NEW MUSIC
SELECTIVE HEARING | Robert Berman
KEVIN MAX AWOL album title reflects his intent to craft an album that reaches listeners beyond church walls, while still expressing the heart of a man who loves Jesus.“ Can you feel all the love? Touch the holes in my side,” he says on the Boy-era- U2-ish“ Yeshua.” Put it on, play it often.
HARVEST PARKER Preachers
NAMO Rain
For his thirteenth solo project, Max dives deep into the early 80’ s, delivering a love letter to British New Wave and post-punk bands from The Cure to The Clash. His chief co-conspirators are producer / programmer Kieran Kelly and bassist Andy Moore of The Smiths, who keep the sound firmly grounded in the era of shoulder pads, Swatch watches, and leg warmers. Hooks abound: hooks on keys, hooks on guitars, hooks on synths, and above all Max’ s warmly powerful voice, imbuing the proceedings with raw passion. Max is one of those rare artists which has one asking friends,“ The music is great, but have you noticed the lyrics?”“ Melissa” offers a word of encouragement to the loner girl on the fringes of her church youth group.“ Glory Boys” is a nostalgic tribute to Max’ s youth, with arpeggiatting keyboard and slap bass homaging Duran Duran’ s“ Rio.”“ Half of the Better One” is a sweet, Smiths-style love song to his wife. The impressionistic“ Moonracer” could be from Spandau Ballet or Aha!“ Brand New Hit” depicts Max as stuck“ between two worlds,” trying to live up to( or perhaps live down) his early super-career in DC Talk while forging new work that represents his journey of“ shedding my skin” over the last 20 years:“ All the people in the past just want it to last. All the people in the future want a brand new hit.” The
Producer / composer Asher Peterson’ s EP, a collection of five electronic compositions running from the mellow to the inspiring, with assists from several vocalists including his siblings.“ I’ m going to let You down … but You’ re making a move in my heart,” declares his sister Skye on“ Move,” the lovely opening track.“ Rain” is a dreamy trance number.“ Cage” finds vocalist / rapper Caleb Kulhman apologizing for a broken relationship over synths and a hip-hop beat. On the piano-based song of encouragement“ Smile,” Aedan Peterson has a reedy sonority recalling his father, celebrated singer / songwriter Andrew Peterson.“ You’ re not a Robinson, stranded on the shore.” Caution: Spotify currently has this EP listed under a British artist also named“ Namo.”
Following up a 2010 EP and a stint touring with Third Day, Harvest returns with a full album’ s worth produced by her brother, Daniel Bashta. Her throaty alto and echoing keyboard style recall Lana Del Rey, and she shows quite a knack for biblical songcraft. The opening title track is a mysterious and apocalyptic selection with images drawn from the book of Revelation.“ Anchor” continues the minor key vibe with a song of praise.“ Deep and Wide” mashes up the children’ s song of that name with an update of the hymn“ There Is a Fountain Filled with Blood.”“ There Is a Peace” covers the worship track by Charlie Richardson of Sojourn Community Church, while“ Pursuit” is by Daniel Bashta.
82 June 2018 WorshipMusician. com