FlyLeaf By Teen Min We DeShandalyn

James Culpepper - drums
Sameer Bhattacharya - guitar
Pat Seals - bass
Jared Hartmann - guitar
Lacey Mosley - vocals

Heavy music and pained lyrics go together like cake and ice cream. Flyleaf confront past traumas to heal old scars and prove in the process that hope shines brighter than despair. Flyleaf's self-titled debut album echoes with songs about abuse, neglect, addiction and dysfunction, and messages about overcoming adversity. And the band's wide array of brooding beats, atmospheric textures and lunging riffs compliment Mosley's emotionally revealing lyrics, which range from breathy and beautiful to scathing and aggressive. "I'm So Sick," starts with a moody bass line throbbing over a haunting ethereal vocal before guitars crash in like a rock through a plate glass window. The track see-saws between rage and reflection, guitarists Sameer Bhattacharya and Jared Hartmann providing textural flourishes and atmospheric touches that bridge the emotional shifts. "Cassie" layers stop-start guitars atop an urgent backbeat and builds to an exultant chorus. "All Around You" augments a wall of power chords with evocative jazzy licks and "Fully Alive" is a cinematic number with angry muted riffs that segue into another glorious refrain.
The moodiness befits Mosley's background: as one of six siblings in a single-parent household, the confessional songwriter spent her childhood moving from apartment to apartment whenever the bills went unpaid. She openly acknowledges an early addiction to drugs and alcohol that fueled bouts of depression. As of the release of Flyleaf's full-length, the band was committed to sobriety.
After Sameer's local Belton, Texas band disbanded in 2000, he was recruited into the band Flyleaf by drummer James Culpepper. They played at many gigs, gradually building a fan base. Their music spread throughout Texas and beyond, and finally, they were signed. They released their full-length debut in 2005. Sameer, along with the other members of Flyleaf, is Christian. In fact, the entire band is of the Christian faith. This faith influences their music, but lead singer Lacey Mosley doesn't necessarily believe that makes Flyleaf a strictly Christian band.
This band has had many influences on me. What I really like about this band is how well their songs are played. Every time I hear one of their songs I sing along...very loudly! I love their music and how moving it is for me. I feel empowered after I hear one of their songs. This band has been through a lot and it shows that they have a long way to go in their future.


By: DeShandalyn Meridy

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