The Seas We Sail, the debut full-length album from Tidewater, will be released April 12, 2011, available exclusively at iTunes and other digital outlets.

Originally released independently in 2010, the one-man band, helmed by singer/songwriter Brett Allen, followed it with the 2011 EP The Way That I Want You, which peaked at No. 4 on iTunes' Singer/Songwriter chart.

With the success of The Way That I Want You, it seemed like the right time to re-release The Seas We Sail as a digital-only version, including a new cover of the Matt Maher hit, "Christ Is Risen."

With an army of acoustic guitars, a hearty dose of mandolin, plenty of piano, plus bits of programmed pulsation, Tidewater is as diverse as it is innovative, drawing comparisons to such acts as OneRepublic, Owl City, Dashboard Confessional and Five For Fighting.

On The Seas We Sail, Allen dives beyond radio commonplace to weave a compelling web of unforgettable rhythms, introspective lyrics and plenty of porch pop personality.

“Tidewater’s more just a guy behind a piano or with an acoustic guitar; it’s actually hard to put a finger on,” notes Allen of his eclectic songwriting. “I’ve become obsessed with the mandolin thanks to Nickel Creek, and now I follow The Punch Brothers, but there are also a lot of programmed beats in what I do. It’s kind of parallel in dynamic to Mumford and Sons, who mainly play folk instruments, but are so heavy with their constant strumming that they come across like Muse.

“With Tidewater, there may be some bluegrass instruments, but there’s plenty of pop and rock that might appeal to fans of John Mayer, Howie Day or Matt Wertz with my own twist.”

The Seas We Sail, produced by Kevin Gales, is filled with Tidewater originals with the exception of Matt Maher’s “Christ is Risen.” Gales, whose production credits include luminaries like Sarah McLachlan, Bob Seger, Fiona Apple, Courtney Love, Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks, also co-wrote several tracks on the album.

As for the moniker, Tidewater is simply part of the street name where Allen grew up, though he also muses “there’s a certain vagueness and ambiguity to it that will hopefully make people curious about what I have to say.”

He is consistently hopeful in its lyrical slant, following in the footsteps of Switchfoot, whose faith-informed messages still have no trouble translating to the world at large. The Seas We Sail is loaded with some great introspective and engaging songs. It reminds me of a couple of my favorite albums, Rocks Into Rivers by Seabird and Of Men and Angels by The Rocket Summer.

I had the great opportunity to interview Tidewater’s Brett Allen about my favorite song on the album, “Surrounded.”


Please tell me the message behind the song “Surrounded.” Do you have any personal application regarding your walk as a Christian in writing the song?

This is one of the most spiritual songs on the album. My faith drives all of my songwriting. This song is my personal favorite on the album. The chorus wrote itself. I was sitting in my living room playing on my piano, and this chorus just came to me. We didn’t change anything about the wording in the final recording of the song. What was funny is that with just me at the piano, it kind of sounded like Michael W. Smith. That was cool for me since I was a fan growing up. In the verses there’s a lot on my shoulders, and then the chorus is a breath of fresh air. There's no question that all of us are works in progress, and we are all on a continual journey. In our most difficult moments, when we are so incredibly lost, this is when we finally allow ourselves to be found. We become surrounded; God's grace and love is inescapable.

Did you base the song on any Bible verses?

Ephesians 5:17-20: Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 6:2: Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

How can listeners apply that message in their walks as Christians when they listen to the song and the new album?

God’s timing is not our own timing. The message of this song has had more meaning for me over time. God was really at work in my life at the time I wrote the song. It is a scriptural idea, and last semester I wasn’t in the Word much. I forced myself at my busiest moment as a college student to read the Bible. I ended up at Psalm 32, and verse 7 says, “You are a hiding place for me, You preserve me from trouble, You surround me with songs of deliverance.” Verse 10 says, “Steadfast love surrounds those who serve the Lord.” There’s no doubt that God was delivering that message to me in writing this song.

There’s so much negativity out there that regardless of what you believe, my songs are angled more towards hope and less towards destructiveness. I know it’s not necessarily fashionable to write happy and hopeful music, but we need more of it and I hope people can relate to that. When you get to low points in your life, the Christian walk is about finding beauty in moments of despair. Paul and the Psalm writers found joy in those moments of trial and if you ask the Lord to come, He’ll surround you with His presence.

Here are the lyrics:

I think I'm in this place trying to find my direction
And wherever I may go seems to lead to You
And everything I'm not and all I wish I was
Has left me without knowing where to go
And I'm so tired but I can't stop

It surrounds you now you can feel it in this place
It fills you up and takes your breath away
It surrounds you now you can't fight it anymore

And nothing is the way it was before
I think you’re in a place where you've lost all perception
I recognize You're here cause I've been here all along
I sure could use a friend I think I can confess that
It has been so hard admitting all that's wrong

Here’s Matthew Henry’s commentary on Ephesians 5:17-20: “All God's people have reason to sing for joy. Though we are not always singing, we should be always giving thanks; we should never want disposition for this duty, as we never want matter for it, through the whole course of our lives. Always, even in trials and afflictions, and for all things; being satisfied of their loving intent, and good tendency. God keeps believers from sinning against Him, and engages them to submit one to another in all He has commanded, to promote His glory, and to fulfill their duties to each other.”

We are to bear one another's burdens. So we shall fulfill the law of Christ. The better we know our own hearts and ways, the less we shall despise others and want to help people. I love how this song has a yearning to be “surrounded” by God’s presence. As we prepare for Easter and think about why Jesus came to die for our sins, He promised that He would send a Helper to those who accept Him as their personal Savior.

This song helps remind me of the biblical truths found in Ephesians 5 and Galatians 6, to “be filled with the Spirit” and to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” If you like emotional style alternative rock with a faith-based perspective, look no further than Tidewater.

(You can watch the music video for “Surrounded” here.)