NEW MUSIC
SELECTIVE HEARING | Robert Berman
DEAD SET SAINTS LZ7 JEREMY CASELLA
We Are the Atoned (EP) These Are Better Days Spirit
Electronic pop and hip-hop may rule the roost The UK musical collective that arose from The world of modern music is so broad and
right now, but fans of technical power metal the ashes of Worldwide Message Tribe still deep that many of us have had the experience
acts like Symphony X will love this six song has a message to transmit through highly of discovering a “new” artist only to find that he
collection by the trio of Jeremiah Miller, Matt danceable electropop. It’s not a genre known had half a dozen albums. Jeremy Casella has
Freddolino, and Andrew Stanton. Five tracks for profundity, but in this case the results are worked with the terrific Indelible Grace project,
are full-on rock with all the double kick-drum more explicitly biblical than many Christian which puts modern tunes to neglected hymn
and finger-tapping guitar your head banging albums in supposedly more thoughtful genres. texts from yesteryear; his interpretation of Darwin
heart desires; closer “The Love” is a half-time “Golden” has a backing track reminiscent of Jordan’s “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah” (Psalm 146)
ballad which starts acoustic but builds soon the jaunty Japanese Katamari video games. “I should be in congregational worship rotations
enough to an electric praise anthem. Too C Love” speaks to the value God places on his everywhere. Casella’s impassioned vocals recall
much modern metal is just mindless drop-D children. “Legends” appears in three different Richard Marx with a sprinkling of Bono. He
crunching with no attention to melody. This is mixes; it’s a praise song looking forward to knows when to croon and when to soar. Piano
not that; the Saints are marching through some the day. “G.O.A.T.” is mainly a boast track but and acoustic guitar lead the way here. Do we
great melodies that would sound good in any does get in a shout-out to “The Great I AM.” need another acoustic singer/songwriter? In
genre. Nor is there any attempt to hide their “Up” weaves lyrics from Psalm 23, Psalm this case, yes, without question. Two marks set
gospel light with coded language and vague 126, and 1 John 4. “Give My All” is a romantic Casella off from a crowded field of peers. First,
talk about the love of the unspecified “you.” As apology song. “Giant Killer” tells a sweet tale his lyrics show him to belong to the fraternity of
the title track says, “We are the atoned / We of parental affection and even works in a Star songwriters who, like Rich Mullins and Andrew
once were convicted / Our shame is all gone / Wars reference. The running musical thread is Peterson, love to spend time in the Bible. “Many
We have been forgiven.” Good stuff! relentlessly driving, danceable, hooky pop. Waters” concatenates a score of quotations
and allusions from Song of Solomon into a song
of encouragement for his wife Brooke. “Last
Chance // Psalm 88” tackles one of the toughest
chapters in Scripture, a cry of abandonment that
receives no immediate answer. Second, Casella
has a secret weapon in Ben Shive, turning in the
best string arrangements of a career already piled
high with beautiful work. “The Slow Surrender” is
the best acoustic rock track I’ve heard all year.
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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Add this to your “must-listen” stack.
November 2019
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