Reviews

It was a grim, overcast Friday afternoon when I first listened to Luke the Band (not to be confused with Luke, the book of the Bible, or "Luke, I am your father"). For an indie band, they managed to catch my attention with the quality packaging of their Entertain Us EP. What impressed me even more, however, was the quality of their music. Equipped with nine solid rock/pop offerings, my dreary ride home from college was soon painted with energetic reds and oranges, deep, relaxing blues, and unfortunately, a few glaring black smears.

As the last few notes of "Eternal" drift through your ears, you sit back completely relaxed and marvel at how Payable on Death grew on you so quickly. It seemed like just an hour ago you were muttering curses in your head about P.O.D.'s new radio-friendly style. Now as the soothing, salsa flavored guitars—one of them belonging to Phil Keaggy—fade to black, you collect your thoughts and try to remember where the turnaround began.

People talk of traveling through life on a road toward some distant destination. As Christians, our destination is Heaven, but the journey rarely seems short or easy. In fact, it is often fraught with disappointment and frustration. Fortunately for us, trusting in God's plan and His grace can make the path a little smoother. "What we believe makes a difference in our walk through life," says Mark Robey of Jacob's Road, whose debut album The Journey encompasses this important concept.

The Light of Things Hoped For is best described as a teenage rock symphony. Some may be shocked at this description, but there isn't any better label for Brave Saint Saturn's sophomore release. "Space rock," though a cool phrase, doesn't really fit the musical style—the songs may be space-oriented, but frankly, the music isn't electronic enough to acquire that title.

After a three year hiatus, Thousand Foot Krutch has returned with a softer-than-usual sounding album. Phenomenon amalgamates twelve very different songs onto a single album that has been gaining both Christian and secular recognition. With one track already being spun on stations across America and Canada, TFK's latest release has obvious staying power.

It's probably safe to say that more than a few budding musicians secretly hold the notion that the life of the average rock and roll artist is nothing but first-class travel, legions of adoring fans and an instant and endless flow of income. Of course, those most familiar with the music business can tell you that, for every band that hits the big time, there are probably ten more groups whose day-to-day experience revolves around fast food, substandard lodging and playing to near-empty houses.

Downhere's move from the open spaces of Saskatchewan to the hustle and bustle of Nashville has not distracted them from the emotional experiences of the everyday. Instead of a grandiose introduction to their anticipated sophomore album, a modest acoustic guitar strums over Marc Martel's humble vocals. "What It's Like" opens the disc by tapping into painful emotions while recognizing Christ's effort to understand our struggles. "Isn't it always the question / How do You know my condition...

Let's rewind to September 2001. I was sitting in front of my laptop, much like I am now, typing up the review for Skillet's fourth album, Alien Youth. My goodness, what a grand album that was. I listened to it seventy-hundred times, salivated over it until my mouth was dry, and bought copies for all two of my friends. My closing comments went something like this: "When it all comes down to a point, this album is FLAWLESS. Cooper and Co. have done everything perfectly this time around, giving them a tough challenge to top in the future…" Yes, I remember it well.

I have to be honest: upon my initial listening to Astronomy, Bleach's fifth studio recording, I was stricken with disbelief. The majority of the disc had a rushed feel to it, and some songs seemed strained or unnatural. It was like looking at one of those 3D pictures that were so popular back in the 90s - no matter how hard I stared at one, I never could see the darn thing. Luckily, I remembered reading that Bleach planned on dedicating the album to Josh Byers, brother of band members Milam and Jared.