CREDITS
Produced By:
Live From Memphis

Performed By:
The United

Vocalist - Jeremy Stanfill
Guitar - Chris Mitchell
Bass - James Godwin
Drums/Percussion - John Emerson
Guitar - Jeremy Stanfill
Keyboards - Jeremy Stanfill

Camera Operators:
Sarah Fleming
Christopher Reyes
Eric Swartz
Elizabeth Harris

Production Assistant:
Joanna Harris

Editor:
Christopher Reyes

Recorded & Mixed By:
Christopher Reyes

Recorded Live At:
Memphis Showboat
(yeah a riverboat)

Story By :
Amanda Dent

Photos By :
Dan Ball

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The United
The Runaround

For a bunch of guys in there mid-20s, members of The United are seasoned veterans of the Mid-South music scene. Up until April 2006, the foursome was known as Crippled Nation, an apt title for their emo-metal roots. However, after a record deal with L.A.’s Maverick Records fell through a few years back (subsequently resulting in the defection of two members), the direction of their music took a sharp turn.

Lead vocalist and keyboard player Jeremy Stanfill traded in his defiant scream for a refined, soulful croon. Chris Mitchell’s thrashing guitar riffs morphed into something more melodic and plaintive. Filling out the roster is bassist James Godwin, who founded the group 10 years ago with Stanfill, and John Emerson on drums. 

Now the guys play radio-friendly, power pop with obvious soul and rock influences. Not to say that they’ve gone soft. Their polished, piano-driven style has garnered a blurb in Spin magazine and an opening slot for Def Leppard at a sold-out Mud Island Amphitheatre gig in the summer of 2005.

Tonight, they once again find themselves performing close to the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis. The Memphis Showboat, docked on the great river on this nippy November night, is just filling up with folks bundled in stocking caps and scarves. High school buddies, Stanfill and Godwin, observe Emerson setting up his drums. When asked about the band’s sound, Stanfill responds, “It’s very Memphis.” Influences? Godwin answers, “DJ Shadow, Led Zeppelin, Ryan Adams and Jay Z.”  Then, Stanfill quickly clarifies, “Our biggest influences are not about music, but about life, about the things that happen every day.”

After the first few verses of The Runaround, it’s evident that love (and its dissolution) is a big part of life for the band. It’s an emotional power ballad introduced with a delicate piano melody and electric guitar overlay. Stanfill’s soulful vocals tinged with a slight gruffness indignantly bellowing, “Don’t you look so proud, giving me the run around.”

After the pleading Kiss Before You Go, Shame, with shuffling snare drum and simple chorded piano arrangement, holds an ethereal quality. There are echoes of Chris Cornell (refer to solo album Euphoria Morning), both with Stanfill’s voice and Mitchell’s haunting, hanging guitar. It’s a familiar them: “It’s shameful cause it feels so damn good. I know that I gotta get you out of my head.”

Only one song in the eight-song set is off of their 2005 debut album, Fortunate Accident, which was released under their previous moniker of Crippled Nation. City Lights again provides a showcase for Stanfill’s blue-eyed soul singing before coming to a crescendo during the chorus with a flurry of drums and thumping guitar. It’s another testament of heartbreak, but done in The United’s signature epic style peaking with Stanfill confessing, “I’ve been over my head.”

By: Amanda Dent

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