed the band in December of 2008. The band entered the studio in Denver, Colorado with platinum producer Aaron Johnson (The Fray) and the album was released on September 29th, 2009. . The album included several songs from the “Avalanche EP” along with new tracks. The themes range from personal topics such as longing and hope to a narrative about Charles Manson. . The sound of the album encompasses rock, indie rock, and pop music.

Band members

 * Ryan Downing - lead vocals
 * Jonathan Owens - guitar, backing vocals
 * Jonathan Albright - guitar, backing vocals
 * Meagan Beth Plummer - keyboard
 * Mikey Deming - bass
 * John Chester - drums

Discography

 * Avalanche EP (2007)
 * Jonas Sees in Color (2009)