NEW MUSIC
SELECTIVE HEARING | Robert Berman
SWITCHFOOT
Covers (EP)
SIDEWALK PROPHETS
The Things That Got Us Here
JODI ESSEX
Irreverent
The COVID-19 lockdown has put the kibosh on
concert tours, and musicians are understandably
saving their new material until touring becomes
sensible again. In the meantime, not a few artists
are stretching their creative muscles through
covers collections. First up, Frank Ocean’s beach
anthem “Swim Good,” always an appropriate
topic for Switchfoot’s champion surfers. Vampire
Weekend’s Grammy-nominated “Harmony Hall”
gets an upbeat acoustic rendition for a lyric
about author Ezra Koenig’s time at Columbia
University. Indie popmeister Jon Bellion’s
Ecclesiastes-like “Stupid Deep” was originally a
sedate contemplation of the hole within us all; in
the Foremans’ hands, it gains epic sweep and
gang vocals. “Lucky Man” is not ELP’s acoustic
love song, but rather The Verve’s 1997 midtempo
rocker about contentment; Bono recently
commented that he wished he had written this
song. Harry Styles’ “Lights Up” is the oddest
selection, full of funky bass and programmed
drums, but the lyrics about the deceitful lure of
the spotlight fit with common Switchfoot themes.
Along the same lines, The Chainsmokers’ “Sick
Boy” continues the theme of self-examination:
“How many Likes is my life worth?” Taken as
a whole, Switchfoot’s selections here pull off
the neat trick of thoughtful confessionalism in
songs written by other artists. As they once said
themselves, “We were meant to live for so much
more. Have we lost ourselves?”
Let’s be clear: Smalltown Poets are a still-active
90s band from Atlanta; Sidewalk Prophets are
a 00s band from Nashville. OK? Where the
Poets practice jangly AOR, the Prophets fall
firmly on the “pop” side of pop country. And
what memorable, well-crafted pop country it
is. The unaccompanied hammered dulcimer riff
that opens “Smile” immediately calls to mind
Rich Mullins’ classic “Calling Out your Name”
before launching into an explanation of the
difference between circumstantial happiness
and true contentment. “Thank You Jesus”
finds a model for prayer in a hospitalized saint.
The autobiographical “Real to Me,” “I Believe
It Now,” “When I Saw the Light,” and “You
Were There” repeatedly rediscover the reality
of God’s constant presence in our lives. “Don’t
Sweat It” takes an unexpected turn into funky
guitar and programmed rhythms. The theme
of hope runs strongly through the album, a
welcome message for dark days. The album’s
two centerpiece songs hit us where we live:
“Don’t You Think It’s Time” encourages us to
turn off our screens and experience the real
world. “The Comment Section” ought to be
required daily listening for all humans before
interacting on social media. Song of the year
here, maybe the decade.
It’s good to find a new rock album. It’s great to
find one so melodic. Working with Atlanta-based
writer/producer Sean Hill, Essex has crafted a
guitar attack somewhere between Heart and
Halestorm. You’ll get your fix of double kick
drum and finger tapping, but only to serve the
needs of the song. Essex’s love of Christian
music finds expression through a terrific cover
of “All Right,” one of Amy Grant’s rare rock
numbers. Why aren’t more artists covering the
classics? Among the originals, “Soar” draws
on Isaiah 40:31. “What Is Your Truth?” hops
between half-time and 12/8 time signatures.
“Symphony” pauses for contemplative acoustic
textures and pizzicato strings before building to
a power ballad. “Fighter” dips into the Toolbox
for 7/4 C-dropped tuning. The anthemic
“Weightless” and album closer “Rearview
Mirror” revel in the forgiveness of sins, Essex’s
soulful alto comparing favorably to Margaret
Becker. No matter, the track, Irreverent is a
consistently satisfying listen.
Robert Berman
Robert is a Sunday School teacher, music nerd,
and acoustic guitar enthusiast. He lives in rural
Tennessee with his wife and three boys.
32 August 2020
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