Pieces of a Real Heart
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Sanctus Real Since releasing Say It Loud on Sparrow records Sanctus Real has been a consistent voice is CCM. Hits like "Things Like You (Everyone's Everything)," "I'm Not Alright," and "We Need Each Other" have...
Breaking The Silence EP
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The Letter Black Known as Breaking The Silence, The Letter Black or a Flyleaf/Fireflight re-make, one Tooth and Nail’s newest artists have now provided fans with their first project, Breaking The Silence EP. The band is...
Forget And Not Slow Down
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Relient K Forget And Not Slow Down sis not a Relient K album. Yes, on the side of an album is says ‘Relient K’, but comparing this release to Relient K’s career is difficult. This Relient K uses five new weapons...
A reentry rather than an Escape | Posted February-16-2009
Code of Ethics might not register very high on the house hold-name-list but it’s not for a lack of involvement in Christian music because Code of Ethics first CD came out 1991 (Visual Paradox). However over the years the band dropped off the radar and seemed destined to disappear completely when lead singer Barry Blaze was involved in a very serious auto mobile accident. Overcoming injuries, both emotional and physical, Barry Blaze has retooled Code of Ethics techno pop/dance music to appeal to the latest generation of listeners. Those new to Code of Ethics will get hints of retro style music sprinkled within Escape in Egypt, however Blaze does a commendable job of synthesizing his music to keep up with the higher quality of music. The greatest flaw is the techno beats driving the music in nearly every song on the album rarely change throughout the course of the song.
The title track is heavily synthesized, and while the beat is complex, the techno music undergoes little change which causes the song to be overly repetitive. It’s easy to say ‘same song, second verse’ but it’s more like ‘same album, next song’ with the next track “Beautiful Lamb” which includes very repetitive techno music along with a worship atmosphere. The techno “Can’t live a day” is rather weak except for the complex bridge, and although the piano driven bridge is also redeeming on “were you there” the song is far from cutting edge. Among other uninteresting tracks such as “something real” and “perfect” some of Code of Ethics electronic music shines through. “People are people” has an entertaining upbeat techno pop act going and the “Lost In Egypt (Desert Sand Mix)” is a step up from the original as it smartly incorporates the presence of guitar riffs.
It should come as no surprise that the major theme of Escape of Egypt is praise and worship, considering that Blaze was a worship leader in Florida. However there are some pleasant surprises’ along the way. “People are people” takes a thoughtful look at the anger people can have while trying to be understanding and loving (‘I can’t understand/What makes a man/Hate another man/Help me understand’). There are some inconsistencies with the strong songwriting in the cases of “escape from Egypt” and “were you there” that make the song more confusing than necessary. The title track focuses on the war between the flesh and spirit before wondering, in awe, Gods humility in becoming a man (‘A slave to my own sin/Can’t find my way out …I want to know the reason/Why would a King become a man’) and some of “were you there” connections to us are a little strange but are still well put (‘It was me that cursed your name/I rolled the dice your robe to gain/I forced a spear into your side’).
Sadly not everything is nearly that complex as several tracks on the album approach insipidity. “Perfect’s” lyrics are limited as the total song consists of ‘You’re beautiful/And perfect are your ways/Let all creation sing your praise’ and “Beautiful Lamb” is very similar only it’s far longer. The previously mentioned are the most extreme of some pretty simple tracks which leads to another flaw in with the lack of tracks. Not counting the remix of the title track and “perfect” the Escape from Egypt is only nine songs long, a disappointing display after being out of action for so long. On the positive side the overall complexity is good and the techno pop/dance is a unique quality which will probably be inviting to old fans of Code of Ethics.
VOTA has | Posted February-12-2009
Just how big is Casting Crowns? Well their third album, The Alter and the Door, was the second biggest album in the country when it hit stores (behind High School Musical 2’s soundtrack). They are also big enough to force the Nebraska natives group formerly called Casting Pearls to change their name to VOTA. Drummer Scott Rutz says “It’s a new day and a new chapter for this band,” about VOTA’s technical self titled debut.
Casting Pearl’s pop/rock/punk act remains intact remains mostly intact (with the exception of checking most of the punk at the door) drawing comparisons to the Newsboys upbeat pop acts. Leading off the album is “hard to believe in” which starts off well with a cry of ‘turn my world around’ and progresses to become snappy, upbeat pop/rock song which could be labeld as generic. “Give it to me” sound like “hard to believe in” with a throwback rock sound that isn’t flattering and “bye bye” hovers around original pop music and incoherent recklessness. However not all of VOTA’s efforts at originality end poorly because “Be mine” changes from a aggressive pop sound, similar to those of a former song “alright”, to the light refrain that is innovative.
The techno pop “Loves taken over” takes the album on a brief, but diverse electronic detour, and while VOTA didn’t invent the pop/punk wheel that “free to fail” spins on, the riffs help the tune to become catchy. “I’ll go” sounds like old school Sanctus Real in the worst way with the edgy rock beat and the gritty hooks. “In my heart” is like a Afters’ ballad from their debut album complete with a adult contemporary/light pop sound with some worship sprinkled in for good measure.
By the time the last song goes by there is a feeling that VOTA’s lyrics contain little more than empty anthems. “Hard to believe in” does tackle redemption ( ‘oh how I've wasted time/I spent my life running from you…You filled my heart with Your love/and turned my world around’) and “bye bye” sounds cliché (give me peace/make me whole’). Like the before mentioned most of the albums references of Christ are restricted to clear pronouns. Among unchallenging songs like “I’ll go” and “be mine” stands “free to fail” and “save ourselves” which admits futility without Christ: ‘we cannot save ourselves we’. A surprising edge is shown on “Give it to me” (‘give me a sign/give us something real’).
VOTA has erred on the side of caution. Instead of casting their lot with upbeat acts like MxPx, Run Kid Run, and Hawk Nelson as Casting Pears, VOTA toned down their music to appeal to a more contemporary crowd. However in doing so the band may have sealed off a portion of a would-be fan base who would have liked their catchy punk/rock tunes and lost those Newsboys fans who may feel that “not finished” might be too heavy for their tastes. VOTA’s self titled disc puts themselves in the middle and it will be interesting to see if their music will be innovated enough to attract fans they won’t get with their lyrics.
Innocence or Instinct? | Posted February-11-2009
When Red burst onto the scene in 2006 their debut album The End of Silence was hailed as a brilliant hard rock crosser-over album. While it seems longer than two and a half years since their debut which bagged a Grammy nomination Now Red is back with their sophomore album Innocence and Instinct a rock CD that explores the inner fight that we all battle.
Unlike most hard rock bands Red doesn’t deal in blazing guitar riffs, or screaming vocals though there are spots of both, Red’s music thrives on artistic music leading up to very up-tempo songs which are controlled brilliantly by lead singer Mike Barnes. The opening track “Fight inside” gives a lot of insight on what to expect on Innocence and Instinct: the cutting-edge instrumental intro, which begins many of the albums songs, paves the way for the hard rock music to begin, however the band restricts their loud base and blaring music allowing them their hard melodies to be very accessible even to those who don’t like hard rock. The one drawback to “fight inside” and on other tracks, is the absolutely unnecessary outburst of screaming vocals and demon hunter-like music which messes up the balance of the song.
The Achilles Heel of the music is those out-of-place shifts to a heavy metal band which deserves an entire rack—not a place on already solid tracks that have a great rhythm. The constant intrusion of sceamo infiltrates around a artistic chorus on “out from under” a song that compacts metal, with good hard rock often before ending in a rare electric guitar frenzy. The leading up to the incredibly crisp refrain of “death of me” is muffled rock music which points to the artistic qualities of Red along with “never be the same” which is the weakest song in terms of originality but still packs a punch.
It’s strange to hear a song like “shadows” which features the song writing of Benjamin Burnley (Breaking Benjamin) show the restraint to go over the top with heavy rock music and even stranger when the song ‘s tune is almost upbeat totally opposite to serious topics that are being sung about. This non joyless style, echoed in the covering of Duran Duran’s song “ordinary world”, is both unexpected and brilliant. A couple more examples of Red’s excellence is “start again” which is another song which stays hard but doesn’t go over the top and “mystery of you” which has a Flyleaf and Anberlin flair with it’s immensely enjoyable artistic rock tune.
The inner battle within all of us is detailed in Romans 7:18-25 and guitarist Jasen Rauch expounds on that theme: ‘Innocence and Instinct is about the duality of man. The album examines the fight between our childlike innocence and the instinctive side which makes us do things we shouldn’t’. “Confession (Whats Inside My Head)” is the title track in theme as it admits ‘It's part of my instinct’ but eventually runs toward the innocence of life ‘I'll run away/From everything I hate/Take this away/Help me escape/Take this away’. That subject is dwelled upon in “death of me” which wrestles with addiction to, regrettably, no positive outcome and so does “fight inside” when considering the internal clash (‘It's breaking me/I'm falling apart’).
To be fair there is a decent amount of angst, frustration, and hopelessness spread across Red’s ten track CD. “Out from under” cries from a dark place for God’s help but receives no answer and the final cut “take is all away” echoes similar sorrow (‘I'm breaking, I can't do this on my own/Can You hear me screaming out?/Am I all alone?’). Unfortunately “Ordinary world” does take a humanist stance on the trouble of this life (‘And as I try to make my way/To the ordinary world/I will learn to survive’). However it would be unfair to ignore all the positive outcomes that rise through the instinct like “shadows” which doesn’t rely on inner strength while standing in darkness, but God (‘I'm holding on to You/I'll never let go/I need You with me as I enter the shadows’). Other songs like “mystery of you”, “start again”, and “never be the same” all acknowledge the one key for survival, though admittedly the references to God are restricted to pronouns.
So where does this album lie: Innocence or Instinct? There is enough depression to pick on to take the instinct side yet what about the tracks that echo salvation clearly? There is no clear cut answer but for those who take the time to discern and pick apart Red’s conflict between the flesh and the spirit will be rewarded with hope and a stunning rock album to go along with it.
There is very little 'Happiness' | Posted May-04-2009
It’s been a while since the Fray’s debut album How to Save a Life, nearly four years in fact. I’ll save you time right now and tell you I wish that the Fray had waited a little longer and seriously considered what they put in their album because the Fray’s self titled album isn’t the CD that brought us “how to save a life” or “Cable car (over my head)”. It is a darker side of a band that has perhaps spent too much in the mainstream media.
Not much has changed dramatically on the musical front: Isaac Slade still brings his Jon Forman like vocals to solemn piano driven pop, rock tunes which might frustrate some who wanted more variety this time around. The first single “you found me” gives a good taste of what that album is like with Slade’s emotional vocals leading a very good pop/light rock chorus but the one drawback is the artistically lacking bridge. The piano is solid on “syndicate”, but the song isn’t lights out as the piano driven rock tune, “enough for now”. “Say when” struggles to stay together as the music shifts too incoherently but the band does pull the sound together to make a good aggressive rock push towards the end of the song.
The repetition in “where the story ends” prevents it from becoming another how to save a life but the upbeat pop blends well with the piano, and “never say never” is another would-be solid light track that is marred with too many of Slade’s ‘don’t let me go’. The most diverse song on the album is “we build then we break” which spins a little alternative music into the pop rock. One thing the CD is not lacking in is adding some haunt in there many melancholy ballads. Although “happiness” starts out surprisingly with a guitar the light pop tune eventually ends the album with the piano but “ungodly hour” solemn sound isn’t enough to save a pretty boring song. Another drawback is that you would expect a band that has just awakened from their slumber to give fans more than ten songs.
Isaac Slade, who is a committed Christian, steered his debut away from clear spiritual matters but the sophomore project does include more obvious references to our creator. “You found me” is very encouraging at first with the opening line ‘I found God’ builds off that ‘Lost and insecure, you found me’. Sadly Slade’s encounter of God finds the almighty smoking a cigarette and Slate questioning his timing (‘Why'd you have to wait?/Where were you? Where were you?/Just a little late.’). in the midst of a song about a relationship (Say the word and I will be your man’) “Say when” seems to acknowledge God’s ability to move nations as he please and “when the story ends” bring ups up Christ ‘To forget what I’ve done, silhouette til the good lord come’ but the song itself isn’t very comforting.
Other problems surface themselves throughout like the creepy “we build then we break” which contains disturbing references to stalking a lovers former man in attempts at revenge by drowning (‘Cause I will be 2 steps behind /You will not know what’s got you/Oh so you’re sorry now/All is not well, it’s not ended/Hold your breath til its over/There’s something left underwater’). Things are not very cheerful on “Happiness” which depressingly take a cynical view of happiness (‘Happiness feels a lot like sorrow’) and even throws in a mild profanity. One positive is among one of the many girl/guy relationship songs “Syndicate” does offer hope in a time of trouble (‘Don't open til the morning light/Don't ever forget/We haven't lost it all yet’).
Those who were looking to the Fray for the first great release of the year will have to wait some more. Those who were looking for a positive complex rock album from the Fray will have to wait even longer. The Fray’s references to God might have gone up but the overall qualities of the lyrics went straight down.
The lyrics are out of Order | Posted February-04-2009
If the career of Jon Forman has taught us anything it’s that he is multitalented and is no stranger to doing something new. However to focus purely on Forman on his latest enterprise would be a unfair considering that the duo, called Fiction Family, is actually a duo with Sean Watkins from Nickel Creek. The self titled debut album is product of work that has been long in the making for these considerably talented musicians.
The work of Fiction Family doesn’t stray far from Forman’s solo acoustic pop acts but is more diverse and upbeat than Forman’s folk music. The opener, “When she’s near”, gives listeners a good dose of guitar driven pop folk sound while blending both Forman and Watkins’ vocals well. However that sound, particularly the duet, doesn’t show up again on Fiction Family except for some spread out bits and pieces. Instead listeners are exposed to a good amount of moody guitar ballads like “betrayal” and “mostly prove me wrong”.
It’s clear that going into Fiction Family some might undervalue Watkins role but those who hear the southern sounding “not sure” will be impressed with his ability to lead a song. But the show is seemingly stolen by Forman who sings on most of the songs which is unfortunate because Watkins rare opportunities to sing solo (“elements”) are very good.
With both band members having a vast familiarity with many instruments intricate songs like the soft upbeat pop tune “Out of order” and the light southern “closer than you think” are sunny spots on the album. What’s not so sunny is the album’s interludes that occasionally pop up on the end of some tracks; the result is distracting, unnecessary and usually not very complex. Also in the midst of the folk tracks and acoustic ballads are some dry songs like “War in my blood” and “please don’t call it love”.
Watkins’ description of Fiction Family doesn’t include any mention of God so it’s unlikely that spiritual references will show up. And they don’t’, with the exception of “closer than you think” which is a glimpse toward (‘the sky is much more blue/and the clouds are always white/the streets of course are gold). But mainly Fiction Family deals with relationship songs which are pretty pointless though some reflect good songwriting like “not sure” and “betrayal” where the strong spot is really an astute observation rather than good girl guy cliché advice (‘Someone always wins/And then they write a book/I sing my defense/Fingering a different crook’).
I would more than happily stop the review right here and call it a very solid debut album with a few flaws. However when considering the other lyrics there do appear to be significant dent in Fiction Family other than their spiritually lacking messages. “Closer than you think” message gets a little marred (‘never mind your sister/when she asks you silly questions/about all the broken people left unfed /the burning questions are better left for dead’), and “mostly prove me wrong” is a dark song which offers no gives no for life (‘It's like I don't belong/No point in going on/Yeah come on prove me wrong’).
The obsession with trivial matters and the consuming signals that the thoughtful songs sent really hinder any messages that Fiction Family send. The duo of Jon Forman and Sean Watkins is impressive and the music that they have concocted will more than satisfy those who like Forman’s EPs but the significantly watered down lyrics is a far cry from Forman’s seasonal EPs.
Julian Drive's Day will have to wait | Posted January-30-2009
Anyone looking into Julian Drive’s résumé will invariably run into 2004 Exalting Him National Talent Search which the band won while prevailing against the 1999 other contestants. The eventual sighing with Inpop records led to their debut pop/rock/southern worship album My Coming Day.
While comparisons range from Casting Crowns, Mark Shultz, and Daughtry the obvious and under looked comparison to Julian Drive is 33 Miles. Shane Bowers’ lead vocals is very similar to that of 33 Miles front man Jason Barton, and the southern music is simply a little more up tempo with Julian Drive. The guitar driven pop sound in “In you” has southern sound to it but its too generic and the underwhelming “you can” sounds far too much like 33 miles. The first demanding song on the album, “cry” certainly got help from Bowers’ vocals but the song still lacked musically.
The aggressive medium rock “The fight is yours” did a solid job of keeping the emotion level high through the entire song and the Afters-“Never going back okay”-like tune “unplug” moved past it’s rough spots to be an enjoyable electronically charged pop/rock tune that is a more memorable song on the album. Sadly the strength of “the fight is yours” and “unplug” doesn’t translate into the rest of the album for the rock tracks. Representing the soft songs and ballads, the title track offers very little potential while it blends a more significant worship sound than most other songs on the album, although “the reason” offers a very intriguing piano light pop sound.
To their credit Julian drive offers a solid Biblically prospective in their songwriting. That aside, truth be told, originality is somewhat lacking in the lyrics. “From your hands” will almost certainly get questioningly glances with it’s very similar Tenth Avenue North “love is here” lyrics (‘True love was pouring from Your hands’). Solid, if not terribly deep, messages are passed along in the form of admiring Jesus while relating the messages of grace and hope “you can” and “from your hands”. “Unplug” takes a very electronic approach to pushing away things that interfere with our relationship with God (‘I turn around, I see Your face, open arms for my embrace/You were only one step away’).
If you think this analysis of My Coming Day has been a little harsh that’s okay because their lyrics are God filled and the music is not bad. The problem is that only a few songs venture out into deep categories as most of Julian Drives lyrics stay in shallow water (“my coming day”, “in you” and “one step away to name a few). As for the pop rock at its best it’s good but for the most part it stays at mediocre. I’d like to say My Coming Day is sure sign of future Juliann Drive efforts and a grand career but I can only hope.
Colman's History doesn't go back far enough | Posted January-28-2009
Although Paul Colman is not a household name his actions surrounding Christian music can be found easily with his work with his band The Paul Colman Trio, his many radio singles including “fill my cup” and “the one thing”, performing with the Newsboys for a few years and most recently putting together his sophomore project History.
While fans might get excited about Colman’s first project since his debut in 2005 (let it go) there is actually little to get excited about for those who are searching for new martial. History contains several of singles and a few covered songs (one belonging to the very reputable Toby Keith). However getting if can you can past Colman’s lack of innovation or have not yet heard the guitarist than it might be worth it to pick up a copy of his pop/light rock/acoustic style of music.
Probably one the best song on the album is pop/rock single “Run” which is a fun version which sounds like a lighter version Five Iron Frenzy’s “Kamikaze” despite some lame bits of music. However the surrounding singles are not nearly as strong musically like the simple “fill my cup”, “the one thing which is a decent but not very complex worship song, and pop tune “turn” which suffers because it’s poorly place electric guitar riffs. Colman’s version of Delirious?’s “History maker” opens with a muffled electric intro that shifts well into upbeat medium rock chorus Which, surprisingly enough, sounds like the News Boys.
The second half of the album sounds like it’s a live performance only the excellent “the killing tree” is live which is probably a good addition to the already strong solemn sounding complex light rock song. However besides another one of Colman’s cover song “sweet song of salvation” little are great songs, though some have good components. “I own it all” has a little worship flair to the solid ending ballad, and while “all U need” is not overpowering Colman puts a solid amount on emotion on the light track.
If you thought that the music went up and down the lyrics share a similar ride, though its high’s doesn’t often reach altitude. Fortunately Colman didn’t write the purely music driven “sweet song of salvation” because it’s lyrics rank lower than a Sunday school song. While Colman was able to take most of the country out of “If I was Jesus” the song is still a little cliché and takes a very nonchalant look into Christ’s life though some of the lyrics are thoughtful (‘I'd have some friends that were poor/I'd run around with the wrong crowd, man I'd never be bored/Then I'd heal me a blind man, get myself crucified’).
Aside from some other lyrically weak songs ("Gloria (All God's Children)" and unrealistic “fill my cup) there are some solid messages though not many are eye opening. “Turn” wonders why it takes tragedy to bring us together, while “solution” calls believers to be a radical like Christ in this world, and “all U need”, which has songwriting on par the very skillful “killing tree” asks good questions (‘Do you believe that we'll live forever/Or will just go back to the dust we're from? /When morality's up for sale/Do you still believe in a right and wrong’).
A best of for a guy who has technically put out one album seems a little absurd but the results are fine—if you can get past the cover tracks among other parts which don’t reflect originality. So for those seeking a pop album with plenty of acoustic and praise and worship side martial will be happy Paul Colman’s history, but those who are already a fan will probably take a hike.
A fresh and accessible spin on already covered ground | Posted January-29-2009
Although the demand for Tim Hughes’s music has certainly dropped from his smash hit single “here I am to worship” his debut album (named after his dove award winning song) has still unfortunately remained unnoticed even though many of Hughes other worship songs probably would have been hits as well.
While Hughes’s worship music isn’t new his fresh style doesn’t sound as forced as some of MercyMe’s work and his passionate vocals are both appealing aspects to his otherwise simple music. In the case of “day after day” a happy medium is discovered with a more complex tune than Matt Redman and, unlike Lincoln Brewster, avoids a repetitive song. “May the Words of My Mouth” has a basic guitar driven beat while still sounding fresh and accessible and although "If there is one thing we are called to do" that mainly relies on its inspirational tune and the songwriting which contains the anthem for the album ‘(If there's one thing we are called to do/It's to love You, to adore You’).
The only drawback to solid the light upbeat praise and worship “I'll Always Love You” is the unnecessary excessive length of the track. Hughes’s fine vocals take much of the heat off of the traditional sounding worship “day after day” and his vocals also greatly help “Maker of All Things” which is already a strong song. The title track isn’t a musical giant on the album but the emotion surrounding the song plus the very popular theme ‘Here I am to worship/Here I am to bow down/Here I am to say that you're my God’ is what made it a hit.
Unfortunately not everything on Here I am to Worship is uplifting or ear-pleasing. The soft “Never Lose the Wonder” is too simple to be a memorable ballad that lacks verity and passion. It’s also the beginning of a very underwhelming ending of songs like “Eyes of My Heart”. “My Jesus, My Lifeline” is the weakest point in terms of song writing because with a simple exchange of Jesus’ name for ‘baby’ makes it a cheesy love song. Also with the weak exception of “may the words of my mouth” (‘And I'll look not for riches, nor praises on earth/Only You'll be the first of my heart’) little new insight is offered by Hughes.
There is a steady amount of things to like about Here I am to Worship besides the title track such as his several passion filled songs and Tim Hughes ability to offer a nice spin on already trail-blazed ground. However the fact that most of what Hughes work isn’t original will probably be the deciding factor in a generally underrated worship album.
If Time is Fiction, what else is? | Posted January-19-2009
After an impressive debut album, A Burn and a Shiver, the alternative indie rock quartet named after and Thomas Alva Edison and composer Philip Glass is out to avoid putting clichés in their music. And avoid clichés out they do as nothing on Edison Glass’ sophomore album, Time is Fiction, is typical of any rock group.
While discussing the style of music on their second album lead singer Josh Silverberg said that “instead of trying to toward a certain style, we’re writing happens and letting that be the style”. The first three songs definitely lean toward that style. In the ten minutes listeners are exposed to a rough frenzy of reckless indie rock (“let go”), fast paced incoherent vocals and tunes (“Cold condition”), and strange guitar riffs and pop rock music (“without a sound”). Sadly (or not so sadly to those who prefer disjointed indie rock music) many of the bands tune are disorganized such as the unflowing “The jig is up” which has Silverberg screaming in places, and the light guitar driven “chances”. There isn’t too much on Time is Fiction that is radio friendly, in fact if you are going to take in Edison Glass’ music it will take a significant investment.
Those who stuck it out will find plenty of solid alternative tracks to enjoy. While “all our memories” is disjointed the Myriad-like-alternative-sound has a good indentifying chorus and although “time is fiction” starts out with the simple disjointed sound which engulfs a good portion of the album the song progresses and becomes a complex highlight with terrific music. The guitar led ballad “Jean Val Jean”, while not absolutely jaw-dropping, is impressive as it has the highest amount of emotion on the CD. Silverberg high vocals mix excellently with Josh Morin vocals on the more traditional rock tune “Children in the streets” and “see me through” excels with its originally placed background vocals, a consistent beat, and impressive guitar riffs.
The music isn’t the only thing avoiding clichés as their songs certainly don’t portray ordinary song writing. While it’s good to stick with originality it’s not so smart to boil down the spiritual references to Cold Condition’s ‘We need warmth to come/In our cold condition/We need you to visit us’. Fortunately amid the vague references to God are calls to Him on the title track (‘I can hear it/You told me I can be a plug/All I have to do is believe/And I all I need to do is breathe’), “the jig is up” which puts trust in Christ, and “end of you” which contemplates God’s beauty and glory. Strong songwriting shows up in the form of “Jean Val Jean” about the prisoner in Les Miserables and his choice ‘between grace and pride’. The convicting “children in the streets” raises attention to those in poverty.
Among the well crafted music, well written lyrics, is well, a flawed album. Getting the most out of Time is Fiction will definitely require a few spins and probably a few skipped tracks, but in the end Edison Glass’ group of spiritually vague, yet relevant songs with innovated alternative indie music alongside is a solid sophomore effort.
Who is Leading: the Angels or the Serpents? | Posted January-16-2009
In the introduction of C.S. Lewis’s book The Great Divorce, Lewis offers the concept of a person moving either towards hell or heaven. There is no in between. The title track Payable On Death’s (P.O.D.) latest album, When Angles and Serpents Dance, portrays that very concept (‘One must lead in the dance, Who's leading you?’). It’s particularly interesting that one of the lone bands that have been consistently a voice for Christ in the mainstream media should be singing about such a theme.
The music has always been a priority for P.O.D. and they have always been very consistent with their rap/rock/reggae but When Angels and Serpents Dance is not quite as crisp as fans might have hoped. Certainly the leading hard rock song “addicted” does a solid job paving the way with its blazing guitar riffs and a flowing brigade despite some hard vocals bordering screaming and some unpleasant sounding verse’. Overall the lighter rock song, with a slight punk and reggae influence, “shine with me” is a strong song but Sonny Sandoval lead rigid vocals doesn’t handle the punk well and ‘Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala’ part in the song is pretty weak.
Some fans might be a little surprised by how often the flow of hard rock songs are broken up but the light rock/pop song “It can’t rain everyday” has a good tune and the frequent electric guitar strings are a good touch but the guitar driven “Tell me why” is a surprisingly solid ballad though the music undergoes little change. “Condescending” is one of standout rock songs with blazing riffs and a tune that sounds surprisingly like Anberlin and “Kalifan-Eye-A is traditional P.O.D. hard rock song which includes wild ending frenzy. The best song overall is the intense “When Angels and Serpents Dance” uses a almost flawless rock formula with the exception of the out-of-place hard bridge.
However many of the rock tunes are letdowns from the diverse but awkward and sometimes annoying “I’ll be ready” to “god forbid” which has big riffs and hard music but is pretty low on the verity scale. The light finale “rise against” doesn’t have enough verity, emotion, or drive to make it a highlight and while instrumental “roman empire” sounds cool at first a couple of listens but after a few more it becomes obvious that P.O.D. could have made things a little more interesting. Parts of sound very artistic “End of the world” but the ordinary rock tune doesn’t really sound like conventional P.OD. except the chorus. Another thing is the intros, usually consisting of electric guitar strings or loud riffs, don’t transition well into the rest of the song.
The message title cut lays down a solid foundation for the album asking what forces pull your life and even the band: is it the Angles or the Serpents? While God’s name is never mentioned P.O.D.’s metaphor for Him (‘Jah’) show up on the shallow “shine with me” (‘With a vision inside Jah love/The earth and the moon and the sun will align/With the voice from the sky above/One love’) and “Kalifan-Eye-A” which pays tribute to the bands point of origin (‘To overstand, I will stay in Jah ways to keep from going insane.’). “Rise against” ask leaders to be willing to die for what’s right (‘Rise against!/rise up for what is right!/stand alone!/are you willing to try?’).
The group offers hope to a hated girl, a father without work, a woman who faced a miscarriage ("It Can't Rain Everyday) and "God Forbid" is about drawing lines between ourselves and the world’s hostile position to our beliefs ("We're so used to bowing down that we forget how to stand up"). “End of the world” borrows from the scripture (‘the False Prophets claim to be the answer… Famine in the land of your fathers… And this is how you know it’s the end’) while “I’ll be read” takes a stand against evil with Jah’s help (‘Lord it’s getting hard but I’m trying’).
Unfortunately not everything about P.O.D.’s lyrics are clear as it’s hard to tell if “tell me why” is strictly anti-war but it leans heavily toward it (“The truth is never told/if victory is freedom then the truth is untold…No more! No war!”). “Addicted” does portray the devastating effect of addiction but spooky lines like ‘Deal me up another hit of self mutilation /Let me blow my brains’ are a little uneasy. Guilt, shame and unforgiveness result in anger on This Ain't No Ordinary Love Song". Members from uncomforting bands (Page Hamilton of Hemlet and Mike Muir of Suicidal Tendencies) show up throw the course of the album.
Such blatantly Christian lyrics leaves no question who is leading P.O.D.’s dance but there will need to be some interpreting throw some of the lyrics for entirely smooth sailing. Sadly what usually follows superb music actually leads the album as very few songs are cutting edge and P.O.D.’s signature sound becomes more generic leaving fans to go back to youth of the nation”, “satellite”, “good bye for now” or “if it wasn’t for you”.
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