NEW MUSIC
SELECTIVE HEARING | Robert Berman
JUDAH AND THE LION
MICHAEL CARD
Pep Talk
To the Kindness of God
career: “Success is an empty lie, so what’s the
point?” “Queen Songs” looks back at happier
family times, while “Don’t Mess with My Mama”
speaks for itself. “Family” intersperses song with
a recording by his mother, giving her reactions
to the album. This is an album sure to resonate
with those who wear the scars of their own
family traumas. Despite the dark, soul-baring
lyrics, Akers keeps the music consistently
positive, including guest turns from Kasey
Musgraves and Jon Bellion. Will Chapman from
Colony House plays drums on five tracks. The
acoustic textures of Akers early work are mostly
When the Beatles’ fifth album “Help!” was gone now; this is a modern guitar pop set. The The latest gift from modern Christian music’s
released in 1965, they were on top of the music final two songs “Sportz” and “17” take a left resident theologian finds him collaborating
world, a commercial and critical juggernaut on turn both musically and thematically with a pair with an impressive array of influences for a
both sides of the Atlantic. Jaunty music made of “high school slice of life” tracks covered from theme record about that elusive fruit of the
it easy for fans to disregard the title track’s the 2016 EP “Songs about Stacey” by Nashville Spirit, kindness. Ginny Owens co-writes and
plea, the cry of John Lennon drowning in the band Dadmeat. They break the somber family sings duet on “Come as You Are” and “I Will
pressures of success. If the lyrics of Pep Talk theme and perhaps would have been better on Be Kind.” Famed Alabama songwriter Pierce
are any indication, Judah Akers finds himself in another release rather than ending this stuffed Pettis offers “That Kind of Love.” “The Shelter
a similar position. “This whole record might be a (17 track!) recording, but no one can say Akers of the Shadow”, co-written and arranged
quarter life crisis. I need my family to come and isn’t giving value for money here, in more ways by master maritime troubadour John Mock,
help me fight this,” he declares on the opening than one. becomes a chorale by the Surrey Singers (of
track. “All these stories probably should be England, not the ones from Oklahoma). The
just for my therapist.” Song after song, Akers racial reconciliation song “When Dinah Held
lays bare the effects of his parents’ divorce My Hand” segues into a gospel choir singing
and his mother’s drinking on himself and his “Jesus is on the Mainline.” Card also includes
siblings. “Why Did You Run?” describes bailing Maltbie Babcock’s 1901 hymn “This Is My
his mom out of jail. “I’m OK” reveals him to be Father’s World” and a live version of his own
anything but. “Over My Head” assesses his 1992 composition “Gomer’s Song,” retelling
the story of Hosea’s wife. The title track builds
on a theme by Antonin Dvorak. Instrumentation
hews to Card’s usual quiet acoustic choices
suitable
for
background
during
personal
devotions, mainly guitar and piano, with
occasional banjo, and three appearances from
the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. Album
closer “Why Not Change the World” was co-
written with Junmo Cho, a linguistics professor
in South Korea, and features a choir from his
school, Handong Global University. Kindness is
a universal language.
64
August 2019
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