Buffalo, NY foursome This Day & Age managed to hit the #1 spot in the Smartpunk sales charts with their debut album Always Leave The Ground, their radio-friendly melodic rock and inseparable pop sensibilities proving hard to resist for the masses. In a world crammed full of emotionally equipped pop-rock bands, this band have seemingly managed to hit a receptive nerve. With the aid of This Day & Age frontman Jeff Martin, Kill The Noise decided to investigate...

How would you describe This Day & Age to someone who hasn't heard your music?

A sincere melodic rock band with a live show to match the record.

Would you include yourselves in the whole "emo" shebang?

I'd rather not but i know that we are included. Our music doesn't fit into just one particular genre. We try to write music that we like and that is meaningful.

You guys get compared a lot with Copeland - how do you feel about this?

That's definitely a compliment. It's a band we all like very much.

Is it something you'd agree with or try and distance yourselves from?

We don't think we are that similar to Copeland.

So how did the band get started?

We were highschool friends.

Was the inclusion of the piano a factor from the start of the band or was it added later?

It was added when we first started recording. It has evolved into an essential part of the band and we will actually be adding a keyboard player to our lineup.

Your new album is soon to be released (late February) on One Eleven Records, how close is the record to what you set out to create?

It's exactly what we hoped for for our debut cd. Working with Ed Rose helped it come out even better than we expected.

Is there anything you'd change looking back?

No.

Wasn't the album already released in September last year? How come the re-release?

Our label inked a new distribution deal with the Warner Music group and they wanted to give the album a chance to benefit from the deal.

The album was produced by Ed Rose (The Get Up Kids, Motion City Soundtrack), how did this come about?

Our label contacted Ed. He was the producer we wanted to work with most and will actually be recording with him for our next record in early 2006.

How was it working with him?

Awesome. It really really really helped our band in so many ways. He helped us learn better song writing techniques and working more efficiently in the studio.

Who did the artwork for the release?

Jake at Burn It Down Media.

What kind of themes do your lyrics deal with?

I look at the album as having one theme all together; optimism and moving on. Moving on in general, in life. Having the best attitude that you can have and going with what you're dealt.

Whats the meaning behind the title ...Always Leave The Ground?

Comes from the phrase “keep your feet on the ground”. It's the opposite. People get stuck in mundane lives and settle. It's doing all the things that you hoped for. Being optimistic rather than feeling negative.

What are your live shows like? Why should people come see This Day & Age?

We focus on a live show that is comparable in sound to the actual cd. So many bands let their live show slack. It's said to be the best part about TDA. It's very energetic but true to the cd.

Who would you most like to tour with (past or present)?

When we first started, MXPX. Nowadays, Radiohead, Mars volta, Counting Crows, Death Cab For Cutie, Mae, and Eisley.

Do you have any interesting/scandalous tour stories?

We don't get involved with that type of thing.

What are the last 3 records you bought?

Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, Aphex Twin, Phoenix - Alphabetical.

How is the scene in NY? What bands should we be keeping an eye out for?

Keep an eye out for the band Adelaide and Long Since Forgotten.

Whats next for the band? What have you got planned for 2005?

We will tour for the entire year!