A Bright Work You'll Love| Posted September 27, 2014
With a nature-themed geometric album cover and an album title that doesn't immediately encourage high expectations for something memorable, it'd be a bit easy to write this album off as another cookie-cutter worship/pop ride. But not so fast: what if I told you that this project actually holds some rocking guitar intros and solid melodic choruses that carry genuine urgency? You should stick around, because you might be treated to one of the sleeper surprises of the season.
When the emotive vocals of "Let Me Love You" hit you, you definitely start feeling that there's more to this band than meets the eye. There's a sweet spot between contemporary pop and rock met here, and the result is a catchy and dynamic hit that's going to sweep you away. The chill verses give way to one of the album's signature choruses, and the contemplative lyrics are top-notch: "You may run like a prodigal son / you might swear that you'll never come home / you keep chasing the setting sun / but I've been right here all along / let me love you."
The song speaks to fallen away believers who are resisting the love of Christ. This little gem was definitely not something I was expecting to find here. But fortunately, despite being arguably the album's crowning achievement, there's still more treasure to be mined here.
"Difference" carries a solid piano/synth beat and a strong chorus that makes it another standout on the album. Charging us to go and make a difference in the world, it's familiar territory delivered in an uncompromising way, and it resonates as another effective moment. The title track opens with a fairly thunderous guitar intro that amps up momentum even more.
If you thought you were going to get a breather, you were wrong. Brightwork keeps the goodness coming with more hits like "Now or Never." The group definitely knows how to keep momentum going from start to finish. Even when some of the non-highlights come through, everything is still working well enough to keep things from slipping into mundane. In today's musical landscape, that's something to be lauded.
Closing Thoughts:
Brightwork definitely caught me off guard. With a balance between accessible contemporary pop and emotional rock, the band manages to hit a sweet spot and produce a high caliber record that's poised to leave quite the impression.
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