Forthright Rock and Roll
Posted April 11, 2017
By JohnHisel_NRT, Staff Reviewer
Colony House burst onto the scene with their 2014 full length debut When I Was Younger, and they have steadily forged a path into the hearts and minds of listeners everywhere since. With an appearance on NBC's Late Night With Seth Meyers, a supporting role on the 2015 Tour De Compadres (NEEDTOBREATHE, Ben Rector, Switchfoot and Drew Holcomb) and more than 10 million Spotify streams of lead single "Silhouettes," When I Was Younger put Colony House on the map quickly. Add the immediate success of the debut record to the fact that two of the band's members are the sons of Christian music pioneer Steven Curtis Chapman, and you have a formula for a hotly-anticipated sophomore album and major label debut from the Franklin, TN quartet. Spoiler alert: Only The Lonely may be one of the best releases of the year, albeit with one caveat for Christian music listeners.
Only The Lonely can be best described as a straight forward, unabashed rock n' roll record. Colony House covers all sorts of sonic territory throughout its 13 tracks, and it's the spiritual successor to When I Was Younger in every way. Album opener "Cannot Do This Alone" finds Caleb Chapman's signature vocals sitting on top of a drum groove and crunchy guitars that set the tone for what is ahead. It transitions smoothly into "1234" with a classic whistle intro and a subtly meaningful final chorus where Caleb sings to his wife about the ups and downs of life.
"Lonely" brings a standout arena-sized intro on an album full of them and contains one of the best lines on the entire record in the first verse: "Is this a heart attack, or did my troubles find a way to paint my heart this black?" It's a song that powerfully explores the concept of feeling alone in a crowded room, or (more likely for this group) on a stage in front of a crowd.
The next stage of the album kicks off with one of the best tracks, "You & I." At this point, it's starting to become apparent how skilled Colony House is at fitting creativity and musicianship into the framework of a three-and-a-half-minute rock song. From the intro with the funky accent on 1 underneath a spacey guitar groove, to the growling bass throughout and the perfectly delivered line "I'm not scared of fighting / I'm just a little bit over this conversation," this song is everything that's right about rock music.
The LP takes a contemplative turn next with "Where Your Father's Been," which finds Caleb reflecting on who his earthly father is as well as his heavenly Father while also dropping into an epic U2-style finish. "You Know It" ramps the tempo right back up. This is where CCM fans might want to approach with caution as there is a minor curse word in the first verse, although it is followed by a reference to God: "Nashville to San Francisco is a h*** of a drive / but don't worry / the Lord is good when the road is long." While the choice of words could be debated, it's a catchy song with a great chorus that the band has absolutely nailed in various national TV appearances.
"3:20" is a jam song and the logical next step to the previous album's 2:20, similarly built around a guitar riff that it continually returns to. "Was It Me" returns to the surfy feel that we heard two tracks earlier, this time with perfect Beach Boys-style backing vocals on the chorus. "I Want It All" continues in the same vein, with Caleb singing of true love and maintaining it over distance and time.
After three straight fast and fun songs, the album takes a different turn for its closing section. "Follow Me Down" finds the band singing "I'd rather have life to give / Than only my life to live," while seemingly asking for God's help at the close of the song. The theme of living life for more than just recognition continues with "Remembered For," an incredible song that points towards living for a heavenly reward with lyrics like "I don't want to be defined by all the things I've done / I'd rather be remembered by the ones I love."
The closer "This Beautiful Life" brings the spiritual content more clearly into focus and deserves special mention as a spectacular song that perfectly contrasts the tension of this world with the longing we all feel for something more. The final line of the record is hopeful and beautiful: "There must be more to this wonderful, terrible, beautiful life." Indeed.
The Bottom Line: With Only The Lonely, Colony House has crafted a great rock record. It's a more than worthy successor to When I Was Younger, but doesn't rest on the band's past success in any way. Because of the language noted above, it might be better targeted to the general market than CCM, but it also contains elements of faith, hope and especially love throughout. Anyone who is looking for a great rock album with positive themes scattered throughout out should check out Only The Lonely, as it's any early contender for the best of 2017.
Song to Download Now:
"You & I" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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