Textbook has been together for over ten years, perfecting their own style of alternative rock that's influenced by everyone from The Replacements to Naked Raygun. Fronted by former Not Rebecca singer/guitarist Dave Lysien, Textbook has released a total of four full-lengths, and the band's continued development is clearly apparent on Out Of My Universe. The EP was recorded by Matt Allison at Atlas Studios and sounds reasonably polished, yet retains the right amount of energy and edge. The first song, "Crowding", is an urgent, fast-paced rocker with classic Midwestern punk inspiration, and it's followed by "Please Reconsider", which is a concise, melodic tune that clocks-in at less than two minutes. The title track is up next and it evokes The Hold Steady in terms of its guitar work and enjoys an extremely infectious chorus. "Laugh Out Loud" is a melancholy, mid-tempo song with a slight country influence, while "I Can't Take You Anywhere" is pure power pop and absolutely the catchiest song on this record. The final entry, "Who's Sorry Now", is a fitting conclusion as it showcases nearly all of Textbook's finest attributes. Such traits include; creative songwriting, earnest lyrics, an ample amount of backing vocals, skilled musicianship and a knack for blending various genres into a unique sound. Out Of My Universe is recommended for fans of Husker Du, Lucero, Gameface or anyone searching for quality, pop-infused rock this summer.

If you were in your mid-teens or older during the mid-90s there's a good chance you'll love Chicago's Textbook. This their first 'official' UK release, evokes ghosts from a time when tunes were a paramount and crap and oversized fashion were a must. So, naturally, they're not pushing boundaries, but that means they have to write great songs to stand out. In 'The Weight of Everything' they're redolent of Buffalo Tom at their peak, in 'Lottery' they're like the Lemonheads circa 'It's A Shame About Ray', and on 'Walking Out On You', they just tear it up with resentful punk spite. Sadly, they've just finished a UK tour; buy this and hope thay come back. (Tom Newbound)

ALTERNATIVE RETRO ROCKERS DELIVER HOOKS APLENTY.
Textbook are a band out of time, sounding like they fell through a wormhole conjured in the midst of the mid-90's American alternative scene that embraced the likes of Buffalo Tom, The Lemonheads and Scarce to come crash-landing into the present with their hooks intact. But, whilst evoking the spirit of yesteryear, they have the charm and songwriting suss to elevate them above being a mere nostalgia trip. With jangling guitar and monster vocal melodies enlivening every chorus harnessed by the production skills of Matt Allison (Alkaline Trio), there's a strong late-summer feel to the whole thing that brings a smile and draws you back for more. (Dan Slessor)

Textbook has been kicking around Chicago with various line-ups for about a decade. The current crew, headed by Dave Lysien, has been the most static version of Textbook, and it shows. The band's early albums were fueled by Lysien's uncanny knack at writing catchy hooks, but felt more like compilations than proper albums.

That changed with Textbook's last disc, The Great Salt Creek, which saw the band making a giant leap forward with a solid collection of punk-inflected pop songs. The follow-up to that disc, Boxing Day Massacre, has taken three years to arrive, but it was worth the wait. The opening track "Outside" sets the tone for the remainder of the disc, equal parts All, Uncle Tupelo, and Cheap Trick. "Desperation Free" is the sort of song that lyrically appeals to the eternal 15-year-old in us, while sporting a a musical envelope that would fit equally well on Fuse or in the back room of Hideout. And later on, the raging "Called my Bluff" seethes and grinds as its protagonist laments his inability to make a connection.

Textbook is one of those weird beats that we could see both the kids going gonzo over, while the older crowd tips perspiring bottles of PBR the band's way in admiration. Most folks will have to wait until June to hear the album, when it's released nationally, but the band will have copies available at their local CD release show tomorrow night at The Note. We suggest you snap one up. (Jim Kopeny)

A quick listen to this veteran Chicago band's fourth full-length and it sounds like power-pop. There's clean guitars, big chunky chords, and an engaging, energetic lead singer buoyed by harmony vocals and keyboards (sometimes a warm Hammond organ, sometimes a fizzy synth.)

But listen a little closer and you'll realize that it's not all lollipops and rainbows; there's a bittersweet wistfulness if not outright resignation about the futility of love in Textbook's "pop" love songs. Superchunk comes to mind as a prime comparison, although some of the band's sounds also mine the retro grooves of the Eighties "paisley underground." Textbook mimes the catchiness and upbeat tempos of garagey power-pop, but it's deceptive: From the yearning of "Desperation Fee" to the brusque rejection of "Walking Out On You," these are not songs you want to throw on the next mix-CD you burn for your girlfriend. Not unless you're looking to dump her. - Jim Testa

The beauty of the Midwest lies in its pure simplicity. TEXTBOOK, a rock band from Addison, IL strives to create music in this same light. It isn’t showy or groundbreaking, the lyrics are free prose, but it is straightforward and honest and for that reason, it is beautiful. Dave Lysien’s lyrics read like a journal of Midwest middleclass life. In TEXTBOOK he finds both an outlet for his troubles and an escape from the drudgery of real life. Lysien’s methodology is simple, why use metaphors and similes to convey loneliness and a broken heart when you can just come out and say it. Never once does the frankness make him seem like a weak lyricist, instead it makes him sound more genuine than most of today’s youth oriented mall-punk/emo scene.The straight forward mid tempo rock that accompanies Lysien’s lyrics takes a similar minimalist approach. Think LIMBECK sans the country influence. Even when the band goes above and beyond the standard 4/4 accompanied by a basic chord progression, the moments still seem fitting and in no way overdone. Even the blistering METHADONES influenced solo that opens “Take What You’ve Been Given” seems like something that belonged in the song as opposed to lead guitarist Tommy Przybylinski’s attempt to channel his inner Van Halen. In the same way that you sometimes avoid the extravagantly interesting Chunky Monkey to have a plain scoop of Vanilla, TEXTBOOK offers a pleasant alternative to over-involved music. Textbook will never be your favorite band or a multi-platinum band, but they will always be a band of four genuine guys that love and make really good music. (Mark Jourdian - Pastepunk.com)

The antecedents of Textbook stem from a chap by the name of Dave Lysien, former vocalist and commandeer of Chicago's smartest pop-punk of the '90s Not Rebecca, whom Textbook in no small part bear an uncanny resemblance. Across 11 cuts, Textbook brandish the dexterous aplomb of Hey Mercedes, Ted Leo, and even The Replacements, minus the "it" band quotient. A hipster's wet dream they're not but aficionados of ringing, indie-guitar rock, fleshed out with a touch of rootsy abandon, will surely appreciate the fact that Textbook are sincerely in it for the tunes. (Neal Agnete - BTO #57)

Basically recorded off the floor, this album and side project of former Not Rebecca singer Dave Lysien picks up where Blink 182 left off for the first three minutes, minus the cornball teen jokes on "Better Late Than Never". Generally however, this is excellent Midwestern rock throughout, especially on the crunchy and lean Southern rocker "Railroad Ties". The fine roots-filled "Dear You, Dear" brings to mind the Jayhawks or Slobberbone with a rough-around-the-edges jangle. Three songs and three shifts in focus as "Take What You've Been Given" sounds like it had been created in some Midwestern small town garage. The same can be said for the meaty, roadhouse influenced "Find My Way Back Home", resembling an early BoDeans ditty. Other notable tunes is The Replacements circa Tim feeling pouring from "You Were Beautiful" and also "When It All Went Wrong". Fortunately, there is very little wrong with this record. (Jason MacNeil)

Despite his punk pedigree as former frontman of Not Rebecca, Dave Lysien's new band, Textbook, forsakes blistering sonic blasts for thoughtful, deliberate ditties. The group's latest recording, The Great Salt Creek, brims with buoyant indie-pop paeans, most notably "Dear You, Dear" and the engaging "Find My Way Back Home." A few of the 11 tracks bare hints of the songwriter's loud-and-fast past, but even those numbers are surprisingly introspective, resulting in a varied and altogether entertaining effort. (Jeff Berkwits)

Textbook plays a type of looking-back rock that really will draw listeners back to those halcyon days when bands like Mineral and Jets To Brazil had the hearts and minds of every hipster. The energy in which the band opens up the disc, coupled with the smooth, memorable vocals of Dave Lysien is a perfect ploy to draw listeners into the more nuanced style that dominates tracks like “Dear You, Dear”. The instrumentation present on tracks like “Dear You, Dear” is intense; with so many layers present, listeners of all types and of all styles will find something to connect with. Adding a twinge of irony to the title track with the ZZ Top meets 38 Special guitars, Textbook nonetheless subjugates this diverse style into their own distinctive sound. The track, which does seem to move more towards the country-rock of Molly Hatchet and Three Dog Night, really modifies Textbook’s sound ever so slightly to something that is appreciative of the alt-country movement (bands like Uncle Tupelo). Overall, a fun disc that will win individuals over through its radio-friendly sound, strong instrumentation, and soulful lyrics. 

In the mid-90’s there was a band rocking Chicago. Unfortunately, many of you have never heard of them. They were called Not Rebecca and to this day remain the most grossly under-rated, highly overlooked band to ever come from this city. They released two albums on Johanns Face Records and when they broke up nary a person batted an eye. It was a shame. More of you may be familiar with Tom Daily. He was one half of the creative team behind Not Rebeacca and has a moderately succesful solo career. The other half of that writing team, Dave Lysien, has unfortunately remained under the radar for a few years much the same way Not Rebecca did. Hopefully with the release of his band’s second album he will be changing that.

Textbook formed in 1999, a year after the split up of Not Rebecca. At the time though I was living in Houston, TX and Textbook didn’t cross my path until about a year ago when they opened the Colossal record release show where I picked up the band’s debut CD. Self-released it was a solid mix of power-pop melodies a la Material Issue and gravelly vocals adding a rawness that seemed to counteract the sweetness of the melodies in just the right way. My biggest problem with that record was that I was not ready for it. I was still living in my post-Not Rebecca mourn (yes, it has been going on for that long) and held this Textbook album up to that standard. I wouldn’t place that as a flaw against the album so much as it was my own flaw, but none-the-less the CD didn’t receive much time in my stereo.

Fast forward to the present. I’ve had time absorb the first album. I’ve been able to separate the past and the present. My mind is cleared and the arrival of Textbook’s second album is a very welcome surprise. I’m not sure if it sounds better because it IS better or if I am just more open to an all Dave, no Tom record. Either way the record is sitting high with me. What I can say about it is that while stylistically the album hasn’t changed much from the last one, but everything has been turned up a notch. The songwriting has definitely progressed, showing a band that’s much more comfortable playing together and recording together. The vocal performance is the best that Dave has ever done. The production fits the mood of the songs rather than the songs trying to fit into the production (which is a fault I would find with the last album)...

In the early summertime, and the early fall, one of my favorite things to do is find a great, upbeat record, pop it into the car stereo and take a good 50mph cruise up and then back Lake Shore Drive just before the sun decides to set. I like to turn the sound way up and roll down the windows and lose myself in the sound of happy guitars and the sunshine warming up the lake. This record makes me miss my car. It was actually recorded in 2000, but was recently picked up by Next To Ex/Boss Tuneage Records to go along with upcoming release, Used. Located in the UK, Boss Tuneage is an interesting story on their own, and I suggest you check out the website. The band features former members of Not Rebecca/Woolworthy and the Smoking Popes. Now, if you know anything about me, than you know that I have a certain affinity for the Smoking Popes. It's not an obsession, more like a keen affection. So I was very pleased to find these boys had an instantly pleasing sound, warm and inviting, like LSD at sunset. They initially reminded me of Jimmy Eat World, not Bleed American, older Jimmy Eat World. That is alright by me. It's true that this is another emo pop band, but after listening to this record several times, I can hear so much more. That might be due to the variety of it's members. It's just too hard to figure it out I think, just know that the singer is Dave Lysien of Not Rebecca, and it is his voice that gives the band it's consistancy. I think I would probably listen to this quick record once through on the way up, and hit repeat on track 9, Grainbelt, for the trip back. Anyone wanna go for a drive? (Theresa Killebrew)

In an unexpected fashion a girl has recently entered my life. She's adorable, smart, motivated, refreshing and just flat out makes me feel good about things. When I hear Smoke 'em If You Got 'em by Textbook I get a similar jittery butterfly feeling in my stomach. It's nothing new, I've met plenty of girls before and we've all heard our share of alt-pop-rock-emo bands, but like her, it's stimulating and brisk.

Chicago is blessed with these types of bands. In fact if you're familiar with that scene at all you'll recognize a few names from a few bands that have passed on. The man behind the lyrics and most vocal duties on here is Dave Lysien, who you could recall was half the power behind pop-punk greats Not Rebecca. The gentlemen who helped aid Lysien in that band's name may also ring a bell, Tom Daily (Counihan), he also did sometime with the Smoking Popes. Maybe you've heard of them.

The opening track boasts a little edge in "Wish I Could Hide," as slightly distorted guitars pinch a charmingly sung chorus pointing towards the title, "I wish I could hide from a suicide." The harmonics of Lysien's voice are delightfully positioned and the catchy guitar work refuses to stall as a few casual solos are thrown in the latter few minutes. The soft rock appeal flows into "The Think Of You Interstate" while a country rhythm is delivered on the inconsolable "Railway Station." The piano that graces "Chalk" feeds the band the same box of cereal the Get Up Kids had for breakfast during their early recording sessions.

The immense diversity of the record can be credited to the nine endowed musicians that partake in the created sounds. Four guitarists bounce back and forth creating the mixture that bounces from simple emo melodies to relaxing country tempo, even a little punk on "Rosenwinkel." The variety supplements the record well, despite the calming voice pouring out of the speakers it’s as if a new band appears on each track.

Ok, so maybe it’s not as great as cuddling till five a.m. on a summer night, but just because this genre is becoming played out it doesn’t have to be boring. Textbook add some spice into the scene and make Smoke 'em If You Got 'em so much more than another Jimmy Eat World or Brandtson.

Pop. Head-bobbinng, finger tapping, radio-friendly, emotional and heartfelt, calm, melodic, soothing pop. Textbook is pop. But hell, it rocks, it’s nice, and it’s catchy. And now I ran out of adverbs and adjectives, so I’ll just say that this is a nice album for emo-pop lovers, people who dig bands like Samiam, Texas is the Reason, or things like Digger, Four Square and the likes. One remark: the weirdest thing on this album is that three different people played the drums, three more played the bass, and another three did guitars. The only constant factor seems to be singer/guitarist Dave Lysien. And the songs, of course…and those are not bad at all.

In Phillip's year-end roundup he mentioned that Texas Is the Reason's full-length was likely the last good emo record he would hear for some time because bands don't make good emo records anymore and he already has all of the old good emo records. Two days ago I would have certainly agreed with Phillip, but now that I've spent the last two days listening to Textbook I'm going to have to reevaluate my opinion.

Dave Lysien, Textbook's chief songwriter, used to write songs for a Chicago group called Not Rebecca who released two LPs on the Johann's Face label. I don't think I ever managed to hear Not Rebecca, but if Smoke Em if You Got Em is any indication this man is one of the greatest songwriters ever to take a stab at emo. Sure, that's not saying much when you chief competition is people like Chris Carabba and Davey Von Bohlen, but it's an achievement nonetheless.

One of the reasons I find Textbook so appealing because they're hardly a "textbook" emo band. Instead, they remind me a lot more of late-80s and early 90s alternative rock, the kind of stuff that I would fall asleep to every Sunday evening while 120 Minutes was on. All of the songs are first and foremost pop songs, but the guitars are extremely crunchy and the whole thing is imbued with a sort of REM-ish Southern twang that, when done right (as it is here), is simply irresistible.

Smoke Em if You Got Em will hit your CD player again and again, though, because the band just sounds like they're having so damn much fun. This nearly-palpable sense of glee is incredible rare in any genre, and when a band like Dillinger Four or the Exploding Hearts can latch onto it they're almost guaranteed to be great. Throw in the obvious songwriting talents of the members of Textbook and you've got yourself the best damn emo record you've heard in ages and the best one you're likely to hear for quite some time.

Pop-punk stalwarts Not Rebecca harnessed that most volatile of quantities - dual singer-songwriters. Dave Lysien and Tom Counihan ( now Daily ) were a 10-years-later-in-Addison version of Bob Mould and Grant Hart. Since Not Rebecca hung it up in '98, Daily has released two solo discs, but apart from an assist on a Woolworthy disc, Lysien hasn't bowed until now, with "Smoke Em If You Got Em", by his new band TEXTBOOK. Its not that far removed from NR - raging hooks, plantive vocals, and some ripping good guitar leads by Lysien. Daily contributes guitar to several songs, and harmony vocals on "Rosenwinkel" and "Sunlight" are a reminder of what once was - but clearly neither he nor Lysien is wasting time looking back.

Textbook is aptly named. They should be the Textbook definition of a pop song. And there would be alot of out of work musicians if what passes for radio hits were put up against this stuff. This is a total hit from beginning to end. Incredible pop music from former Not Rebecca members. I can't believe Textbook isn't on the lips of every hipster in town. This is so good I want to cry. Seriously. I hope Chicago appreciates this.

I had never heard of Textbook until about two weeks before this show. I saw a post on some message board announcing the band's upcoming show at Fireside and after the name, it said ex-Not Rebecca. Oh really? I soon found out that Textbook features Dave Lysien on guitar and vocals. While most people in Chicago that follow the indie scene know the name Tom Daily (Tom Daily/Counihan was half of the vocals from Not Rebecca), Dave Lysien, by my estimation, had fallen off the radar after the demise of Not Rebecca. I was definitely interested in checking out what Dave was up to in his current project. If only because I still listen to those Not Rebecca CDs pretty regularly...

...I liked Textbook's entire set, and there was quite a range through it: from stripped-down pop songs to quick and aggressive, 3-chord / 2 distorted guitar songs that seemed rooted in poppier punk. The beginning of the set was a bit sketchy, they had a few technical difficulties at the start and just seemed a little uncomfortable overall during the first couple songs. The wrinkles were smoothed away as they played through the set, and by the end, I wished that they had more songs left. There's something about Dave's voice that I've always liked. Sort of a 'croon', or whatever you want to call it- it has a sort of a melancholy that I really like. Although I'm not really a fan of acoustic music in general, I think I'd probably enjoy a set of Dave's songs on an acoustic. So maybe that's what sets Textbook apart for me, the voice...

...In my reviews, I will sometimes include comparisons for the reader so that I can get them "along the lines of" what the band I'm reviewing sounds like: "this band sounds similar to" etc...I had a few in mind that I thought I'd list, but now I've decided against it. Sure I can think of bands playing this type of music, but none that I like as much as this. So I won't bother- instead I'll say if you are a fan of Not Rebecca you definitely need to hear Textbook. If you are fan of well written (yet not saccharine) pop-oriented tunes, look into Textbook.

They mentioned that they'd recorded recently and were looking for a home for the material. I look forward to it. Go to their website and check out the MP3s.