I'm confused. Everyone seems to sound alike these days. I thought “Everything You Want” was sung by the Foo Fighters. Until I found out about Vertical Horizon, that is. So before you rack your brains out trying to find out who they are, Vivamusic.com gives you the lowdown on this group which has sprung out from North America and right to the top of major U.S. Billboard charts.

Unlike the instant stories of boybands which are mushrooming everywhere, it took some time for Vertical Horizon to become what they are today. Lead vocalist Keith Kane met Matt Scannell at an undergrad party where they discovered each other's talents and started to jam together. Beginning as an acoustic duo, Vertical Horizon debuted wih folk music and harmonized vocals with a catalogue consisting of covers and a few originals.

After graduating in 1992, the pair decided to stay in music for the rest of their lives. After heading back home and doing a couple of odd jobs for the first summer, their first album “There and Back Again” was born. By the time they returned to Washington, there was a strong following for the two. There, they met up with members from the band Jackopierce, who decided to bring Verical Horizon along with them for a two week stint after listening to their album. When this proved successful, Vertical Horizon was asked to stay on for a third.

With the Jackopierce connection, the boys were able to get themselves gigs with Shawn Colvin, Better Than Ezra, and Del Amitri, just to name a few, besides alternating two weeks from home with two on the road. With the experience gained, 1995 saw the second effort, “Running on Ice”, being released. Most tracks saw a full band being featured, as Vertical Horizon managed to get other members on the road and used several bassists and drummers for different periods of time, including Carter Beuford of the Dave Matthews Band on percussion.

Drummer Ed Toth first got to know about the group while he was w orking at Borders Books and Music. When Ed and his manager got invited to a Boston show at Mama Kin after his manager had provided excellent support to Matt's mother in buying the CD, he eventually became impressed with the group. So when the band's drummer left, Ed snatched the chance and auditioned for the part. Vertical Horizon saw him as a great talent, and Ed quickly became part of the band before “Live Stages” released in 1996. This time round, the outfit had complete sound, comprising mainly of older songs performed in a live and electric setting.

1998 saw Vertical Horizon becoming complete when Sean Hurley became their bass guitarist. Interestingly enough, he was the first person to audition for the part, but the band wanted to view all their options. Personalities clicked, and although there were others who auditioned, they kept comparing them to Sean.

It was also the same year when Vertical Horizon recorded their chart topper “Everything You Want”, off the album with the same title. With strong song writing, vocal harmonies and impressive guitar work, the outfit continues in its progression towards edgier, electric and full-style music. ’Everything You Want’ has also been receiving positive responses as its airplay (not to mention their popularity) increases. Their up and coming track, “You're A God”, is something you can look forward to if you fancied “Everything You Want”. So while I personally am hoping this is not a one hit wonder group, you can sample their first hit under our “International Hits” page.

Listen To -
You're A God
Everything You Want
Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)
Set It Up
Shackled