Does it bother anybody else that every song that Kevin Griffin (Better than Ezra) writes sounds the same? 9 songs out of ten follow a G D Em C chord progression for the entire song (Sometimes he'll change it up and put it in a different key...his favorite "alternative" being C G Am F). I like BTE, but...I dunno, sometimes it gets on my nerves. To me it just seems that he isn't even trying anymore...just churning out the same song over and over. And I know that this is pop music, and that the Circle of Fourths is one of the most common progressions in pop music...but still.

Plus, his lyrics lately have been pretty shotty.

In fact, I'm not even sure that I still like BTE. I'll have to think that one over some more.

I kinda agree. Better than ezra hasn't really made interesting music since the early 1990's

To be fair, though, it'snot as if howie gets much chord variation.

I jsut hope that tell me something doesn't make it to the new album

Comparatively, Howie varies a lot more than Kevin Griffin does. Although, of course, "Collide" is G D Em C with a capo on 3. The whole song. The Jay Clifford co-written songs are pretty varied, and are so much more interesting. "Brace Yourself"...much more so. And drop D tuning for "Come Lay Down"...again, Jay. As a song, I like "Tell Me Something"...but I hope it doesn't make it on the album, simply because I have a problem with Kevin Griffin giving Howie a reject BTE song. If Howie would stop trying to write radio hits he wouldn't need to take other people's songs. Or need to co-write in general. The man who wrote Madrigals doesn't need any help composing a song.

Yeah I might be doing some re-thinking myself......I like BTE but I have not listened to their new CD in a really long time. I would agree it does seem repatitive that really bothers me after a while. It may sound good at first but then it gets really old. Especailly when it seems the songs don't mean anything anymore and are written solely on an entertainment baises.

Howie should stick to writing his own songs and stay true to himself. Screw trying to come up with another Collide; besides if that was his only goal I think the stuff that's purely his could easly out due Collide any time and he would get his "radio hit."

Every body wan'ts money.... Who exactly is Jay Clifford? I know he wrote the songs with him but is he a musician or what.....?

James Major Clifford - or Jay Clifford as he is better known as is the lead singer and guitarist for Jump Little Children. He also co-wrote some of Howie's songs like You & A Promise, Brace Yourself, I'll Take You On and Come Lay Down - he was also guitarist and backing vocals on SATWN. There are a few other songs floating around which I think were also written with Jay - just can't think of any off the top of my head.

i can think of many examples (probably because i'm studying some) where people, or gruops, or institutions are not motivated by economic concerns. But related to the task at hand, Jay also played w/ howie's band beginning, i belive, in 04.

The early show in boston on august 5th, 2004 is a show with les, jay and howie. Jay even gets to aplay a song of his called cathedrals.

I believe his band has begun calling itself Jump, rather than Jump, little children.

actually, i think most people called them JLC. Out of habit, i still do. I think it was some sort of contractual thing.

a couple of em have played in howie's band. Les, i believe, had appeared with them.