Presents The Christmas Classics EP
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House Of Heroes In lieu of last year's turning point for the band, House of Heroes has been doing their darnedest to make sure you remember them, all through a series of three 3-song EPs. First it was acoustic, then it...
Family Force 5's Christmas Pageant
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FF5 (formerly Family Force 5) It seems that every year I hear yet another person expressing their hate for Christmas music. After all, it's the same classics spelled the same different ways, by the same voices. For these people, there's...
Hello Hurricane
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Switchfoot I'll admit it. After such a long drought of a solid album (their whole career), and the recent draught of even a decent album (Since 'Beautiful Letdown'), I kind of gave up on Switchfoot. Add to that the...
Relient K Shows Growth, But Still Not Quite There | Posted July-11-2007
It took a year to grow as Relient K released their second album. There were still references in the song lyrics"Breakfast at Tiffany's, Mr. Ed, Star Wars, Thundercats, Maybelline, Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Brian Wilson. But there are actually songs concerning worship.
Distinctive from its predecessor, references utilize fun, as opposed to exemplifying a point. A case in point is "Maybe it's Maybeline" which addresses our fixation with blame""Maybe it is them. Maybe it is me. Or, maybe it's Maybeline."
The vocals clearly have grown, as shown in "Lion Wilson," a concise a cappella song. The tunes also have advanced, taking more of a punk feel, but varied with acoustic guitar for worship songs.
Songs like "Sadie Hawkins Dance" and "I'm Lion-O" are enjoyable, and call the listener to dance. However, the real highlight is again an edgy song titled "Failure to Excommunicate," which speaks of excommunication in the world, racism, and loving outcasts.
Overall, an entertaining album; the group has enhanced their sound, but there's still room to grow.
Relient K Brings Their A-Game | Posted July-11-2007
Two years later and Relient K is ready to bring game. Songs focus on girls, God, and life's various challenges. While pop culture still pops up sporadically"Jefferson Airplane, Britney Spears, 80's" all referenced, they're clearly backdrops to more mature themes like moving forward in life.
Songs about the "complex infrastructure known as the female mind" are given droll twists"
ever give an emotional girl a mood ring? The band also found their forte"punk songs with wordplay. The best example would be "Mood Rings" with lines like, "If it's drama you want, then look no further. They're like the real world, meets boy meets world, meets days of our lives."
And the classic""And it just figures that we'll never figure them out, first she's Jekyll then she's Hyde ... at least she makes a lovely pair."
The highlight is "Jefferson Aero Plane," where the strengths of the band are united in an idiosyncratic song that takes wordplay up a few notches, provides stellar vocals, and one of the best melodies of the past five years. While the lyrics are cryptic at best, it's infectiously catchy, and one to remember, as genius flows a waterfall.
The tunes are fantastic as the guitar solos are brilliant and catchy in "Over Thinking." Overall, Two Lefts... is one for the CD collection. While imperfect, the album carries exceptional songs and is a worthy chapter in the band's legacy. As for entertainment, listen to the hidden track after "Jefferson Aero Plane," rest assured, you will not be bored.
Relient K Hits Gold and Oil In The Same Album | Posted July-11-2007
Relient K axed its old image and created a new one, minus a guitarist, plus two, bringing the lineup to five. Gone are the direct mentions of God, opting to design lyrics to mean either God, or a girl, depending on what you figured it. Most of Relient K's core fans saw the move as a sell out and a desertion of the band's roots. Departed are the pop culture references and in with themes of girls, breakups, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Most noticeable though, is the band's shift to more punk and hard rock.
This time the highlight is "The Only Thing Worse than Beating a Dead Horse Is Betting on One," a thinking man's song, a lyrical tour de force, a summarization of politics, and a caution toward the future. "Just listen to the politician wishing his position wasn't missing everything his heart would like to say. And the constant in the constitution is that there can't be one solution, it'd be so far from the truth that we would hate it anyway. Opinions are immunity to being told you're wrong; paper, rock, and scissors they all have their pros and cons. And all of us we will endure, just like we always have. But you just can't be too sure how long this will last. Cause we control the chaos, in the back of our minds our problems seem so small. But they grow on us like gravity. But gravity still makes us fall."
The only problem with the album is there's little originality; it's been done. That said; Relient K does it better, with construction of songs and substance of messages conveyed. Overall, a stellar rock album that fulfills with its well thought-out finality.
The Best Relient K Yet? | Posted July-11-2007
It's been three years, and an appearance on Jay Leno later, and Relient K is back, and changing the formula of the album yet again. The result is a blend of the best styles the band has to offer.
The vocals and music are as superb as ever; the music entertains, and the album pleases mainstream and Christian audiences, as the band once again mentions God.
Their fun side also returns, but with a more mature wit as "Crayons Can Melt on Us for All I Care" declares, "I just wasted ten seconds of your life."
The most impressive feature is that the album has three highlights.
- "Must Have Done Something Right" is a downright positive song that's very contagious with its use of wordplay, and will possess you to sing the lyrics long after the song ends.
- "Give" is a song that is somber but sweet, and while not the typical Relient K fare, the song works exceptionally with a great melody.
- Finally, the ten minute epic "Deathbed," a tale of a dying cancer patient reminiscing on his life, and finding peace with his past when he dies and goes to heaven. The great thing about the song is that it tells a story. The song also draws you into the emotion, so at the end you really get a sense of this guy's life and his pain. This is Relient K's "Hey Jude," an emotional epic that's a surprising crowd pleaser.
Overall, an acclaim worthy album that offers familiarity, as well as some very pleasant surprises. This could be Relient K's best album and for my money, it is.
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