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Boards of Canada -  Music Has The Right to Children

18 Tracks.

Warp Records

1:10: 47

Now at a days end, I sit here and write this passage of mine about an arbitrary song I’ve selected for the day. I am not a liar. I did not listen to a song for my whole day or was it arbitrary — well then again the arbitrary part is a bit of a fib. First: I spent my whole day Read the rest of this entry »

Radiohead
In Rainbows
TBD Records
10 songs / 42:34

The album starts off with a drum-loop that sounds like a scraped idea from Kid A, then as the song continues, you realize this is nothing like Kid A or Amnesiac, or even the slept on, Hail to the Thief. Which is what the album is, nothing like all of the previous post millennium releases. It’s been four years since their last album, and this four year break did them well. Radiohead has a new sound, a new sound indeed and a sound that I hope stays around for a while.

Read the rest of this entry »

Gabriel Wilson
Lovely Is Death
L-Town Records
8 songs / 29:52
http://www.myspace.com/lovelyisdeath

With his first solo release, Gabriel Wilson, frontman of Rock & Roll Worship Circus/The Listening, pours out his broken heart in superbly ethereal form. Not merely an “acoustic” album, Lovely is Death is a poignant tapestry of sound, minimalist yet accented by understated percussion and delay. It is the sound of a man purely empty and purely broken, rooted in the sweet simplicity of song. Yet what defines Wilson is not despair, but the labored joy and the flickering, unforced hope which weaves its way throughout the beautiful mess of sundered relationship in all its visceral - even holy - glory.

In “Now I Know Who My Friends Are,” Wilson sings, “I went out to the church folk and I found a little hate / they gave me to the devils in hopes that I would break / but Jesus held my hands up when I got too tired to lift / he gave me wine to make me sleep and will to live again.” The stark bitterness of the lyrics on the page is contrasted by the remarkable tenderness in the sung word. It’s evocative of the depth of forgiveness and grace of a God who, though otherwise largely unnamed, permeates the spilled blood and tears. It is rare to find honest sincerity in “sad” music these days, but Wilson is genuine - and talented. The result is eight songs which transcend “good” to become timeless. It has been sometime since new material was released by Wilson either on his own or with a group; hopefully a new album is forthcoming soon.

[RYAN RO / CNXmusic.com]

Delirious
Kingdom of Comfort
2008 Furious? Records
12 tracks / 55:18

Delirious? would like you to believe that they & their latest record, Kingdom of Comfort, is “well and truly messed up, fully inspired, and utterly uncomfortable.” It might be a step forward for Delirious?, but there isn’t much “uncomfortable” about the sonics. Finding more in common with modern rock than CCM, the new songs would slot nicely into a mix tape of The Killers, Coldplay and Mute Math (or The Police). Jon Thatcher remains one of the most under-appreciated bass players in music today, skillfully underpinning the rhythm section alongside drummer Stew Smith’s final recorded work with the group. The urgency driving “Love Will Find a Way” and “Wonder” is aided and abetted by the swaggering Oasis-rock of “Give What You’ve Got.” The title track is also the lead-off, setting the tone of things to come with brooding, moody synths and wailing vocals. It’s nothing terribly ground-breaking, but neither is it derivative or trite. Martin Smith’s not-inconsiderable pipes contribute tremendously to the strength of the material; the man can SING. Ironically, it is the “worship ballad” where Delirious? stumbles. It is ironic that the first single of a project designed to provoke listeners is the tragically cliche and lamentable “We Give You Praise.” The band outright ruins the following track, “How Sweet The Name,” by insisting on bringing in the full band to close out an otherwise beautiful track comprised solely of Martin Smith’s voice, piano and very minor string work. It is neither powerful nor impacting, but jarring and frustrating.

Lyrically, the group tackles poverty, consumerism and the failings of a materialist, egocentric western culture. It’s ground rarely covered by a band known for revolutionizing “modern worship,” and frankly, it is refreshing. The past two Delirious? albums have been (for the most part) very safe, largely unadventurous and overly “christian friendly.” Kingdom of Comfort is challenging, relevant and more universal in its concerns, hopefully in a fashion that engages listeners to pause and consider something more than the latest fashions and video games. That said, I can’t help but feel that Delirious? could have done more with the theme than they did. The premise, though well met, feels slightly unfulfilled. You will read about how the group “sings about Martin’s father’s battle with cancer,” but it is largely contained to one verse of one song (the quirky, eclectic “Stare The Monster Down”). Frankly, “Our God Reigns” from the The Mission Bell is in many ways more harshly challenging and provocative than the entire new album.

Delirious? does not quite live up to the sonic or thematic promise trumpeted in press releases, overly enthusiastic christian reviews or even the unique packaging itself, a clear plastic package containing a small hard-bound book with testimonies and stories meant to provoke and inspire the reader to find some way to better their world. Yet the good far outweighs the bad. Despite two poor worship ballads and the lack of a singularly epic track in the tradition of a “History Maker,” “Investigate” or “Our God Reigns,” it is hard to deny the energy and passion that has infused Delirious?’ 7th (or 8th or 9th depending on how you count the Cutting Edge discs) studio album. Kingdom of Comfort is not going to change the world, but there is a great deal here to like. Who knows, you may even find yourself inspired.

(Additional note: The album lists two additional tracks in the liner, available for download from the group’s website. They were not included as part of this review. The two tracks, “Hallelujah” and “Mothers of the Night,” are largely forgettable and one can see why they were not included on the cd proper.)

[RYAN RO / CNXmusic.com]