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8/9/2019 More Julaug 10

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In Feast or Fallow

Sandra McCracken

Independent

www.newoldhymns.com

If nothing else, Sandra McCracken's new record,In Feast or Fallow is the mostChrist-focused, God honoring collection I've heard in ages. In an era where modern worship is often

more about the worshiper than the worshiped, it is refreshing to hear these modern hymns (some

reworked texts, some new compositions) which, ironically, come from a deeply personal well of fearand questioning, yet point to the perfect balm to combat self-tyranny: The promises of Christ's

resurrection, the liberating freedom of The Holy Spirit and the comfort of knowing a God who, while

not safe, is very, very good. Agriculture seems to be a fertile metaphor for much of the collection, as

humanity all but sprang from dust, and God is often seen as the Tree of Life. The title track richlyechoes this theme, comparing life's phases to a crop rotation, pointing out that sometimes, the seeds for

our greatest growth are germinated in barren times. Producer, Derek Webb, is the husband of

McCracken and that sacred tie can be felt in the synergy between artist and producer- Webb's songtreatments are experimental, utilizing many of the tricks he employed on his electronic masterpiece,

Stockholm Syndrome, but in a much more organic manner and, combined with the earthy, acoustic

tones and naturalistic melodic-ism of McCracken, results in a veritable feast of kaleidoscopic pop andinfectious tunefulness. Highlights include the Jeff Lynne influenced Justice Will Roll Down adapted

faithfully from Amos 5:24 - the tender hymn of parental expectation, Hidden Place - the title track,

featuring the astonishing vocals of Thad Cockrell ( think Vince Gill with a lump of fervency in histhroat) and Webb and the early Beatles inspired Faith's Review and Expectation which revives

the original verses and title of the church's most recognized hymn. While hymns have experienced a

renaissance of sorts in this decade, the unfortunate stench of profiteering has rendered much of the

output mawkish and awash in self-promotion. McCracken represents a light in the darkness for themodern hymn movement, along with small but dedicated collectives like Red Mountain, Sojourn,

Indelible Grace, Sovereign Grace and BiFrost Arts all of whom are dedicated to making hymns

relevant to today's generation.In Feast or Fallow and McCracken's first hymns record, The Builder

and the Architect, represent the very best this movement has to offer: accessible, artistically conceived

songs that offer the ultimate answer to questions that have plagued humanity since its fall.

Waterdeep

In the Middle of It

Squint Entertainment

Lori and Don Chaffer continue to expand their musical palettes withIn the

Middle of It, a grand experiment of pop-rock genre hopping mixed with introspective lyrics about

redemption and the moral fallibility of humankind. Family is a central theme (the Chaffer's recently

moved to Nashville to spend more time at home raising their children) and the duo seems to drawwisdom from their own time growing up, even if it is lessons on what to avoid as a parent. Gimme My

Walkman features this heartbreaking line amidst a sprightly chorus: "Gimme My Walkman Mom / I

need it bad / That way I don't have to listen to the fights you have with dad". The musical lyricaldichotomy echoes the ups and downs of family life, even as the joyful music of the disc appears to be a

metaphor for the Joys of parenthood and watching one's children grow.
http://www.newoldhymns.com/http://www.newoldhymns.com/


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The jammier aspects of early Waterdeep continue to dissipate on the new disc, as Lori accesses her

inner Karen O (The Yeah, Yeah Yeahs) on Couple Cheap Rings while Don meshes his love for acts

like Van Morrison and Neil Young with modern production tricks on Haven't You Always and Only

One Time, while embracing his musical past fully on the jaunty folk shuffle of the title cut. Lori reallyshines on the weary, resigned Difference Between while the comforting Easy Baby features the

couple in tandem giving reassurance to their children that there is a light amidst all the darkness of the

world. There is a depth and creativity to Waterdeep's music that escapes most market driven Christianacts these days. One listen to the diverse backdrops and insightful lyrics ofIn the Middle of Itshould

convince you that this is a record worth owning.

We Walk This Road

Robert Randolph and the Family Band

Warner Brothers

After 2 moderately successful records ( "Unclassified" and "Colorblind") that have

positioned Robert Randolph and the Family Band squarely in the Jam Band category, they'veseemed to realize that the studio is not adequately equipped to translate their live energy to the vinyl (or

digital) format. Instead, Randolph has taken a good, hard look at the band's gospel and blues roots,

adding color and groove to a carefully collated group of classic blues, pop & gospel songs as well as afew originals that share the same creative energy. We Walk This Road has a sound that makes up for, in

vibe and texture, what it may lack in dynamics. You're not going to pop this CD in at a party or blast it

while you cruise down the street with the top down. It is much more effective listened to with a pair ofreally good headphones so you can hear the subtle musical touches and bask in T-Bone Burnett's rich

production. As a guitar player, Robert Randolph has really matured on this album. He can rip off a solo

that would shame most axe-men twice his age, yet he knows when to lay back and be a part of the

song, without having to "be" the song. Nevertheless, there are still some jaw-dropping momentsinterspersed here and there. Amongst the song highlights are - If I Had My Way, the old Reverend

Gary Davis chestnut that is given proper reverence, even as it is suitably revved up for modern

consumption A slinky cover of the Bob Dylan cut Shot of Love that is awash in the 'wet' ambiancethat Burnett manages to make so compelling, as well as one of those jaw dropping guitar moments -

I Still Belong to Jesus, which starts out sounding eerily like Fleetwood Mac's Dreams before

advancing to a soulful pop chorus that borrows liberally from Back Street Boys I Want it That Way -John Lennon's lesser known anti-war anthem, I Don't Want to Be a Soldier Mama which, again,

benefits from Burnett's unique textural experimentation as well as the Family Band's uncanny ability to

lay down a groove that takes hold of your soul. This cut has the same vibe (and, often, bass line) as

Marvin Gaye's classic What's Goin' On - and, finally, the album closing Salvation a beautifulballad that, like most of the record, manages to sound classic and current simultaneously. To that end,

Randolph and Burnett come up with an effective tack, segueing from track to track with sprinklings of

classic old blues & gospel recordings. While many different eras of African-American music arecelebrated in the songs and social messages ofWe Walk This Road, they are knit together by a strong

thread of devotion, hope and the desire to uplift the spirits of the downtrodden. Some longtime fans of

RRFB are going to miss the guitar rave-ups and extended funk-jams the band is known for in liveperformance and it might be wise of the label to release a concert album in the near future. However, as

far as studio releases are concerned, the more muted, but infinitely more purposeful direction ofWeWalk This Roadis something the band should continue to pursue.

Out of the Blue


3/7

Caleb Quaye and The Faculty

www.Amazon.com

On his second solo disc, legendary Guitarist/songwriter Caleb Quaye (Elton John's well-regarded 70's & early 80's band as well as notable studio work) trades in his rock duds for the more

understated finery of the 'smooth jazz genre. While that monicker may strike fear in the hearts of some

serious music fans, let me assure you that there is enough dynamite in this man's axe to rend those fearsmoot. A couple of characteristics separate Quaye from other guitarists in the rock/jazz/blues realm. 1.

His tone is stunning, whether slightly distorted in more aggressive settings like - the final solo on the

title cut, the carefree groove of Walking by Faith the almost prog-rock frame of Pulling Down

Strongholds - or shimmering as in the lovely acoustic tinged Changing Seasons. 2. He rarely, ifever recycles riffs he has used before.....he comes up with something new and fresh on virtually every

song. He is also a remarkably empathetic guitarist - that is - his phrasing seems perfect for each mood,

every musical transition his crack band plays, no matter what the feel of the song is. In fact, 'feel' is avery good term for the type of guitarist Quaye has become, while recognizing that he still possesses

astonishing technique. If there are any downsides to Out of the Blue it might be the relative lack of

diversity in the smooth jazz genre, with many of the tempos and harmonic arrangements lacking thebite of a 'harder' jazz context. Yet, the sheer genius of Quaye's gift offers plenty of meat for any

aficionado of great guitar playing. Out of the Blue is available through iTunes or Amazon.com.

Live at the Beachland Ballroom, 11/01/08

Glass Harp

Roots of American Musicwww.rootsofamericanmusic.org

www.glassharp.net

Speaking of albums that will appeal to aficionados of great guitar playing, along

comes this special live album, culled from a show that benefits the Roots of American MusicFoundation, an organization that helps find funding for music education in schools across the country.

Glass Harp does not play all that often these days, but when they do, it is an occasion to celebrate.

Guitarist, Phil Keaggy is, of course, one of the finest assail-er of six strings that this country has ever

known. He is in fine form throughout the album, as the band does several of their old classics as well asa few Keaggy songs re-imagined for the live trio. One thing that a live setting does for Glass Harp is

illuminate just how good bassist/songwriter, Dan Pecchio and drummer/songwriter John Sferra are.

Keaagy's prowess is well known (and, frankly, highlighted on the 10 song set) but the inventive,muscular drumming of Sferra and the pulsating, in-the-pocket-bass groove of Pecchio are an essential

ingredient to the alchemy of the band's music. Keaggy's funk/rock/folk A Sign Came Through the

Window highlights each band member at his best, as insistent bass lines, empathetic drum fills andKeaggy's fluid yet fiery guitar work transcend the boundaries of genre labels. The sixteen minute

Beachland Jam is an impressive freestyle improvisation in which many themes from past Keaggy

numbers are recycled in a Hodge-podge that allows each member to stretch out a bit, but never variesfrom a central motif. The rest of the album has just as many highlights and, while not revealing

anything new to fans of the band or of Keaggy, certainly dispels any notion that Glass Harp's chops

have diminished over the years.
http://www.amazon.com/http://www.rootsofamericanmusic.org/http://www.glassharp.net/http://www.amazon.com/http://www.rootsofamericanmusic.org/http://www.glassharp.net/


4/7

Old Angel

Lost Dogs

Stunt Records/Fools of the Worldwww.thelostdogs.com

On the Lost Dog's newest opus, Old Angel, the band, following the suggestion of

leader/resident genius, Terry Taylor, write of the thrill, disappointment, discovery and failure of

searching for one's dreams, as played out on the metaphorical Glory Road or Old Angel themythical path to the 'pot of gold at the end of the rainbow' as represented by Route 66, the now

neglected highway that runs from Chicago to the sunny shores of Santa Monica California. Two years

ago, the band headed out on a tour down the old highway and brought their laptops and diaries with

them, taking copious notes along the way. The record is a study in broken dreams and the devastatingloss that befalls those cursed with the human condition. The opening cut, Israelites and Okies,

parallels the journey of the children of Abraham while searching for the promised land with that of

dust-bowl era homesteaders heading out west to seek their own redemption from oppression andpoverty. But instead of being confronted by burning bushes, manna from heaven, plagues of locusts and

the temptation of golden idols, American travelers come in contact with giant jack-rabbit statues

(Goodbye Winslow), outlaws (Wicked Guns), itinerant migrant worker camps (Dust in MyBowl, Pearl Moon), waitresses in dive restaurants (Dead End Diner) and the temptation of real

gold. The Dog's musical accompaniment is perfectly suited for the hard-luck characters and often tragic

situations told in the long concept album. The band's blend of American music forms(country/folk/blues) is tempered with very accessible songwriting and a dash of rock flavor in

appropriate lyrical settings, like the acerbic, outlaw tale, Wicked Guns and the beat-poet inspired

jazz/rockabilly raver, America's Main Street which boasts Taylor's spoken word lyric and an hilarious

tubercular laugh at song's end, perhaps inspired by heavy smokers, Jack Kerouac, Woody Guthrie andAllen Ginsberg whose spirits inform the track . Guitarist, Mike Roe does yeoman's work on both cuts,

managing the trick of sounding cutting edge and traditional simultaneously. Old Angelis the second

Lost Dogs album to feature Steve Hindalong as a member and he has fully integrated into the group ashe contributes to no fewer than six songs as writer or co-writer. Usually dominated by Taylor's songs,

each 'Dog contributes to the disc and the result is a sound that sounds as organically cohesive as any

'Dogs release sinceLittle Red Riding Hood, featuring the dear, departed Gene Eugene. One really coolfeature of the disc is that the lyrical voice alternates between modern narration and the colloquial

language of the song's characters. The stunning Pearl Moon (Hooverville Camp 1933) falls mostly in

the latter camp, but rides the strength of one of Taylor's finest poetic lyrics in the service of a sad tale of

a family's failure to escape the hopelessness of one of the mid-west's migrant work camps. Alsoaffecting is the lovely Desert Flowers a true tale of witnessing the heart of God in the native

American children of the Navajo tribe at the Red Sands School just north of Winslow, Arizona. The cut

takes on a Peter Gabriel-like world flavor thanks to stately percussion and native American lyrics aspart of the chorus. In the Tricks Dogs play department, the band offers up Dead End Diner a pop-

rock masterpiece as engaging as anything you'd hear on the radio, currently. Near the end of the album,

the song takes place near the apex of Route 66, in California and the music mirrors the sound of theSanta Monica sun and surf (the band are HUGE Beach Boy fans and this song proves it) as it tells the

tale of a waitress who is so resigned to her fate in life, that when she is shown some attention by a fella,

she notes that he is sorta handsome in an ugly way and she's almost sure that he ain't gay. The bandgets clever as they place the waitress, Dinah, in the kitchen and then sing Hey, its fee fie fiddly-i-ayFee fie fiddly-i-o, echoing the main verse of the American classic I've Been Working On the

Railroad, effectively, if humorously connecting the present with the past. The cut is rife with classic
http://www.thelostdogs.com/http://www.thelostdogs.com/


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6/7

Burning Like the Midnight Sun

The Choir

Galaxy 21 Recordswww.thechoir.net

I will be a bit more impressionistic with this review than normal because I have a

million thoughts running through my head after listening to The Choir's first release in nearly 5 years.The band has been around for almost 30 years now (Formed in '82, First record in '84) and if they had

broken in on a mainstream label, it undoubtedly would have been the 4AD label out of England. So

much of their music has that murky, ambient texture that filled the 4AD roster, which included bands

like The Cocteau Twins and Durutti Column, as well as the commercially successful, Modern English.What makes The Choir transcend these bands, is their determination to fit these experimental urges

within a pop song structure, giving listeners a real treat with eminently listenable songs that have

substance. With Burning Like the Midnight Sun The Choir continues to create deeply personal musicwith a distinct, original sound. Each of the members is at the top of their game musically, and I

especially like hearing more of Dan Michael's saxophone. Lyrically, The Choir continues to present

issues of faith and relationships in a way that is not preachy or candy-coated, but rooted in real life. Infact, this album is particularly self-referential, with no less than 6 songs written either to a band

member, family member or about a friend The exquisitely beautiful, A Friend So Kind, which is a

tribute to the life of recently departed musician, Tom Howard, a valuable mentor and sounding boardfor a whole community of musicians, including The Choir The warmth toward Howard is especially

poignant in the humorous lyric, You'll be smoking fine cigars at the table of The Lord. Mr.

Chandler is the re-telling of an incident that happened at the expense of bassist, Tim Chandler, while

the band was touring in its earlier days. Oddly, the melodic line in the chorus where Derri Daughertysings Mr. Chandler, Mr. Chandler, sounds like it is going to evolve into the chorus of the Lost Dog

classic, Eleanor, It's Raining Now. The song Legend of Old Man Byrd is the ironically titled tribute

to the youngest member of the band, Marc Byrd, written for his 40 th birthday. The lyric, Foreverstrumming his maple black guitar references a guitar that Drummer/lyricist Steve Hindalong gave him

before he (Byrd) became a member of the Choir. Another story from the band's past is the psychedelic

ballad, I'm Sorry I Laughed in which the dancing dervish, (Buckeye) Dan Michaels, playing hisSaxophone with his usual enthusiasm, somehow fell hard onstage, terminally bruising his precious '63

Selmer Saxophone which he learned to play on. To his credit, Lyricist, Hindalong gives this personal

tale universal meaning, as it serves as admonition for the human tendency to delight at others

misfortune. Giving the track yet more of a feeling of Deja Vu is the Michaels saxophone solo that wasactually lifted from the Chase the Kangaroo album (an in between songs blip). The gentle, moody

Between Bare Trees was a musical idea that started as a stock pop song (Quite reminiscent of

Crowded House's Better Be Home Soon) then, when Hindalong's lyric required a slightly moresomber mood, was transformed into the moody tone poem it became, albeit with a lovely verse and

chorus. The Word Inside the Word, Invisible and It Should Have Been Obvious are all textbook

examples of the type of fetching hooks Daugherty writes with startling regularity. He and Byrd addbright shards of ambient color to give the songs aural depth. WithBurning Like the Midnight Sun,

Hindalong, Daugherty, Michaels, Chandler and Byrd continue to create albums that, while highly

artistic, prove commercially viable, providing a sonically satisfying experience that carries wonderfullayers of sound without losing its center. The music is complex while remaining undeniably human and

organic. Lets hope more of the record buying public will recognize this great band for its commercial

potential, while we true believers continue to hail their artistic genius and openness as a band.
http://www.thechoir.net/http://www.thechoir.net/


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