Lifehouse - Smoke and Mirrors

Artist: Lifehouse
Label: Geffen Records
Length: 12 Songs, 45minutes, 24 seconds
Release Date: March 2, 2009



Lifehouse has passed the test of time with a distinctive sound and ever-growing popularity spanning over ten years. Accomplished with lyrics relating to personal issues and relational problems which bridge the gap from secular to Christian, Lifehouse has found a home in this popular cross over niche providing wide appeal to a varying audience. Highlighted by another change in band members, guitarist Ben Carey on guitar and backing vocals joins Bryce Soderberg on bass and founding members Jason Wade lead vocals, guitar, and drummer Ricky Woolstenhulme Jr, the band moves toward a more polished pop-oriented sound on their fifth album Smoke and Mirrors.

Most songs are flavored by Jason Wade’s signature voice with many having keyboards, Hammond organ, and synth in the background providing a more well rounded and mature sound. Lead song “All In” has the classic Lifehouse sound while “Nerve Damage” provides a new sound beginning as a slow ballad and progressing with hot breaks and blazing rhythm followed by smooth, soft lyrical passages. With a personal message, this is a mood setter emotionally ranging from sad realities to angst highlighted by a smooth blues guitar solo showing a new dimension. Chris Daughtry co-wrote and provides harmony on “Had Enough”, relating a relationship in need of a new beginning. “Smoke & Mirrors” is the albums anthem with great guitar interplay and solid drum foundation. Classic ‘Lifehouse’ rocker “Wrecking Ball” showcases bassist Soderberg's first lead vocal with the band. “Here Tomorrow Gone Today” changes up from lyrics based on relational issues to a justice-based, anti-war lyric.

Smoke and Mirrors is well crafted with an intention to move to more of a radio-ready sound while still resonating with classic Lifehouse rock. While this is a solid effort to continue a long string of very successful efforts, we are waiting for another breakout in the footprint of “Stanley Climbfall”.

http://www.lifehousemusic.com/

http://www.tollbooth.org/2010/reviews/lhouse.html

SS Mertens

Sanctus Real - Pieces of a Real Heart

Artist: Sanctus Real
Label: Sparrow Records
Length: 11 Tracks, 39 minutes, 24 seconds
Release Date: March 9, 2009

With Pieces of a Real Heart, Sanctus Real remains a cut above similar popular Christian pop-rockers with superior lyrics, and clear, sharp production. Similar in message to their first four releases, this song collection may not rock harder than others but the effort goes yard with message and pop sensibility certain to find a home in the ever widening Sanctus audience.

Lead singer Matt Hammitt’s voice continues to dominate each song letting the message work rather than the music. Ever maturing with improved instrumentation while keeping it simple in presentation, the band continues to provide solid supporting base and drums while guitars and occasional keyboards highlight the lyrics. The lead track, “Forgiven” provides a playful introduction giving way to classic Sanctus. Perhaps the album’s highlights are back to back in “The Way The World Turns” with great chorus and building emotion, while “Lead Me” hits home with lyrics asking for strong hands and love to support family relationships. Rockers “Take Over Me” and “ I Want To Get Lost” have guitar-lead highlights and provide great headphone moments. The album’s final songs provide slow rockers and ballads of Christian faith and hope. Pay attention to the inclusion of occasional banjo and nice orchestration showing the continual experimentation and maturing of the band.

It is no wonder why Sanctus Real has such a wide and deep fan base – they are likeable, rock hard in concert, and speak directly to our hearts. With each album building on the next, this is Christian pop-rock at its best!

http://www.sanctusreal.com/

http://www.tollbooth.org/2010/reviews/sreal.html

SS Mertens

The Cove

Directed by: Louie Psihoyos
Produced by Fisher Stevens, Paula DuPre Pesmen
Written by: Mark Monroe
Distributed by: Lionsgate
Rating: PG13
Running Length: 91 minutes
Release Date: July 31, 2009
Street Date: December 8, 2009

If you care about God’s creation, support animal rights, have an interest in nature, or are just concerned about our world in general then this is a film which will enrage and possibly spur you into action. The Cove is a documentary focusing on the enslavement and slaying of dolphins by the Japanese fishing industry. The Cove, an American documentary, is also extremely well crafted providing a story with intrigue, history, and results.

As the story unfolds, bottle nose dolphins in Taiji, Japan are entrapped during their annual migration and sold or slaughtered by locals involved in the fishing industry. History is captured through interviews with former ‘Flipper’ dolphin trainer Rick O’Barry, including his life changing story of saving Dolphins from exploitation and death. Fast forward to Louie Psihoyos, National Geographic photographer and co-founder of the Ocean Preservation Society (OPS), meeting O’Barry and learning of the dolphins plight n Taiji. The dolphin’s devastation in Taiji is told amid the backdrop of Japan’s corrupt fishing industry. Psihoyos recruits a highly specialized team who must go ‘under cover’ to document the plight of the Taiji dolphins despite the deliberate acts of the local dolphin ‘fishing’ industry and local authority thwarting their efforts.

Migrating dolphins are herded into a local park’s ocean-facing cove where prospective buyers from the worldwide multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry pay top dollar for dolphins. Remaining dolphins are later mercilessly driven into an adjoining cove hidden from the public eye where they are brutally slain and sold to the Japanese public as various types of ‘safe’ whale meat not containing high doses of mercury. Dolphins that are slain literally turn the killing-field cove blood red by boatmen using spears and knives, stabbing at dolphins of all ages who are packed tightly toward shore in large nets. The number of dolphins killed nears 23,000 annually. The brutal slaying of this intelligent, peaceful mammal is representative of Nazi Germany’s ethnic cleansing, keeping the strong for work detail and committing genocide of the rest.

While the city of Taiji provides a much publicized public image supporting the dolphin, it is only a rue to hide the savage slaying of this peaceful and intelligent mammal. Japan’s insatiable thirst for the ocean’s foray has been well documented. What has not been documented is the brutality of its hunt and selfishness of its gluttony. The film shows not only those embarrassingly caught exercising the crime and representing Japan’s interest in the ocean’s fisheries but those few who are trying to change Japan’s related history. A history which includes a fishing industry providing fish heavily tainted in mercury resulting in the retardation and physical abnormalities of many newborns in Japan.

Amid the espionage-like intrigue of the documentary’s crew in recording the story lies the savage plight of the dolphin in Japan’s fishing industry making this one of the more intense and worthwhile documentaries in recent times. This is an eye-opening experience and worthy of close attention but is not for the faint of heart or children due to the overt cruelty shown to this peaceful animal. The Cove won the Oscar for best documentary at the 2010 Academy Awards and the U.S. Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. This is a must see file whether you love creation and the animals who populate it or are just a concerned citizen of this world.

http://www.thecovemovie.com/

Mainsail

Mainsail
Artist: Mainsail
Label: (self-released)
Length: 10 tracks / 33 min, 58 sec
Release Date 01/01/2010


By SS Mertens


“Mainsail” is an effort by Joel C. Bennett to meld the sunshine and beaches of Ventura, California, indie rock, and a dash of shoegaze to create a new and updated form of surf music. To a great extent he succeeds in combining surf, beach, and ‘80s brit-rock. All songs are written and played by Bennett with the exception of drums. “Mainsail” follows his previous albums “Blue Shade Witness” and “Give Away Your Hearts”.

The album’s ten compact songs provide a touch of sun and surf. “Endless Summer”, the album’s first cut, gives the lay of the land with a heavy drum foundation and synth laden melody. “Clean Line” sets the lyrical tone for the album. “13 Miles” strikes home with a sold lyrical refrain, while other songs add to the surf story line. “Better Days” is shoegaze at its best, dream-like and possibly the best of the album. The final song “Wave Hymn” gives a solemn, hard end to the CD providing requiem for a surfer.

“Mainsail” succeeds in creating surf mood music but misses the mark on providing a meaningful message. The song list provides continuity and is just plain fun for a listen with dreamy, post-modern “Beach Boys” sound. This is a niche album, but then again, it probably wasn’t meant to be anything more than that.

http://www.tollbooth.org/2010/reviews/msail.html

The Drawing Room

The Drawing Room
Artist: The Drawing Room
Label: Tooth & Nail Records
Length: 12 tracks: 33 minutes, 21 seconds

By SS Mertens


There is something about The Drawing Room that keeps me coming back for another listen. Is it the haunting melodies and lively lyrics, or the albums adventurous character? This is one of those albums that confuses on the first listen, keeps pulling the listener back in, and becomes a regular on their pallet of favorites.

Admittedly, at first I agreed with the majority of critics that the album lacked focus and flow. But being a project of a TFK (Thousand Foot Krutch) member was enough to add this LP to my collection and provide a serious listen. TFK bassist Joel Bruyere collected thoughts, lyrics, and chords over time to create this surprising collection of songs.

Evocative, bright, and bouncing in content, the music pulls the listener into the various moods created. With lyrics for the serious listener and melodies that grab our attention, the combination provides a haunting experience. Songs are driven by acoustic guitar working together with percussion to create a clear, crisp sound. Each song provides a story reminiscent of early Genesis (sans Peter Gabriel) albums ‘Wind and Wuthering’ and ‘A Trick of the Tail’. Where the album’s down side may be a lack of continuity or flow from song to song the overall effect is light, clear, and full of energy creating an overall great listen.

The opening song “Keys (The Liaison)” features tight lyrics and guitar. “Trip” and “Garden of Even”’ follow with crisp acoustic guitar and percussion playing off the lyrics. Upbeat songs give way to darker, melancholy stories in “The Hounds of Winter” and ‘”Windsor for the Winter”, both showing a change of pace and tempo. “Skeleton Key” again provides the unique play between vocals and guitar that is present in a number of this LP's songs, but the heavy bass drum takes away from songs continuity. “Pocketwatch” and “Peddle” complete the album with the unique play between vocals and guitar.

Where The Drawing Room is a side project of Bruyere’s, excelling in his individual musical direction and experimentation, the overall effect leaves the listener asking “Where will this go?” and “What is next?". Here’s hoping for Drawing Room 2.

http://www.tollbooth.org/2010/reviews/droom.html

Seabird - Rocks Into Rivers

Rocks Into Rivers
Artist: Seabird
Label: Credential Recordings / EMI
Length: 12 tracks / 43.05 min
Release Date 12/15/2009


By SS Mertens


“Rocks Into Rivers” is the sophomore release of Seabird, a piano driven pop rock band out of Cincinnati, Ohio. With this release, Seabird hopes to build on its successful debut LP, “‘Til We See the Shore”, which received rave reviews in 2008. “Rocks Into Rivers” continues in the footprint of their debut release, its only departure in the form of additional ballads with lyrics based on personal experiences of main singer / songwriter Aaron Morgan. Like the debut album, songs have catchy lyrics and many hooks.

The title track and pilot release “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful” stories a young girl’s trials when her world is crushed by divorcing parents. “Believe Me”, “The Good King”, and “Baby I’m In Love” are built around lyrics focused on Morgan’s recent family experiences. “Trust” provides the LP’s first rocker separating itself from the album’s previous ballads. “This Ain’t Home” is a good, solid ballad highlighted by two vocals alternating between lead and background. “Finally Done Right” finally gives the album a rocker with much needed lead guitar. The album’s name sake “Rocks Into Rivers” is the highlight of this LP with heavy bass drum laying the foundation for excellent lead vocals, piano, guitars, and percussion.

“Rocks Into Rivers” lacks song-to-song continuity and could use less piano-pounding leads, and more guitar and percussion to mark a move forward from “Seabird’s” debut release. While there is little on this album to improve on their debut release, there is hope in the rockers found on this album.

http://www.tollbooth.org/2010/reviews/fflight.html

Fireflight - For Those Who Wait

For Those Who Wait
Fireflight
Release Date: February 9, 2009

By SS Mertens


For those unfamiliar with Fireflight, think Skillet meets Super Chick. Ten year plus veterans of Christian rock, this band has a solid foundation of both message and music. Providing a mix of hard rock anthems and soul wrenching ballads aimed at those weathered by these disparaging days and times, For Those Who Wait marks the third major release for Fireflight.

From past efforts “Healing of Harms” and “Unbreakable” to ‘For Those Who Wait”, orchestration, engineering, and production continue to improve to the point where this release shows the musical growth and maturity of a band about to break into the realm of the top Christian rockers. Beyond the accolades of “Unbreakable”, this new LP promises to be a very strong junior release, with powerful lyrics and resilient voices, solid lead guitar, hard hitting rhythm and percussion.

Although the song “Desperate” is planned as the pilot single, others show greater strength and character. “Recovery Begins” is a misty, dreamlike promise of change with awesome musical backdrop for angelic yet dark lyrical narrative. “Core of My Addiction” is a hard charging mover with meaningful lyrics taking advantage of great breaks and harmony. The albums title track, “For Those Who Wait” and “Name” show extensive growth as a band. “All I Need To Be” is a gem among the remaining tunes with a good gothic fairytale story line, great harmony, instrument flow and break, and good bass. Remaining tunes are cut from the bands rock anthem roots.

“For Those Who Wait” is a landmark for Fireflight by showing maturity in song writing by providing orchestral arrangements and ballads to their hard rock anthem anthology. This is a CD worth acquiring and wearing out for a number of reasons – all of them good.

It has always been considered a key indicator to an artist’s success to win with a big sophomore release. With the high speed of new music reaching the general public today, it is a big win to make it past the sophomore release and have bigger success with the junior or third major release. Time will tell if _For Those Who Wait_ will have this success, propelling Fireflight on their run forward and eventually hitting their stride like Skillet, Disciple, and Kutless.


http://www.tollbooth.org/2010/reviews/fflight.html