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Broomtree
Biography
Broomtree
What do you do if you're twenty years old with a nationally distributed record under your belt, heading up a rock band with four top-10 singles on the CCM rock chart? What if you can play a guitar solo that drops jaws, have been all across the country opening for a major Christian act, and you've written enough songs to fill several notebooks? If you're Kylie Schilg, lead singer for the extremely successful Rustproof Records band Broomtree, you make another album and hit the road. In an age when so many artists offer a bleak, depressing image of their world, it's refreshing to find a band like Broomtree. Kylie Schilg (singer, guitarist and chief songwriter for the act), Nathan Westbeld (guitar), and Scotty Yoder (drums), are all in their late teens and early twenties and bring a vibrant, energetic, and positive message to their latest album, Transparent. Their enthusiasm for the experience of life is represented on the disk so buoyantly that it carries the listener right along. Transparent, recorded in Nashville during the fall of 1998, is a continuation of Broomtree's unique sound and further develops the distinctive ministry the band has pursued since their 1997 inception in Columbus, OH. Produced by Marc Byrd, the record is awash in finely crafted pop songs that continually draw the listener back time and time again. Each cut illuminates life through the eyes of a maturing teenager who struggles to maintain a Christian worldview in the midst of being a teen---no small task in today's society. "These are the years that mold and shape a person," states Schilg. "As a teen you're looking to find your own reasons for living. We relate really well to people dealing with those questions about life, because we're dealing with the same stuff. Luckily we have some answers for them---real answers that they can find in the Bible." To convey the message of their faith, Transparent is filled with themes of grace and hope in Christ. A common thread throughout the album focuses on trusting God in all circumstances. From driving sounds of "Beyond My Sight" to the silk of "Falling Over Me," Broomtree continues to place simple, worshipful lyrics over pop-soaked melodies to offer encouragement in daily situations. The lyrics and the musicianship found on the record also reflect a deepening maturity gained from extensive touring and the difficulties band-members have faced on and off the road. "Experiences from the road have change my outlook on life and worship," says Yoder. "My walk with Christ has become more consistent and my time with Him has become such a priority that I cannot live without it." Is there a reason why the four members of Broomtree would put themselves through the sometimes-difficult experiences of touring? The theme of Transparent offers a clue to the answer. "The album is about stepping out of your comfort zone and just knowing that God will be there," Schilg says. "So many secular bands paint a dark view of adolescence. Broomtree wants to bring the hope of Christ to our listeners, but that means that we have to get out there, and be with those people." From the beginning the band has been extremely vocal about their faith and assurance in Christ during difficult times---a fact that means as much to parents as it does to younger listeners. Broomtree's record label, Rustproof Records, has teamed up with the band to help expand their ministry to the parents of teenage listeners. "We recognize that parents of teenagers are necessarily apprehensive about what music their children are listening to," says Mark Quattrochi, General Manager for the imprint. "Value systems are honed and lifestyles are molded during these important years, and we would like parents to know that there are artists out there like Broomtree who are unashamedly Christian and yet still create music that appeals to their children." Broomtree's self-titled debut album, released early in 1998, was met with excited response, causing reviewers and fans alike to eagerly anticipate the band's sophomore outing. At the time of this release most of the members had just finished high school, and their young ages implied that the band would only improve as they matured. "An electric presentation. It will be interesting to see where Broomtree goes from here," gushed 7ball. The Ashland Times-Gazette stated, "this album is an impressive debut for a young band that is sure to get better with age." Since that release the band has notched a 48-city tour with Petra and seen all four radio singles hit in the top-10 on the CCM and PRR rock charts, with three of those entering the top-5 position. Their two concept videos can still be seen on over 100 Christian video shows. All of this success has laid an incredible groundwork for the release of Transparent. But although the group is excited about the support they've been given, with the release of their sophomore project they have become more focused on the goals they have set. The band has already seen success with their first rock single "Transparent" climbing the CCM rock charts to #1. "God is working in us," says Westbeld. "We just pray that we are receptive to what He is teaching us." "Every band seems to be searching for that 'mainstream approval' that somehow will prove what they're creating is meaningful, that's not what we're about. If we write a song that speaks to someone when they need it most, then we've truly succeeded." |
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