June 3, 2004
Red Letter Agent (CD Release Party)
Smith's Olde Bar
By Michelle Gilzenrat

“Thank you. There’s a lot of you…and you’re all beautiful.” Red Letter Agent vocalist James Templeton smiles to a packed Smith’s Olde Bar crowd. It is clearly evident that word of the next big thing has spread through the grapevine of hipsters and industry alike. The crowd had filled the venue, waiting with equal parts anticipation and skepticism as the curtain slowly parted. Templeton was the first to be revealed, and with his first ringing note the audience was won over. By the time he is thanking us for support, it feels more like we should be thanking them.

The mood was set early in the night when a sweet surprise marriage proposal took place on stage. RLA ’s music seemed to echo those feelings of romance and adoration, with vocals and melodies laced with beauty and emotion.

The diamond in this engagement is Templeton’s sparkling and flawless voice. With remarkable accuracy, Templeton’s words soar and dip-- twisting from heavenly ooh’s and aah’s to the intense screams of a fallen angel. Particularly endearing is Templeton’s stage movements. With each vocal apex his left leg darts behind the right, leaving the singer in an awkward but charming flamingo-stance. It’s a quirky reflex, but if it yields those sweeping falsettos maybe more singers need to try it.

Highlights from the show include an extended version of the song “Tonight.” Opening with spacey instrumentation that is reminiscent of The Verve at their shoegaziest, guitarist Travis Jones and drummer Russ Norton built a melodic backdrop that was first airy and then solidly rockin’. There was a pleasant shift in tempo towards the end of the set as the band took a turn for the bouncy. Grooves from bassist Chris Collins lead the crowd in foot tapping and head bobbing during the song “It Took Some Light.”

Before the show was over, Templeton reminded the audience twice more that we are beautiful, and you know what, I was starting to believe it. The atmosphere created by these four talents is truly warm and uplifting. A quick look around during “Fallen in My Heart” revealed at least five couples engaged in serious lip-lock. Talk about mood music.

The full house could hardly get enough, with an enthusiastic call for an encore at the end of the night. RLA gracefully returned to the stage to further blow away any pants that were left on. By the end of the night an impressive 52 EPs were sold. Boldly but without pretension, RLA have placed themselves at the forefront of the Atlanta music scene.

www.redletteragent.com ll photography by www.usedfilm.com