More Than Noise
by
Pocket Full Of Rocks Though new to me, “More Than Noise” is the third studio album from Pocket Full Of Rocks and is set to release March 2, 2010 on Myrrh Records.
PFOR’s lead singer/songwriter Michael Farren had this to...
Review: “More Than Noise”, Pocket Full Of Rocks | Posted May-01-2010
Though new to me, “More Than Noise” is the third studio album from Pocket Full Of Rocks and is set to release March 2, 2010 on Myrrh Records.
PFOR’s lead singer/songwriter Michael Farren had this to say, “A lot of what I’ve been sharing out on the road deals with losing your religion and finding relationship with an amazing God.” I personally believe that the message conveyed in these words and the title of the album are critical and vital for the Church at this time.
This seasoned five-piece, worship-focused band clearly have a message that, in my opinion, deserves to be heard. Listen to what else they had to say:
“Much of our message is that you’ve got to make more than noise. It’s easy to just walk into a room, sing the songs on the screen and lift your hands; but if you can walk out and not be transformed or see the world around you transformed, then that wasn’t worship. Real worship comes with change, both in you, and the world around you. If you encounter a real God in a real setting of worship, you can’t leave the same.“
Musically, PFOR’s style is, for me, reminiscent of Casting Crowns and Michael Farren’s vocal reminded me in places of Tom Petty. More Than Noise was produced by the more than capable Ed Cash (Chris Tomlin, Leeland, Steven Curtis Chapman, Bebo Norman) and from the opening song, “Alive” – the first single (co-written with Stu G, Delirious) – the album resonates with a vibrancy & passion (captured both musically and lyrically) that stirs your heart, fixes your attention firmly on the love, grace and goodness of God, and inspires and invokes heartfelt worship.
The album contains a number of songs that could easily be sung by congregations in a corporate gathering; songs like the anthemic ballads, “Ever Close To You“, “Wonderful” and “Let It Rain” (the song made popular on Michael W. Smith’s Worship Album – written by PFOR’s Michael Farren); the hymn-like, “Jesus Died My Soul To Save” and “Your Love For Me“; and the driving, “Let Our God Be Praised” and the opener “Alive“.
There are also songs that tell a story; songs like, “Strong“, “When Love Whispers Your Name” (written with Farren’s 14 year old daughter, Madison) and “Come As You Are” (co-written with Chad Cates & Tony Wood) – I love the opening lyric to this song, “He’s not mad at you and He’s not disappointed. His grace is greater still than all of your wrong choices.“
One of the songs which stands out for me is the final track, “A Worshipper’s Prayer“. It is a beautiful, intimate and honest song which brought me to tears when I first heard it; stripped down musically (piano & strings), you can hear the emotion in Farren’s voice as it cracks over the lyric:
“Here I am
And like a thousand times before I sing again
And when all my simple words have found their end
Once again I’m even more amazed
By the beauty and the mystery of your ways
Oh how marvelous to hear You call my name
So when there’s nothing left to bring
And there’s no song left to sing
Here I am.“
Worship was never about the songs we sing. It is so much more than that. I think PFOR understand that.
I shall be playing this album for some time to come!
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