Keeps the Fall Rolling
Posted September 25, 2010
By hebrews1316,
In my opinion, TD will have a tough time competing with Jars of Clay's release. However, both albums respectively are highlights of the fall releases.
I'll keep it brief. "Lift up your Face" is a powerful, moving (ah ha) song. I was truly touched by it. It has a nice, tight melody, and an old-school TD feel; also, a little southern gospel flair. "Make Your Move" is a surprise; a rocker in every sense of the word. The worshipful "Children of God" is next. This song has the most powerful lyrics on this album. I absolutely love this song! Bringing in the children to sing near the end added to the potency of this song. More so, this has to be one of the best written worship songs in awhile. While most churches will not (or simply won't) incorporate this into their worship program, it will be a great ministry tool and a song to sing with your friends and family. "We are the saints, we are the children, we've been redeemed/we've been forgiven, we are the sons and daughters of our God." Amen to that.
TD's southern roots shine through on "Surrender." This will get your feet stomping, and your hearts bowing to our Lord Jesus Christ. "Gotta stop runnin'/it's the end of the line/It's time to surrender...." Another worshipful song is up next in "Trust in Jesus." This song truly puts life in perspective.
"Follow Me There," is next and I found it to be a community-based southern gospel rocker. Wow, that was a mouthful, but the choir in the background made me think of this. I can imagine this to be a crowd favorite if they play it in a live setting. The "MOVE" theme comes out in "Gone." At first it comes across as little impersonal, however it reminded me of Paul talking to his favorite church. We have a mission, and yes we may have to cut ties with people to keep moving. However this does not mean we stop praying and sending words of encouragement. This is what I draw from this song. And I loved the harmonica solo.
From here, the album slows a bit with "What Have You got to Lose." We can all admit holding onto...whatever...but this song encourages us to let it go because, after all, "What Have You got to Lose." Another southern gospel flavored song, "I'll be Your Miracle," follows. It has an up tempo beat, that can be used to encourage a friend or family member. It is spoken from God's perspective, and it does nicely speaking from this perspective; I can actually imagine God saying what was written.
The moody, "Everywhere You Go," continues the album. It is a different spin on "Follow You" by Leeland or "We Will Follow" on Jars' new project; however the message it essentially the same. As for the tune itself, this a more mellow rocker but still a rocker the same. The message is pretty basic, and the music a little redundant, but still a decent song. The third worshipful and another beautiful song on this CD is "Sound of Your Voice." There truly is nothing greater than listening to God, and this song--with the strings, and backup vocals--captures this message.
This album finishes as it started with "Don't Give Up Hope." "Lift Up Your Face" and this song go hand it hand, which is a nice way to shape the album. If you notice anything on this CD it would be the southern flair, and this song is no different. Again we have choir backup vocals, and an organ, among the instruments of the rest of the band. A pretty well crafted song.
Closing thoughts:
In my opinion Jars of Clay's CD is the stronger release of the major releases of October. However, don't discount this CD. The message is solid, and TD's core sound is still breathing. They stick with what works, and add essentials to make their sound stronger. More so, the write with such passion and conviction that I am surprised you don't hear their hearts beating in the background of the songs. Truly amazing work, but it is still #2 in my book. Highlights of the work are: "Lift Up Your Face," "Children of God," "Surrender," "Trust in Jesus," "What Have You Got to Lose," and "Don't Give Up Hope." A must buy of the fall as TD continues to make solid, life-altering work. Oh, sorry this was not brief as promised. View All Music And Book Reviews By hebrews1316 | View hebrews1316's Profile
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