Christian Review Magazine Issue 4 - April 2015 | Page 49

MUSIC REVIEW D Artist: DUSTIN KENSRUE Album: CARRY THE FIRE Rating: ustin Kensrue is a songwriter, vocalist, and musician, who is a solo artist, and also the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for acclaimed rock band Thrice. Since the release of Please Come Home in 2007, Kensrue has released a Christmas album and EP, a worship album and EP, and a few releases with Thrice. Carry The Fire is the long anticipated follow up album to Please Come Home. A fan of Dustin Kensrue’s work with Thrice, his worship releases, and his previous solo album Please Come Home, I was very excited to hear Carry The Fire. Well, after listening to it I can safely say that I was not disappointed in the least, as it is an all around fantastic release! Genre: Indie Rock For Fans Of: Thrice, Day of Fire, Switchfoot Label: Workhorse Music Group Reviewed by: Leah St John Release Date: April 24, 2015 A talented lyricist, Dustin Kensrue has penned thoughtful, poetic lyrics for the songs on Carry The Fire. “What does it mean to ‘carry the fire’ when it so often seems like there is no light or warmth to be found at all? This is the question woven through the fabric of these ten songs.” - Dustin Kensrue As for the musical side of things, Carry The Fire sees Kensrue expanding and exploring on the musical front. The album is not confined to any genre per se. Though it still exudes the same folk/country vibe that was displayed on Please Come Home, on a smaller scale, a number of other influences come into play. A number of influences and musical elements can be found woven throughout the songs on Carry The Fire, including folk and indie rock, pop influences, and singer-songwriter sensibilities are all factors at work here. Also worth noting is that Dustin Kensrue himself did all of the producing, engineering, and performing (including all of the vocals and all of the instruments played on the album). The only aspect left to another was the mixing, which fell to producer/songwriter/musician Brian Eichelberger. Dustin Kensrue has crafted a wonderful album with Carry The Fire - it truly is a superb release, both musically and lyrically. Check out our exclusive interview With Dustin Kensrue CHRISTIANREVIEW.COM > 49