The Promise Ring broke up-did you know that? It didn't make Dan Rather's show or anything; it was just a quiet, well-timed end to a band that made four albums to be proud of, including 2002's mellow swansong Wood/Water. Here's why the story's not over, though: Promise Ring singer guitarist Davey von Bohlen has an appetite for songwriting that borders on addiction, and even sometimes gets in the way of his playing basketball. Even when The Promise Ring was busy as hell, he wrote more songs than they could use, recording them with PR drummer Dan Didier under the name Vermont. They released two full-length albums. Enter Maritime, though not exactly. After a brief respite, Dan and Davey rejoined musical forces in 2003 with the intention of starting something fresh-not quite the chilled ambience of Wood/Water-era Promise Ring, not the too-casual four-track vibe of Vermont, but something that rolled together the best of what they had done in the past, shot-through with new life.