It's no coincidence that Matchbook Romance is headlining the 2006 Take Action Tour — a tour that aims to prevent teen suicide and promote crisis counseling.
"I've had kids walk up to me and show me scars on their wrists where they slashed their wrists, or come up to me and tell me they took a bunch of pills —but listening to our band made them open their eyes and it saved their lives," singer/guitarist Andrew Jordan said. "They're crying in front of us, telling us this stuff. The first time it happened to me I freaked out. I didn't know my music would do anything like this for somebody."
Jordan probably didn't expect much of what has happened since his band formed in 2001 and quickly signed with Epitaph Records. The band toured almost nonstop after releasing its full-length emo pop-punk debut, 2003's "Stories and Alibis."
Jordan admits that he began feeling the weighty pressure to create a significant sophomore album a mere three months into the first tour. He spent almost three years working on the expansive follow-up, "Voices."
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"We'd been on the road for three years and playing new songs and meddling with our instruments and developing more of our own styles," he said. "Three years will do that to you. You grow up a lot and realize what you liked about the last record and what you didn't and digest that and create something new."
The band's new album, which was released last month, is darker and totally different than its predecessor. Gone is the pop-punk Taking Back Sunday-like sound; in its place is moody progressive rock that gives nods to Radiohead, Blonde Redhead and Tool.
"Matchbook Romance may startle some fans by breaking out of punk-pop, but the transformation is an improvement," said a review in The New York Times.
The new sound came about in an unusual way. During those three years, Jordan never sat down and wrote a full song. He created pieces of music and eventually connected them like a jigsaw puzzle to create "Voices."
"I would write a lot of parts," the earnest songwriter said. "In a sitting I could write five different parts to five different songs."
It was a complicated but fascinating process for the self-taught musician, who admits he has never learned music theory.
"A lot of what I wrote this time was super prog-ish," he said. "I don't even know how I write it or how I understand it. It baffles my guys. I show it to them and they say, 'Oh my God, you're doing a bunch of key changes here, that's really advanced stuff, or you're doing crazy time signature changes.' "
The complex nature, darker vibe and minor keys used in the new songs have drawn comparisons to Radiohead and Muse — not that Jordan minds.
"To be compared to those guys is to be compared to God, so it's fine with me," he said.
Tucson fans will get to hear Matchbook Romance's new music Monday. The new sound is drawing an older crowd while still appealing to — though surprising — the band's loyal fans.
"They seem to be a little stunned," Jordan said. "It's interesting to see the kids react to our new record and it's fun playing new stuff and breathing new life back into the show."
While part of him was a little nervous releasing a darker album to some of his troubled fans, Jordan said the songs' lyrics all deal with learning positive lessons for life.
"A lot of the stuff is just completely depressing, but I think the kids are pulling out the life-lesson thing," he said. "They're like, 'Oh, he went through this, too, and he's still here and he's alright.' "
These days Jordan is a lot more prepared to help his listeners cope with hardships and he's thrilled to be headlining the Take Action Tour.
"If I can get on stage and say something, I might be able help somebody," he said, "and that's the most rewarding part of this tour."
Quick Take
Take Action Tour with Matchbook Romance
also featuring Silverstein, the Early November, Amber Pacific and Man Alive
When: 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 20
Where: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.
Tickets: $16 in advance; $18 day of show at at www.rialtotheatre.com or 740-1000.
Information: Visit online at www.takeactiontour.com to learn more about the tour and its connection with the National Hopeline Network, 1-800-SUICIDE(1-800-784-2433), a suicide prevention hotline; and the Youth America Hotline, 1-877-YOUTHLINE (1-877-968-8454), a peer-to-peer counseling service.
