“I spent the first 10 years of my life in northeast Minneapolis,” Warne said.

Warne, who joined Relient K’s lineup in 2005, also lived in Plymouth, Minn. before moving to Denver, Colo. more than a year ago. He returns to his Minnesotan roots March 21 along with vocalist Matthew Thiessen, guitarists Matthew Hoopes and Jonathan Schneck, and drummer David Douglas at Myth Nightclub in Maplewood. The tour debuts new recordings such as the recent upbeat single, “Must Have Done Something Right,” that have been in the works since February 2006.

“We finished recording sometime in September, so from starting writing to recording, it didn’t take too long,” Warne said. “The title was Matt [Thiessen]’s idea. It’s the fifth album in seven years, and there are five band members in Relient K. It’s [an example of] Relient K witticism to fudge the numbers a bit.”

The album “Five Score and Seven Years Ago” hits the shelves March 6, and fans of Relient K’s past releases may notice a greater musical variety and maturity in the tracks. Warne said a host of changes contributed to the growth in the band’s sound.

“This album has slicker production, and the songwriting took a leap forward,” Warne said. “It’s a lot more dynamic than the last [album]. It’s kind of all over the place, but you can still listen to album without having it sound disjointed.”

One dynamic track that stands out to Warne is entitled, “I Need You.” With a driving drumbeat and lyrics such as, “Please shine a light into the black; wade through the depths and bring me back,” the song conveys urgency and emotion darker than some of its musical predecessors.

“[It’s] one of the heavier songs on the record, dealing with how, in a nutshell, we need God,” Warne said. “The song is really well put together.”

Even with some more serious tracks, listeners needn’t worry that Relient K has lost the tongue in cheek sense of humor from earlier albums such as, well, “The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek.” Warne said puns and cheesy jokes still run rampant among the band members, with Thiessen’s notable wit in the forefront.

“The amount of groaners Matt [Thiessen] turns out—I think he likes me because I’m the only one in the group that’ll give him a little chuckle,” Warne said. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

Relient K has, however, garnered a serious fan base of Christian and mainstream listeners alike. With three consecutive gold albums to their name and their catchy 2005 single, “Be My Escape,” reaching platinum status, big things can be expected from these artists. Not bad for a band named after an ironically unreliable car.

“Matt Hoopes had a [Plymouth] Reliant K car in high school, and he got a lot of flack for it,” Warne said. Hoopes and Thiessen were friends at the time, growing up together in Canton, Ohio. “[Now] it’s up on blocks at his parents’ house.

“We could someday convert it into a drum riser,” Warne added. “If we did, that would be sweet.”

Along with a revamped song list, a meaningful moniker, and their distinctive brand of humor, Relient K has perhaps set a theme as well for this upcoming concert with fellow musical artists Mae and Sherwood.

“We’re hoping to do sort of a Robin Hood/Sherwood Forest type of theme,” Warne said.

Pun intended? While not confirmed, it’s a safe bet.

One can also bet that the concert tour will continue to attract new fans, both Christian and mainstream.

“At clubs, we’re still getting a huge amount of our Christian core [audience], as well as people who have just heard us on the radio,” Warne said. “Bands like P.O.D. [and] Switchfoot, a lot of them really paved the way in mainstream to make it okay to listen to [Christian] music, as long as it’s good. So a lot of that groundbreaking work has already been done.”

And if Relient K’s current musical path is any indication, there may be more groundbreaking work to come.


ACTION POINT:
Fans can purchase general admission tickets for the show through Ticketmaster for $17. Visit www.relientk.com for more information on the band, their album “Five Score and Seven Years Ago,” and their 2007 tour.