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Welcome to July!! For us here at the Sound Faction July brings a wedding, a warped tour, tons of wicked shows, friends, family, fun and who knows, maybe a few new tattoos! It also brings us a brand new band of the month. This band is actually the complete opposite of last months Burn Halo, but if we all stuck to one genre we would be missing out on some of the greatest music. July belongs to My Favorite Highway! And I am so happy it does!!

My Favorite Highway is a quartet from Fairfax, Virginia consisting of Dave Cook on vocals, Piano and Guitar, Will Cook on bass, Pat Jenkins on guitar, and Bobby Morgentaler on drums. In July 2008 the band independently released their debut full-length How To Call A Bluff. Receiving support from hit TV shows such as The Hills and The City as well as being part of Alternative Press' "4 more to watch" in 08 and part of the magazines "100 Bands to watch in 09" MFH showed no signs of slowing down. In November of 2008 the band signed with Virgin Records who re-released How To Call A Bluff with two new tracks in May 09.

Finding My Favorite Highway came at the most perfect time. I had tried art school and decided it wasn't for me. I had no job and no money, but amazing friends. It was rather late in the evening and I was talking to Manda on aim and doing a Pure Volume scroll and I clicked on a random page, and then clicked on a random band. The first song I heard was Getaway Car. This song definitely spoke to me as the chorus is

"Go on, get up, get out
Don't even think about it
You don't need to leave it behind
But you can live without it
Jump in your car like you're ready to ride
You got a buck forty-five left to keep you alive
And now, everybody's messing it up
No, we don't talk about how
Everything is falling apart
Well then you go around
It's everything that you couldn't find with an open mind
It's all you've ever known"

To me, the beginning of this chorus, 'go on, get up, get out' well that was me... bailing. Like I always do. I let things take control then I lose sight of what's really important. I bail. I've done it before and I don't know why I thought this time would be different. I had pretty much a buck forty-five. I was staying with my mom over Christmas and I was absolutely flat broke. I messed up and I wasn't really into talking about how everything really was falling apart, but no one held back from throwing it in my face. More recently my life has been... for lack of a better word, going downhill. And I was back home and I was feeling absolutely worthless and I had on my iPod and "What Are You Waiting For?" came on. Okay, so I cried a little bit.

"Come on, come on
what are you waiting for?
Waiting for your life to end to begin again
No, you get back up and you try again"

I could sit here and say I wish it was this easy to just get back up and try again... but honestly, it is. You just have to make it happen.

I had the chance to talk to Dave in December about the band. We actually ran into him at Bamboozle too... kind of scared me! Turned around and he was like, right there! I was like, sup?! We didn’t get to see their whole set at Bamboozle but the songs we did see were amazing! I could honestly go on about how every song I have heard My Favorite Highway has gotten me through something or just made me stop crying, but we would be here all night. All I will say is that I truly love this band. They are doing what they love, writing what they love and most definitely sending the right message. You might be going through the worst time in your life, but honestly, listening to MFH will give you a small smidgen of hope that you're not alone.

I strongly suggest checking out My Favorite Highway, either by going to their myspace, buying How To Call A Bluff or seeing their set on the What Happens In Vegas tour with The Cab this summer. I can't wait until we head to Buffalo to see the show!

I haven't heard of My Favorite Highway until Jen proclaimed them this month's Band of the Month. But, they are from Virginia (North Virginia, but I can't hold that against them), so I'm excited to tell everyone about the local VA talent!

My Favorite Highway is a great combination of the harmonies of The Cab, the lyrics of The Maine, and a slight folky quality of Guster. While I've only heard their myspace stuff, the songs on there are amazing, and I already find myself humming along and singing the choruses. Songs to check out are "Say So," "Getaway Car," and "Simple Life."

So, if you're in the mood for some amazing lyrics, kick ass vocals, and guitar riffs that get stuck in your head, check out My Favorite Highway. Either get their recently released major label debut, How to Call a Bluff, or check them out in concert with The Cab, starting July 5th. They are going all over the US, so there is no excuse to miss out on this amazing band.

Happy July to all of you out there! Summer's here, and what better way to start it off than by looking into a great new band, hm? And where, you may ask, are you going to find this band? Well, right here! And that band would be My Favourite Highway!

I first heard of the band through- you guessed it- our Jen, who is a PureVolume junkie. I get told about new bands on an almost daily basis from her, but something about MFH stood out. She contacted them straight up for an interview, and if she hadn't, I would have. They have an infectious sound that keeps you hooked, and makes you want to keep listening. We got to see them at Bamboozle this year, and we were only going to stay for a song, but ended up staying for three! We just couldn't leave!

Anyway, dear reader, go listen to My Favourite Highway. Like... Right now. You won't regret it, I promise!

What a crazy month, I'm glad to be starting fresh a new day, a new band of the month, and what a band it is, huh?? I had heard OF My Favorite Highway (via Jen) but hadn't gotten around to listen to it just yet so when I heard that Jen had picked them for our July band of the month I was excited to sit down and listen to them after hearing Jen rave over them for so long!

So I write this band of the month while a dear friend of The Sound Faction Travis is grabbing a shower at my mom's house and just before we tear off for the coast so he can see the Atlantic ocean! Wow, just WOW! These guys are right off the bat amazing and I'm only halfway through "Simple Life which is the first song that MySpace played me.

I don't really know where I would put them as far as a basic genre for you guys, they blur the lines between your favourite pop-rock and indie-jam bands and really are just a band you have to listen to so you can "get it". Great catchy melodies, choruses you just can't stop yourself from singing along with and a great beat to roll down your windows and sing at the top of your lungs with while you cruise the highway with your best friends.