Abandon EP
Posted April 28, 2009
By piano89,
Texas pop/rock act Abandon enters the Christian music scene with its self-titled debut
EP on Forefront Records (Rebecca St. James, tobyMac). Fervent lyrics and a biblical
message coupled with fresh, highly energetic music will surely grab your attention.
The members of Abandon began their ministry as a worship band. Upon cutting their
first demo, the band felt in need of a purpose. While touring throughout the Northwest,
Abandon became involved with Seven Project, an outreach program that coordinates
school events to discuss the current issues that teens face. This outreach helped the band to define its purpose: giving hope to young people.
When I first listened to Abandon, I immediately thought of After Edmund. The guitar
work and rhythms sound quite similar, most notably in “Providence” and “Hold On”.
However, their music lacks some of the creative chord progressions that After Edmund
incorporates into their music.
"Providence” is the perfect opener. A driving rhythm and punchy guitars in the verse lead
into a catchy chorus in which frontman, Josh Engler, vocalizes the story of Peter’s
denial of Jesus. “Three times were all he had to say yes, say yes/Say, yeah/But denial
seemed so beautiful.”
The album then takes a turn toward the pop genre with “Be Alive in Me”. The song talks
about feeling defeated from failures and longing for God’s renewal.
“Hold On” conveys the group’s purpose. The song brings a message of hope to those
who feel lost and alone. “Hold on, hold on, someone will find you / Hold on, hold on,
somebody loves you.”
“All Because of You” is a beautiful worship anthem simply about praising the Lord
through song. The melody is straightforward enough that it could possibly be used for
congregational worship.
“Here Waiting”, written from God’s perspective, is a reminder that the Lord waits for us
to come to Him. Isaiah 30:18 comes to mind: “The Lord waits for you to come to Him
so He can show you His love and compassion. For the Lord is a faithful God…”
The final track “Atmosphere” has an airy feel to it (as the name suggests), utilizing synth
pads and dreamy guitars. “It’s all about the atmosphere of God, the electricity of His
presence,” explains Josh. “I must decrease; He must increase. Healing happens when
you’re in the atmosphere of God.” From a musical standpoint, this is the weakest track
on the album. The song feels like it is trying to be something epic, but unfortunately,
“Atmosphere” ends up sounding uninteresting and mundane.
This six song release is just a taste of what’s to come from Abandon. Be on the lookout
for their full-length album Searchlights releasing September 8th.
Abandon is off to a great start with a solid debut. While they don’t necessarily re-invent
the wheel, they certainly have the potential to become a frontrunner in Christian music. I
am interested to see what their full-length release will bring. View All Music And Book Reviews By piano89 | View piano89's Profile
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