The Bigger Picture
by
Jerry Jerry Fee is a Boise, Idaho transplant who has recently plugged his electronic sensibilities into the Nashville music community. His sound is a unique marriage between a throwback-to-the-80s-sound and...
A Great Pioneering Effort in Christian Hardcore | Posted July-31-2011
Hardcore band These Hearts is released their latest work on July 21, the cleverly titled Forever Ended Yesterday. The album runs very much in the same vein of albums from bands like Before Their Eyes, leaning heavily on hardcore and metal roots with a few unique pop-styled twists that claim a sound of their own.
The album kicks off with the energetic single “Apology Rejected.” The song sets the tone for the rest of the record, leaning heavily on clean vocals though featuring some solid screaming as well. The track also brings out some gang vocals, a feature that comes back often throughout the album. The opening track is the one that will connect most easily with a wider audience, and sets the standard for the lyrical content of much of the album. The singer talks about regretting a relationship with a girl, seeking forgiveness while struggling with the destructive consequences of his actions. The song asks questions more than it answers, but it offers hope as the bridge screams, “with God as my guide, my wounds will heal in time.”
Other songs are much more hard-hitting than the opener, coming in with in-your-face guitar riffs and aggressive vocals. A good example of this is the track “Romans 15,” one of the strongest songs on the album.
This track talks about supporting others when they fall, and it begins with the shouted words of Romans 15:1: “We the strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak." Another harder cut is “Denial Is Not Just a River in Egypt,” a track that manages to be heavy while still carrying a very fluid melody. The very strong vocals offered by vocalist Ryan Saunders help to maintain this balance. This song also tackles the challenges of relationships from the perspective of a Christian, speaking into the life of a struggling girl with the line, “If you saw like my God, you'd know that you are loved.”
The guitar work is strong throughout the album, particularly on tracks like “Are You Mad?” and the intense, almost frenzied lament “Live to the Point of Tears.” The drum work takes more of a background role than usual for this genre, but fast paced metal-styled beats come out on some of the tracks, such as the title track.
There are some moments of musical experimentation that add a distinctive stamp to the album. One of these comes with the brief interlude “Self Respect,” which is essentially some meaty guitar riffs with a brief spoken sound byte simply saying, "Today we're going to be talking about self respect.” Another memorable moment comes towards the end of the incredibly solid track “Live to the Point of Tears,” where the sound of squealing tires and sirens is incorporated into the instrumentation.
Few hardcore albums are complete without a ballad, and Forever Ended Yesterday is no exception. The heartfelt “Thinking In Terms of Two” takes that role. The song is written about a wedding, mostly from the point of view of the groom but featuring some strong female backing vocals as well. The track leans entirely on the vocals and acoustic guitar. It is a refreshing and optimistic moment in an album that otherwise deals more with struggling relationships.
Closing Thoughts
The album is a strong release that carries its momentum all the way from the catchy first track to the strong closer. Musically, the album mostly sticks to tried and true hardcore methods, but they bring some creative elements in as well that make the album memorable and well worth looking into. With the lyrics, These Hearts tackles common themes of the hardcore and post-hardcore genres (loneliness, faltering relationships, and regret), but they do so with an underlying foundation of faith that adds a refreshing note of hope.
Christian hardcore is still a field that is explored by only a brave few, and those few often are confined to underground status. That said, These Hearts has put forth a solid album that does an exceptional job forging ahead in a challenging field.
Danen Kane has been around for a while, but he's mostly managed to slip under the radar. Judging by the quality of his latest release, that could soon change.
Released in June, Love is Waiting is Kane's first full album release since 2006's She, and his major label debut. Some of the tracks on the album were also featured on the 2009 EP Awakening, so those who have followed his work will find Love is Waiting to be pretty familiar.
On his blog, Danen Kane told his fans, “I have spent more hours than I can count pouring myself into this thing. So many sleepless nights thinking about every detail. Every part. Every beat. Every sound.”
That is immediately apparent from the start of the first track, the vulnerable “I Found Love.” The song talks about the broken condition of a heart searching for love, the honest lyrics backed by Kane's incredibly expressive vocals.
Most of the tracks have a strong acoustic leaning, which gives them a more stripped down and accessible feel--more like a very polished living room jam session than an impressive studio creation. Danen Kane has a few tracks that break from the general laid-back feeling, notably the very catchy “Inheritance,” which feels almost jazz-influenced at times. Another stand-out track is “Lullaby for the Forgotten.” This track is primarily built on the interplay between a cello, piano, guitar, and a melody immediately reminiscent of childhood lullabies. The song speaks with hope to forgotten children around the world.
Other songs deal more directly with everyday struggles through the lens of faith. “Take it All Away” calls out the spiritual complacency that comes with being self-centered, and “Forgive” speaks about forgiving those who hurt us because of God's love. Each song is crafted around Danen Kane's strong vocals and his acoustic guitar.
Many of the tracks could be sung as worship songs, but they have an unusual element of raw, human honesty even in the midst of praise. It is an incredibly refreshing element to find, particularly on tracks like “Home”, “Awakening” and the upbeat “Alive.” These are tracks that are honest about the singer's broken condition, honest even about the things that get in the way of worship, while still talking about God's faithfulness and love.
Throughout the album, this honesty is one of the greatest strengths. A good example is found in the opening words of the song “Beautiful Mess,” when Kane sings: “Every day I wake to find You, every day I fall apart.”
The songs are honest also about joy, such as in the energetic “Every Day,” a tune that seems perfectly created for singing along. Another of the strengths here is the extreme attention to detail. Every song displays a musical craftsmanship that is often lacking in a world of over-produced songs and rushed albums.
Danen Kane displays a mastery of his art hardened and sharpened by many long years on the road. Whether in acoustic tracks like the searching “Home” and more typical pop-formatted tracks like “You Came For Me,” every element of the instrumentation and the lyrics feels incredibly well crafted.
Closing Thoughts
Love Is Waiting is a very strong release, both in regards to the quality of the music and the content of the lyrics. Every single song feels incredibly genuine—hopeful and yet tempered with vulnerable brokenness. It's definitely worth looking into for anyone who enjoys worship music, acoustic music, or very well-crafted songs in general. I could see several of these tracks doing well on the radio, and I very much hope they do. Danen Kane is an artist who needs to be put on the map.
'Dolphins' Wades in the Deep End of Synth-Pop | Posted May-16-2011
So far, 2011 has been a strong year for debut albums. This week synth-pop project Swimming With Dolphins will add to the growing list of anticipated debuts as they release their first album, Water Colours.
The band is the brainchild of Austin Tofte, a Minnesota native who originally formed the project with Adam Young (who would later move on to Owl City fame). Swimming With Dolphins employs other musicians live, but Tofte carries the bulk of the studio work by himself.
Watercolors marks the beginning of Swimming With Dolphins' tenure with Tooth & Nail, following up an independent EP released in 2008. The album takes its place with the other Christian artists who are exploring the synth-pop universe in the wake of Owl City’s success.
The album is surprisingly mellow overall, particularly considering the genre. The album opens with the love song “Holiday,” which relies heavily on back-and-forth male and female vocals. Here the somewhat cynical lyrics seem to contrast with the upbeat backing. This track sets the tone for much of the album, creating an atmosphere that is further cemented by the melancholy “Easy.”
Some of the tracks do take a slightly more upbeat, almost dance vibe. The shimmering “Sleep to Dream” is one of these tracks. Tracks like “Diplomat” and “Jacques Cousteau” add some new themes to the album, taking on the general theme of apathy. “Diplomat” does have the somewhat random placement of some stronger-than-expected language, using “why the h***” at one point towards the middle of the song. This proved a bit jarring for me, and probably will for more than a few listeners.
The title track is halfway through the album and is one of the better songs offered here. The chorus is catchy and instantly memorable. Lyrically, this song also deals with a somewhat dysfunctional relationship.
One of the highlights of the album is the track “Captured,” which can be understood as a worship song encased in an ethereal synth-pop shell. The chorus is a cry of surrender. Tofte's vocals shine here as he sings, “You’ve got me down on my knees, my heart is yours and I am captured.”
The album finishes stronger than it begins. The track “Happiness” manages to sound simultaneously layered and yet very simple. This track also leans heavily on female vocals. The overall effect is haunting.
The closing track mixes things up a bit, drawing on rapper Mod Sun for a guest verse. This track is possibly the most positive and upbeat lyrically as well as musically. It is a strong finish and a good way to end a darker toned album on a positive note.
Closing Thoughts:
It is nearly impossible to listen to a contemporary synth-pop album without comparing it to Owl City, even more so when the album is released by one of Adam Young’s former side projects. This album definitely follows in some of the same musical veins as Owl City, but lyrically the two are vastly different.
Water Colours is an album of struggle, usually within the context of a romantic relationship. Tracks like “Captured” provide a much needed break from the somewhat moody overall framework, and I would like to see Tofte attempting more songs in that direction.
Regardless, the floating, dark, mellow atmosphere will probably appeal not only to synth-pop fans but also to anyone who needs good, moody music for a late night. Swimming With Dolphins does not bring anything incredibly new to the electronic table, but there is a refreshing originality in the tension maintained between the lyrics and music. The release is a promising display of elements that will hopefully be further developed in future albums.
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