Third Day: Offerings II: All I Have To Give (2003)

1. Sing a Song
2. You Are So Good to Me
3. Creed
4. Offering
5. Show Me Your Glory
6. Nothing Compares
7. Anything
8. God of Wonders
9. May Your Wonders Never Cease
10. The Everlasting
11. Medley: Give/Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus/With or Without You/Your Love Oh Lord
12. Take My Life

The Georgia boys' first foray into worship music proved so successful that they went back and drew deeper from the well for Offerings II.  They followed the same paradigm from the first album: a half live/half studio mix of originals and covers, some traditional-sounding and some re-worked, rocking out where appropriate and bringing friends like Michael Tait along for the ride.  And just like last time, the band solidified their image as the Southern Fried version of the Rock and Roll Worship Circus.  

The opening two tracks sound ready for Sunday morning...if the church in question's worship band moonlighted as a .38 Special tribute band.  "Sing a Song" and "You Are So Good to Me" are simple worship songs with big singalong choruses and Southern Gospel trimmings.  The band come up with a couple of meditative/spiritual tunes like "Offering" (which sounds like a made-to-order title track), "Anything" and "The Everlasting."  These studio tracks follow in the direction of the "deeper" songs from Come Together: Slow to mid-tempo ballads, spacious arrangements and lots of ethereal guitar effects.  

Speaking of which, "Show Me Your Glory" and "Nothing Compares" are featured among the live material, and stay fairly close to the studio versions, although "Nothing" features a spoken interlude from Mac (which is edited from the usual raps that went on for at least five minutes at the shows).  There's also "God of Wonders" from the City On A Hill album, featuring the aforementioned Mr. Tait on the second verse.  There's even another acoustic closer from Third Day, "Take My Life."  

But the most memorable tracks are the most warped in their arrangements. "Creed," which Mac rightfully attributes to "late great Rich Mullins," starts out with a plodding intro à la "War Pigs," then kicks into the typical TD workout, with an expected stop at the line, "On the third day, He rose again."  Then a long medley of seemingly unrelated worship tunes, built around the Time closer "Give." The band actually finds a better setting for it than the drawn-out feedback fest of the original, rolling right into the old hymn "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," then a snippet from U2's "With or Without You," finishing off with another Time track, the now-ubiquitous "Your Love Oh Lord."  

This second installment leaves me the same feelings I had with the first:  The band sounds earnestly in the Spirit as they worship the Lord, even though the songs do seem a little formulaic at times.  They're not going to be the next Christ Tomlin or Dave Crowder, but it's clear they love the Lord and appreciate their fans, and have established their sound.   

Relient K: The Bird And The Beesides (2008)

  

1. Where Do I Go From Here
2. The Scene and Herd
3. At Least We Made It This Far
4. The Last, The Lost, The Least
5. The Lining Is Silver
6. There Was No Thief
7. No Reaction
8. Curl Up and Die
9. You'll Always Be My Best Friend
10. There Was Another Time In My Life
11. Beaming
12. I Just Want You to Know
13. Bee Your Man
14. Up and Up (Acoustic)
15. Wit's All Been Done Before
16. The Vinyl Countdown
17. For the Band
18. Nothing Without You
19. A Penny Loafer Saved is a Penny Loafer Earned
20. Five Iron Frenzy is Either Dead or Dying
21. Five Iron Frenzy is Either Dead or Dying (Wannabe Ska Version)
22. Who I Am Hates Who I've Been (Acoustic)
23. Here I Go (Acoustic)
24. The Stenographer (Demo)
25. Jefferson Aeroplane (Demo)
26. Hope for Every Fallen Man (Acoustic)
27. Where Do I Go (Acoustic) 

As its title suggests, The Bird and the Beesides is essentially a mixed bag of would-B-sides (sorry, had to do it), outtakes, demos, and acoustic remakes of previously-released material.  Culled from the band's many EPs over the previous seven years, it's actually a compilation of two seperate releases: The Bird and the Bee Sides EP proper, which comprises the second half of the album, and the similiarly-punned Nashville Tennis EP.  As a body of work, it's a mish-mash by design, being comprised of tracks going back to '02, but all the usual bells and whistles are present: dorky puns, sweet hummable melodies, choirboy harmonies, and a modicum of angst.  

If there's something out of the ordinary, it's the proliferation of ballads and softer-sounding songs.  There's a few rockers thrown in there, like the single, "The Last, The Lost, The Least"--penned and sung by bassist John Warne--as well as "The Vinyl Countdown" and "The Scene and the Herd."  But the most interesting tracks are these acoustic guitar and keyboard-driven confessionals, letting Thiessen and the others get a little deeper than the fast numbers would allow.  

The Nashville songs are more of a piece, of course, being recorded in one time (2008) and space (The Music City).  The theme is loosely based around the young adult relationship angst of the last few albums, but written in the context of the travelling musician and the sacrifices of plying his trade.  "Where Do I Go From Here" starts the record off on a reflective note, asking "Where do I stand/Where can I find myself again" during a phone call home.  "At Least We Made it This Far" builds on the "taking stock of life's journey" vibe, with an optimistic view to the future.  There's a lot of synthesizers in this part, adding a slightly-cheesy mildness to the proceedings--again, probably intentional.  

There seems to be a lack of strong hooks in the songs, as if the guys are scaling back the pop sensibilities in favor of mood and atmospherics.  The biggest ear-catcher for me was the relatively downbeat "There Was Another Time in My Life," with an inter-verse "Ba-da-ba-ba" that livens up an otherwise draggy 3/4 ballad.  They also take the Nashville theme literally with quite a few country stylistics and flourishes.  

The Bird EP is less remarkable, although the aforementioned rockers lift it up, especially the autobiographical "For The Band," shouting out to fans who've been to all their shows.  They even pay homage to compadres Five Iron Frenzy, who were breaking up at the time (although they've since reformed).  The acoustic "Who I Am" Hates Who I've Been" is probably the most interesting of the relics on this side.  Overall, nothing too out-of-character for the K, but something from a different angle that the usual pop punk pleasures.

Audio Adrenaline: Underdog (1999)

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Tracks:

1. Mighty Good Leader
2. Underdog
3. Get Down
4. Good Life
5. Let My Love Open the Door
6. Hands and Feet
7. Jesus Movement
8. DC-10
9. It is Well with My Soul
10. This Day
11. It's Over
12. The Houseplant Song

With Burkum and Cissel permanently installed as members, Audio A upped their musicianship and after a couple of years of touring came up with an even stronger album, Underdog.  They still played around with samples, hip-hop beats and other assorted samples, but now cranked out heavier rock pieces in the spirit of Bloom.  Indeed, Burkum actually starts to sound like a Barry Blair disciple on this one, as his playing takes on much of the Southern-fried tones of the founding guitarist.  It's his electric grooves that provide much of the record's spark, as the first six tunes form a solid slab of fun rockers that take the Audio A sound in a few new directions.  "Mighty Good Leader" is good opener, with a nice build-up on the verse and pre-chorus a la "Some Kind of Zombie."  The title track is also strong, with a decent chorus melody and a sermon excerpt on the break.  In fact, the melodic approach on the album is probably the most sophisticated yet, as Stuart and the gang have moved beyond shouted lines and "bah-de-bum-bum" singalongs and really coming up with some decent tunes.

"Get Down" and "Hands and Feet" were the two big singles, and represent the two big themes of the album.  The former, based on the title, sounds like an invitation to boogie, but it's really about God's intervention when we "get down" emotionally when facing life's struggles.  It's the only song to really carry over the "techno-acoustic" sound of Zombie, with a rhythm riff right out of the Blair playbook.  "Hands and Feet" sings of the timeless AA message of missions, and has a more epic feel than most of the songs on the album.  

The album also has three cover songs, starting with a tight, fast run-through of Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door."  The author once described the song succinctly with the phrase, "Jesus sings."  And while Townshend is hardly a voice for orthodoxy (He's actually much closer to Hinduism in his beliefs), the song represents the next in a long line of Pete's "spiritual" songs that can be interpreted in a Christian context (Such as "Bargain," "Christmas", and even "Behind Blue Eyes").  Audio A's version turns the chorus into more of a rock chant than the original, and what it takes away from its poignancy and heart-felt romanticism, it makes up for in fun and power.

They also cover the classic Horatio Spafford hymn "It is Well with My Soul."  The somewhat languid arrangement puts a weird, dark spin on the song, and having Jennifer Knapp echo Stuart on the refrains doesn't make it any easier to swallow.  Still, the lyrics pack a deep spiritual punch, echoing the sentiments of "Get Down."  More twists are made in their cover of their own "DC-10" from the self-titled album.  What started as a blustery hard rock/hip-hop hybrid is now turned into a rockabilly swing exercise, played at a breakneck tempo.  Still, Burkum pulls off a decent Brian Setzer impersonation, and again, speed and humor win out over any shortcomings.

It's telling that the band chose to list their names on the cover, as the group was finally beginning to sound like they were greater than the sum of their parts.  Still, they have their laughs with the closer, Herdman's "The Houseplant Song," which re-introduces Smooth Steve into the mix.  And Underdog manages to maintain a much more cohesive feel than the somewhat discombobulated Zombie. 

 

Rich Mullins: The World As Best As I Remember It, Vol. 2 (1992)

 Tracks:

1. Hello Old Friends
2. Sometimes By Step
3. Everyman
4. The Just Shall Live
5. Waiting
6. To Tell Them
7. The Maker of Noses
8. What Susan Said
9. Growing Young
10. All the Way My Savior Leads Me
11. Sometimes By Step (Reprise)

A year after its first installment, the second volume of The World was released, and it's tempting to try to compare them side by side and determine which brother is the bigger one.  The obvious connection is "Sometimes By Step," the fully-developed version of the "Step By Step" chorus, and like the early version, bookends the album.  "Sometimes" is the definitive completion, much more driving and "radio-ready" than the Vol. 1 version, led by the now-standard hammer dulcimer chimes.  It's a classic example of Mullins' songcraft, once again drawing on nighttime imagery and connecting the biblical story of Abraham with personal reflections on a life of hard choices made in faith.  But it's the emotional power of the melody, punctuated by doleful horns and the ever-sympathetic choir, that draws the listener--and the worshiper--into the song's majesty and wonder.  

If there is a theme to Vol. 2, it's of the pilgrim's journey in God's grace, expressed in "Waiting," a song about patience and trust in God's timing.  There's also "What Susan Said," an autobiographical account of Rich and Beeker's evangelistic journeys, featuring the apt description of their relationship as "Abbott and Costello meet Paul and Silas."  The journey is tied up nicely in a folky rendition of the Fannie Jane Crosby hymn "All the Way My Savior Leads Me," gently plucked on an acoustic guitar, which is featured prominently throughout the album.

Other highlights include "Everyman," Mullins' character sketch featuring a cast of unnamed but well-known bible heroes and heroines; "The Maker of Noses," a neat rebuttal of the worldly wisdom of "Follow your heart/nose/dreams" vs. the heavenly hope of trusting God's unfailing truth; and "Growing Young," which Mullins claims was one of the easiest and fastest of his Beeker collaborations, drawing on the time-worn adage, "Big boys don't cry," but using it to describe the prodigal's broken and penitent return to his loving Father.  

We even get yet another appearance of Soul Brother Rich, only this time, he manages to pull off a believable version of white urban gospel.  "The Just Shall Live" is a straight-up sanctified church revival, complete with choir, Hammond organ, and soulful shouting.  Somehow, there's an earthiness to the proceedings--probably because the lyrics read like a sermon right out of Habakkuk chapter 2 (and quoted several times by Paul in his letters).  This keeps the awkwardness and congestion that marred his previous attempts at bay, and lets the listener enjoy the man having church.  Kevin Max makes yet another guest appearance on "To Tell Them," a piano-driven soul stirrer that feels a little weirder than "The Just," but the call-and-response singing makes it enjoyable enough. 

Generally, while the production and arrangements hearken back to Never Picture Perfect in spots, the organic spirit of Vol. 1  is still strong throughout the record.  On these two collections, Rich Mullins has become a true artist: a singer-songwriter who can get cozy with a guitar or dulcimer, be worshipful and poignant with a keyboard, or raise the roof with powerful and almost dignified anthems with choirs and full bands.  And yet, even with this grand project under his belt, his greatest work was yet to come.

The Seventy Sevens: The Seventy Sevens/Pray Naked (1992)

Tracks:

1. Woody
2. Smiley Smile
3. Phony Eyes
4. Kites Without Strings
5. Happy Roy
6. Deep End
7. The Rain Kept Falling in Love
8. Holy Hold
9. Look
10. Nuts for You
11. Pray Naked
12. Self-Made Trap

The Seventy Sevens Mark Three line-up seems to have come together almost by alchemy rather than chemistry.  Roe managed to bring back the ever-reliable "A-Train" Aaron Smith (who strangely is not featured in any of the group photos and is credited with "pounding and thrashing" as opposed to "drums and percussion"), but also brought in members of the rock group Strawmen: bassist Mark Harmon (no relation to the St. Elsewhere and NCIS star, thus bringing in another TV celebrity namesake) and guitarist David Leonhardt.  The result of this weird Sacramento Stew is an album that could be the most schizoid (and therefore one of the most compelling) in the Sevens' catalog: What do you get if you formed a super group with Roger McGuinn, Jimmy Page, and Dick Dale?  Three old guys hiding behind Mike Roe, Dude!

The schizophrenia starts with the title itself: Pray Naked was submitted to Brainstorm Artists International, but in a move right up there with the skittish response to Vigilantes of Love's "Love Cocoon" single, the label shipped to retailers with the album and song title wiped out, thus becoming the second record named The Seventy Sevens  (At least there wasn't 77s on the cover to add further confusion).  Seems believers don't like the two words together, even though it's a rather cool concept, being "naked prey" in one's relationship with the Almighty.

The title track is indeed typically off-kilter: we have a voice message from an unknown Hindu translating the words into Urdu, then the standard 3-minute intro, featuring trippy Eastern modes, fast Latin rhythms, and shrieking riffs, followed by an eight-line vocal section sung to an almost sappy pop melody, then a scorching rockabilly-meets-Zeppelin solo, leading into a crazy call-and-response spelling lesson/victory chant, ending with a frenetic rock raga.  Think "Mystic Eyes" on acid, drenched in patchouli oil.  The result is one of their greatest hard rock workouts.

The other great rocker is the opener, the enigmatically-titled "Woody."  Lyrically, it's another "Fell-on-my-butt-before-the-Lord-and-cried-out-Mercy, Mercy" confessional, but that's not where all the fun is: it's in the Nugent-esque riff that Roe cranks out, along with Harmon's ponderous bass and Smith's echo-laden but leaden drums, that turns the pop rock band of the 80s into the light heavyweight metalheads of the 90s.  The song ends after seven minutes in a cacophony of grinding riffs, swirling beats, and feedback, cutting away suddenly into the quiet organ meditation "Smiley Smile," which indeed sounds like the long-lost title track from the Beach Boys' 1967 album.  

If one were to listen to the beginning and end of the record, one would think this was a hard rock album.  But that would be missing the jingle and jangle of the indie pop chestnuts in between.  Through a half-dozen folky rock numbers--several of which were recycled Strawmen tunes--Roe & Co. channel the Byrds with clean, ringing guitars, breezy melodies, and shimmering harmonies.  And it's here that the true pathology of Pray Naked's multiple personality disorder is manifested.  On one side, we have the vaunted headbangers who crank out heavy riffage and bludgeoning rhythms, on the other side heartfelt singers of pretty power pop like "Phony Eyes," which could just as easily have been recorded by any number of female-led college rock bands of the 80s.  Or "The Rain Kept Falling in Love," an even mellower pop gem with a big chorus; or "Happy Roy," with falsetto notes and almost child-like melodies.  

This two-sided coin could be a drawback with a lesser band, but with the chameleon-like 77s, it's really business as usual.  It's just that the variegation of the styles that have been more streamlined on previous efforts is so bipolar on this album.  It comes off as two different bands fighting for one stage, but the common denominator is the same as always: Mike Roe's sharp but smooth guitar riffs and pop sensibilities bring the whole jambalaya together.  Still, I find the sparkle pop somewhat disappointing.  The driving power of "Woody" and the mad panegyrics of "---- -----" (the record company's rendering of the title track on the back cover) make me want to hear more of the heavy stuff, but I have to trudge through the jungle of jangle and chime to get there.  Still, it's pretty scenery all along the way...



 

Daniel Amos: ¡Alarma! (1981)

Tracks:

1. Central Theme
2. ¡Alarma!
3. Big Time/Big Deal
4. Props
5. My Room
6. Faces to the Window
7. Cloak and Dagger
8. Colored By
9. C & D Reprise
10. Thru the Speakers
11. Hit Them
12. Baby Game
13. Shedding the Mortal Coil
14. Endless Summer
15. Walls of Doubt
16. Ghost of the Heart

Just a few months after the belated Horrendous Disc hit the streets, DA released their "new" record, ¡Alarma!  Yes, it's Spanish for "alarm," but no, it's not the band's foray into the untapped Latino Christian Music Market.  Instead, it builds on Terry Taylor's growing disquiet from the previous record over what he believes is the self-absorbed delirium of the modern American Christian church.  So intense and prophetic is his conviction that he would write four albums' worth of music and an equally-sprawling allegorical novella that would all be bound together as The ¡Alarma! Chronicles.

Volume One of the series presents the message in the latest stage of the band's never-ending stylistic evolution: That of a lean, edgy, hyperactive New Wave machine.  While the music is still guitar-driven, the beats and tempos are now tight, fast, and angular, and the group is reduced to a quartet: Mark Cook is gone, although there are some rudimentary synths played by an uncredited member.  And Alex MacDougal makes a cameo appearance on the title track, but the bulk of the playing is the Terry, Jerry, Marty, and Ed line-up.  It's hard to believe this was the same group that just five years prior recorded "Shotgun Angel," but there's not a hint of twang to be heard on this here roundup...er, rave.

The album kicks off with "Central Theme," a song that sets the stage for all that follows with its worshipful insistence on "Jesus in the center," but whose creepy melodies and manic riffs also let us know that this is not going to be a rousing gospel sing or even a contemporary pop chestnut, but a jagged and bracing series of songs that may or may not leave a pleasant taste in our mouth.  The title track, a classic merging of the melodic power of Horrendous with the new modern sound, is the "prophetic theme" of the album, taking on religious leaders and entities who occupy the dying cities and ignore those who are "turning away."  The alarm of God's grief for the church's insularity rings throughout this and the next three records, as DA calls her out on her consumerism, complacency, and religiosity, to name a few or her maladies.  Not something you want to play for Sunday Morning, for sure.

Track by track, Taylor & Co. takes on all of the American church's failures to follow Jesus' two greatest commands: "Love the Lord with all your heart," and "Love your neighbor as yourself."  The former is taken on in songs like "Baby Game," that confronts spiritual immaturity, and another classic, "Walls of Doubt," one of the few truly upbeat songs, that encourages the listener that "It's alright/You can let go now/Love is the master's plow/Crash down the walls of doubt."  The church's mandate of loving "the least of these" is addressed in "Faces to the Window," a song that takes the opposite approach to "Central Theme" in that it presents the heavy message of "little bitty beggars with great big eyes" crying for help to a bright and happy melody.  "Hit Them" also speaks with killing the skeptical doubter with kindness instead of "The Big Book."  Then there's a few shots at commercialism: "Big Time/Big Deal" talks about the seemingly never-ending quest of the performer to "make it big"--be they "secular" or "sacred."  And "Through the Speakers" takes on the old DA burden of spiritual manipulation through false teaching, with an appropriately spooky melody.  Yeah, they never really stopped preaching, but now they're smarter and more relevant with their polemics, and the loopy stylistics of the music make a much more nuanced connection with the listener.


This first installment of the ¡Alarma! cycle is successful in showing the band's chameleon-like ability to adapt to modern sounds and still proclaim the same urgent message of following Jesus not just inside the sanctuary, but also in the streets.  It inaugurated what was the most artistically active and epic period of the band's history, and also heralded of even more changes to come for the band. 

Phil Keaggy: Ph'lip Side (1980)

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Tracks:

1. A Child (In Everyone's Heart)
2. Little Ones
3. Spend My Life With You
4. I Belong to You
5. In Your Keep
6. Just a Moment Away
7. A Royal Commandment
8. Sunday School
9. Pulling Down
10. Send Out Your Light

After recording the deep and expansive The Master and The Musician, Phil took a couple of years off from the studio, relocated to Kansas City, and entered into what he himself referred to as his "middle period," an apt if humble description of his work during the greater part of the 1980's.  There was some great work during these years, and a good portion of it has stood the test of time and stands as some of his best work.  But more often than not it was just decent, well-played, tame gospel pop, nothing really impressive or mind-blowing.  And really, it makes sense when you consider the man was settling down, starting a family, and generally putting his music, if not on the back burner, at least on medium heat.  

The first product of this epoch was Ph'lip Side, something of a spin on Neil Young's Rust Never Sleeps in structure, in that the record featured both sides of the Keaggy style: This Side featured gentle, melodic acoustic ballads and mellow soft rock, and That Side contained heavier rock and light funk tunes.  It's an interesting approach, and like the corny title, shows Phil's strength for deft fretwork, fast and soaring solos, and bright, singable melodies--and also his tendency toward folksy cuteness.  Hey, nobody's perfect!

The album starts off with the pretty but precious "A Child," which is basically is the theme song for everybody's inner youth.  Sure, it's got a huge melodic hook, but it's also cloying and a little silly, and features nothing special on the six-string.  The next song is even gentler, but a hundred times more resonant--Phil's pro-life statement song, "Little Ones."  With just a vocal and beautifully recorded and played acoustic guitar, he takes a stand for the voiceless victims of abortion.  He manages to sing an emotionally-charged song  without being preachy or heavy-handed.  Whatever one's view may be on the issue, if any man had a platform to "speak up," it was Phil, given the struggles he and Bernadette had with carrying a child to full term.

The other major highlight from the acoustic side is "Spend My Life With You," built around a repeating but melodic arpeggio, with some great longing lyrics about Phil being on the road away from his love.  The soloing on the extended coda is some of the best on the record, and the piece is fluent and emotionally-resonant.  Phil would re-visit the song in an adapted form on his 1996 instrumental album Acoustic Sketches.  

When Phil "flips over" to electric, things get a little deeper and more challenging.  "Just a Moment Away" is decent whitefunk with back-talking vocals ("What You Say"), a strong chorus, and a sinewy solo.  "A Royal Commandment" is complex, anchored by the heaviest riff on a PK song yet, but it's counterbalanced by some mellow synths, quiet verses and a jazzy break.  "Pulling Down" a fast-moving rocker about spiritual warfare with a bluesy feel.  

The most memorable track on That Side is the slow-moving but bluesy "Sunday School."  This is not a kiddie singalong by a long shot; he's telling a sad story of rebellion against God's deliverance by people that need it the most.  Starting with a very twangy, angular pattern on what sounds to be a Telecaster, the song unwinds and slithers along until it comes to an abrupt and unhappy ending.  Quite a distance from the lost and "found, found, found."

Ph'lip Side has some great moments of brilliance in the midst of some light pop sparkles, and succeeds in its mission of showing the artist's range and depth.  It would set the tone for the next several albums by setting a few gems in the midst of several average pieces and the occasional sappy duffer.  Still, this album at least has a thematic structure that makes finding those gems worth the effort of digging through the rest.