I Nine originally formed in 2004, and the story of their signing to J Records is pretty inspirational: their demo was a live recording of one of their shows. The recording hadn’t been intended to be a demo, but it was so spectacular that J Records not only signed them on the strength of it, but later put it out as the band’s first official release. They were since featured on the soundtrack to Elizabethtown, and released their debut album, Heavy Weighs The King in 2008. Unfortunately, major label pressure changed the band’s exciting, unique sound. They now sound (to my ears at least) like every other pop rock band.
Here is that original EP in all its glory. The band’s line-up at that time, was all strings with no drums. However the power of the combined upright bass, violin, and guitars provide a lush background for lead singer Carmen’s spectacular vocals. Their songs are cinematic, flowing from energetic and urgent to fragile and poignant with breathtaking beauty. The Live EP remains one of the best releases I have ever heard from J Records. Check out some of their in-studio and acoustic videos on their YouTube channel for more.