Surprisingly,
Thornley was led by vocalist/guitarist
Ian Thornley, he of the mildly successful Boston alternative outfit
Big Wreck. After
The Wreck's 2002 retirement,
Thornley returned to his native Toronto and began writing solo material.
Nickelback's
Chad Kroeger -- a pal from the late '90s modern rock trenches -- had just started a vanity imprint through Universal, and he promptly tapped
Thornley as a signee. So, by late 2003 the singer was back in the studio, working with producer
Gavin Brown (
Three Days Grace), drummer
Sekou Lumumba, bassist
Ken Tizzard, and guitarist
Tavis Stanley. When the resulting
Come Again LP appeared in May 2004, it featured a melodic post-grunge sound tinged with psychedelia and guided by the big vocals of -- wait for it --
Thornley. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide