NEW MUSIC
SELECTIVE HEARING | Robert Berman
JASON GRAY GAWVI WAYNE EVERETT
Disorder (EP) Heathen Two Ghosts
This is the project with the songs we needed It’s an odd, attention-getting name for a Critically beloved 90’s band The Prayer Chain
right now. Not that Gray could have known Christian album, to be sure. But Christian had too much talent and too varied interests
that when he was crafting it last year. Disorder pop has often been received with suspicion in to last forever. Its members have stayed busy
is the second part of a trio of Eps (Order/ traditional circles. It was true with the “Geneva in a variety of projects like Lassie Foundation,
Disorder/Reorder) themed around the big jigs” of the Protestant Reformation, with Cush, and Stranger Kings since then. This time
picture biblical themes of creation, fall, and the hymns of Ira Sankey in late 19 century it’s drummer Wayne Everett to step up with a
restoration. As such, this is the desperate revivalism. And it was true with the Jesus Music project gestating since at least 2013 and put
middle chapter: midnight, The Two Towers, of Larry Norman and the Maranatha artists in his hand to, well... everything actually, since he
The Empire Strikes Back. Gray lives up to his the 1970’s. Which brings us to Gawvi (formerly sang, produced, wrote all the songs and plays
theme’s look at disappointment and distress. G-Styles), one of the architects of the Reach the instruments—with the occasional assist
“I won’t ask You for reasons, because reasons Records hip-hop success story. “Heathens” from old friends like Andy Prickett, Marc Byrd,
won’t wipe away tears,” he declares in “Remind describes his alienation as a Latino working and Frank Lenz. The result is a heady mix of
Me You’re Here.” “If I told you I still trusted in a stereotypically black genre which gets its indie rock: shoegaze feedback, sunny surf
you, I’d honestly be lying through my teeth… own questioning looks from both the hip-hop harmonies and reverb, moments of R.E.M.
If you’re the Healer, why are my wounds still mainstream and the larger world of Christian jangle, and vocals recalling the mellow side of
open?” he confesses on album centerpiece music. OK, Gawvi has outsider cred. But is 77’s Michael Roe. “Goner” cranks the phaser
“Honesty,” with an honesty that may be his music any good? Oh yeah. Harnessing up to eleven. Lyrics tend toward abstraction,
too frankly honest for some music outlets. the chops he’s previously used for Trip Lee introspection, and relationships. The jaunty
Production leans heavily into keyboard-heavy and other artists, Gawvi turns in the goods: tribute song “Hey Skinny” honors Prayer
anthems, though a more aggressive guitar and seventeen tracks totaling an hour. Tuned synth Chain producer (and The Choir drummer, and
percussion palette might have been more fitting bass drum (think “Old Town Road”) rules the perennial Christian music mainstay) Steve
for these Psalm-like laments. The second half day, connecting the tracks into an album- Hindalong. “You broke the door open for me…
turns to more hopeful themes. (The Lord Will) length suite over which Gawvi discusses the you’ve taken my best and made it shine.” Time
“Fight For You” appropriates images from the faithfulness of Christ, his love for his wife, and would fail us to list all the sonics on which
defeat of Pharaoh in Exodus 14, while Blanca his place in the world of music. Vocals are split Everett touches (a little Stone Roses, a dollop
joins the Taylor Swift-like “New Song.” Finally, roughly half between singing and rap. Closing of Starflyer 59 and a dash of Matthew Sweet)
the “Hard Times Prelude” offers a brief acoustic track “Sinners Chaos” starts off as a supremely but they’re all good.
teaser of more music to come in the trilogy’s catchy three- minute rock song before segueing finale. We hope that both the conclusion of the into four minutes of spoken liner notes. A track “Reorder” project and the relief it symbolizes will break here would have been nice. A minor come soon. complaint in an album well worth hearing.
42
th
May 2020
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.
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