Welcome to the New

There was a time when I really enjoyed Mercyme. Once you got past the contemporary singles, I noticed a bit of a pop/rock grit about them I really latched onto. This was one reason I really enjoyed All That Is Within Me and The Generous Mr. Lovewell. However, as I started to get into more poetic songwriting and all kinds of Christian and secular pop and rock acts, I didn't thik they would really have anything for me. Boy, I was wrong.

While I do feel like lyrically this new album, Welcome to the New, isn't a masterpiece, I like the heart the band has behind its message. Simply, the message is that God doesn't keep a record of our sins when we are saved, we are considered pure and blameless in His eyes. Musically, this album is a super fun ride. The band challenged themselves to try new sounds, and it definitely paid off.

I was already taken aback by the furiously upbeat opener and title track. With a lot of energy and a catchy melody, I was interested in seeing how the rest of the album would turn out. "Gotta Let It Go" is a stellar funk-rock track with some of the best guitar work I've seen from the band, which continues throughout the album. Lead single "Shake" is a throwba...

There was a time when I really enjoyed Mercyme. Once you got past the contemporary singles, I noticed a bit of a pop/rock grit about them I really latched onto. This was one reason I really enjoyed All That Is Within Me and The Generous Mr. Lovewell. However, as I started to get into more poetic songwriting and all kinds of Christian and secular pop and rock acts, I didn't thik they would really have anything for me. Boy, I was wrong.

While I do feel like lyrically this new album, Welcome to the New, isn't a masterpiece, I like the heart the band has behind its message. Simply, the message is that God doesn't keep a record of our sins when we are saved, we are considered pure and blameless in His eyes. Musically, this album is a super fun ride. The band challenged themselves to try new sounds, and it definitely paid off.

I was already taken aback by the furiously upbeat opener and title track. With a lot of energy and a catchy melody, I was interested in seeing how the rest of the album would turn out. "Gotta Let It Go" is a stellar funk-rock track with some of the best guitar work I've seen from the band, which continues throughout the album. Lead single "Shake" is a throwback to 50s and 60s pop that works surprisingly well. "Greater" sounds like the indie-folk movement of 2010-2012 popularized by Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers, and is another stellar track.

While these first four tracks are the true standouts for me, the rest of the album isn't far behind. "Finish What He Started" is your typical Mercyme power ballad, which should probably be expected. There is some very nice leader guitar on it, however. "Flawless" is another one of my favorites because of its solid riff, nice drumbeat, and sing along chorus. "New Lease On Life" is an enjoyable blues-pop song slightly reminescent of The Black Keys. "Wishful Thinking" is very Beatles-esque and although probably my least favorite, is still a strong track with solid harmonies in the chorus, a cool drumbeat, and nice lead guitar. "Burn Baby Burn" is another one I'm not as into, mainly because dynamically it doesn't shift well from quiet to something big, mainly due to the different drum beats in the build and right after. However, the ending is pretty awesome. "Dear Younger Me" is another folk-pop song that is an excellent closer with some pretty solid lyrics.

Overall, Mercyme's Welcome to the New was a very pleasant surprise. Normally I'm not a big fan of ten song albums because they're really short and usually don't have as many highlights. However, I'm glad this one is ten songs because there is absolutely no filler on this album. If they continue with this style, you can bet I'll keep being interested in Mercyme.