For Years Blue headlines with new songs

For Years Blue squeaked by the competition nearly a year ago to win the RAWK Final Four band battle.

Now the Lewis and Clark quartet is headlining the prelude to the 2005 RAWK Final Four, which kicks off Jan. 15.

The project that was the grand prize of RAWK Final Four 2004 – a studio recording package – will be unveiled at For Years Blue’s CD release party on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Big Dipper, 171 S. Washington St. Tickets for the all-ages show are $7 at the door, $6 with a flier. Also on the bill are popular all-ages bands Thalamos, Lucia’s Grey Dot and Secondhand.

For Years Blue’s five-track studio set was recorded in about a day and a half in Seattle with Delve Music’s Isaiah Vering.

The CD captures FYB when it was still a quintet with keyboardist/percussionist Will Giardino, who has since moved to Seattle to attend college at the University of Washington.

With Giardino leaving the band, FYB has taken a less-is-more approach to songwriting, which can be heard in the new material the band will introduce Saturday.

“Without having percussion and keyboard, we’re more raw sounding. The new stuff is definitely different,” said FYB singer and bassist Erik Walters. “We still play the old stuff, but with the missing parts, it’s changed.”

For Years Blue – Walters, guitarist Max Smith, guitarist Kyle Musslewhite and drummer Marcus Ourada – was formed almost two years ago from the remnants of Hubris Youth, which had more of a punk edge to its sound.

Whereas Hubris Youth was inspired largely by Breaking Benjamin and Incubus, FYB is more influenced by Radiohead, Interpol and Minus the Bear.

Walters’ distinctly bold vocals stand out at every show, but FYB is best known for Ourada’s Jedi-knight-like precision on drums.

In addition to winning the RAWK Final Four, For Years Blue was a favorite at BOBfest 2004.