Enough "gasoline" to keep December Radio going
Posted August 26, 2008
By Nathan,
An early comparison of December Radio’s debut was “Third Day on ten cups of coffee”. That is still an accurate description of the band and their sophomore album Satisfied. However listening to radio would have given you the wrong impression because their two big singles “drifter” and “find you waiting” have a completely different sound than southern rock. But with a huge audience sucking in the heavy ballads it does bring about an obvious change in their new record.
Although the guys in December Radio didn’t originate from the south, where their music is based. Add a lager base, big riffs, and a hugely aggressive guitar to the southern style and you have pinned down their music. While lead singer Lou Gramm may not sound as twangy as Mac Pollew of Third Day, his vocals fit the southern approach well approach with the booming electric guitar in back of him like on the gritty, tough rock song “better man”. “Gasoline” features a lot of banging on guitars and a beat which is reminiscent of rock and roll, the children’s choir at the end will leave listeners wondering about the ingenuity to add something new to a song or the fact that it’s so disjointed. A problem that is noticeable is that there isn’t any noticeable stand out rock tracks on the album. Among the loud and blaring guitars of “Falling for you” is an energetic pace but not a flashy beat.
“Satisfy me” is an impressive southern hard rock track, but by the time “powerful thing” rolls around the fire of novelty of the rock tunes is gone (though the band does give it a good try in the end of the song when they get very animated). Adding a few more ballads to the album isn’t really surprising considering that is what made a big portion of the splash in the first place but it does disrupt the flow of the rock tunes which will be favored for some fans and anger others. Unfortunately most of their softer material isn’t even close to the quality of their hits. “For your glory” is simple and “Love can” doesn’t capture the emotion of “find you waiting”. Speaking of “find you waiting” the band included the light country song with a great guitar bridge in their Satisfied for those were lacked the ambition to get expanded edition of their debut.
December Radio is similar to Third Day in music and in lyrics as well, but only to a point. While the band discusses some topics that one might find on a Third Day project their execution is usually shallow. “Find you waiting” is feel good song which is probably easy to find on a secular station, and “love can” parades the phrase ‘love is all you need’ often but it is a little unfair because the song does talk about God’s love in a slightly more in depth way than that. However lyrical shallowness isn’t the only problem with the song writing, it’s the man center focus in the songs which are meant for God’s glory. “For your glory” sounds a little puffed up and unrealistic (‘And I do everything/For Your glory, for Your glory’) and “falling for you” claims that he is lifting God higher. Aside from that and more shallow songs (“powerful thing” and “gasoline”) good stuff does show up “better man” says ‘The only way I will survive/Is to take up my cross’ and there is a nice song from God’s prospective about telling people that if they are hurt come to him or “look to me”.
In a market where their style of music isn’t flooded with many talented artists it’s easy to see how one band with competence and some inspirational lyrics could step into the spot light. That’s what December radio has done in their time on the Christian music scene so it will be hard to see what is just good and what is really cutting edge. Lyrically December Radio is still stuck on the milk and don’t expect much improvement. Satisfied may satisfy fans but it will leave them hoping more is coming soon.
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